Success = How close are we to the mission of Jesus Christ?
With-ness
Changing the World Begins With Jesus
Faith Promise | A Bit of Complexity
If You Want To Breathe, Take Off Your Mask
Allow God To Fuel Your Fire
Put Wind In Your Sails
Marriage Is God's Idea
"My most brilliant achievement was my ability to be able to persuade my wife to marry me." -Winston Churchill
Marriage is God's idea. I don't think any of us has the capacity to generate a vision like this on our own. We are mostly selfish creatures of habit. But, in contrast, God's vision for marriage demonstrates his belief that we can overcome our selfish cravings and become someone greater than we already are. The Bible describes marriage as a spiritual covenant that is binding and sacred reflecting the covenant between God and his people. No other relationship is to rival the covenant of marriage. There are certain parameters, expectations and behaviors that protect and preserve what the bible describes as sacred and holy.
Marriage challenges us to think beyond our selfish aspirations. God equipped us with competence and hope. We can learn. We can apply what we learn. We can grow and develop. But, we have to do our part. Here are some resources for you to consider as we talk about marriage this weekend. Let's really make an effort to focus on God's big idea and how we can capture his vision for a fulfilled life in marriage.
Family Life is a website designed to help support you in your marriage. Listen to Paul Tripp talk about what he thinks sabotages all relationships here. http://www.familylife.com/video/topics/marriage#.VCAT5cIo7cs
Focus on the Family has developed resources for families for decades. This website will give you some fresh perspectives. Focus has truly come into the 21st century and developed some great advice and tools. Check them out here http://www.focusonthefamily.com/marriage.aspx
Cloud-Townsend Resources are favorites for all relationships. Check out Dr. John Townsend as he gives a two-minute talk on divorce here http://www.cloudtownsend.com/video-advice/channel/Marriage/
Have you ever wondered what successful married couples have in common? Here are stories of couples who've been married over 35 years. Check their stories out herehttp://www.worldmag.com/2013/10/never_let_go
"For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance." -Matthew 25:29a NIV
Does Your Work [Career] Matter?
'Without the Spirit, there is no experience of the new creation.' Miroslav Volf, Work in the Spirit: Toward a Theology of Work
There is often a disconnect between work and the spiritual life for a lot of people. A theologian by the name of Miroslav Volf discovered an innovative way to understand the relationship between work and the spiritual life. He invites us to consider work as cooperation with God and believes God intended work to be something that brings meaning and purpose to our lives. Miroslav Volf grew up in Osijek, Croatia. His theology is a product of Eastern European theologians following WWII. American Christianity descends from and is commonly linked with European theology, values and morality.
Max Weber wrote an important book titled The Protestant Work Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism in 1905. This book is considered one of the most influential books of the 20th century. Weber influenced people to work in the secular world, develop entrepreneurial ideas and engage in trade for the accumulation of wealth. Business developers were ready to ride the wave of the Industrial Revolution. They were ready to believe God had predestined them to become a blessing to humanity by creating mass wealth. Global manufacturing exploded during the 20th century as the demand for material goods grew during consecutive hot and cold wars. A few people made a lot of money. But, the worker was slowly dehumanized to simply become a 'cog in the machine.'
Work is a major component of our lives. We are all tempted to spend more time and resources on work than anything else. But, do you ever wonder what God thinks of our work or even our career choice? It may be helpful to consider what our work does for us rather than what we do for work. Dr. Volf's scholarly efforts challenge us to consider what role the Holy Spirit plays in equipping us for Kingdom work. You are not alone if you have ever wondered about the purpose of your work and whether or not it's meaningful. Dr. Volf would ask you to consider how your work impacts others and contributes to the promised future Kingdom of God. You are more than a 'cog in the machine.' You matter to God. What you do for work matters to God. Imagine how life could be if we listened and yielded to the Holy Spirit's direction as he prompts us to fulfill Kingdom goals. What awesome work might he have for you to accomplish today? Is someone's eternity on the line?
So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.
Galatians 6:9-10 The Message
-Pastor Jen
Be Responsible For Your Self
God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature so they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, and, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.”
-Genesis 1:26-28 The Message
By God's design, we are happiest and some might say most fulfilled, when we manage the responsibilities we've been given well. But, when we are irresponsible, everyone suffers. Our irresponsibility causes conflict and chaos. Irresponsibility isn't a difficult concept to grasp. It's what happens when we don't take responsibility for what we are responsible for. Sometimes we say irresponsible things or behave irresponsibly to get attention. Other times we test a system or challenge authority in hopes of getting away with something. Our culture rewards irresponsibility. It's almost celebrated and people have found ways to profit from it. Which is why we must recognize that once irresponsibility gets rewarded - it gets repeated.
Imagine how differently life could've have developed had Adam and Eve took responsibility for their actions in the Garden of Eden. The early chapters of Genesis describe God's big idea for a good life. Humanity was created in a complete and perfect state. Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden to work it and care for it. God provided a wife so that Adam would not be alone and perhaps so they could come to know the immense goodness of accomplishing great things together. In the beginning, Adam and Eve were content with life in the Garden of Eden and their relationship with God. God's original will was simply to retain this perfection. However, humanity was created in the Image of God, which included the ability for self-determination. Adam and Eve used their self-determining power to turn away from God and thus came the Fall with devastating effects.
The September installment of the i3-series is titled Infuse. We don't become responsible overnight. But, we can take small steps to infuse responsibility into our lives and model responsibility to the next generation. We cannot make choices for others. But we can live and act in a way that reflects God's standards and morality. Living responsible lives is not easy. Infusing responsibility into our lives may feel awkward at first but in the end the rewards will be God-honoring. Who knows, we may find ourselves tending a garden after all.
"More than a momentary transaction from guilty to forgiven, John Wesley defined salvation as 'the renewal of our souls after the Image of God.' Responsible Grace by Randy Maddox
Know When To Fold 'Em
If you enjoy something in this world without saying a blessing, it's as if you stole it. Talmud Berachot 35A
Have you thought much about what to keep and what to give away lately? It's a strange revelation to me when I think of the things I hold on to and why. I hold onto memories. I hold onto friends. I sometimes hold onto grudges, too. I hold onto these things because I may feel an irrational connection or I value them so deeply that to live without them would be unthinkable. But, reality speaks to me in gentle tones as memories fade, friends move on and grudges can be forgiven.
What about our rights and entitlements as Americans? Would we try to keep them or give them away? What if our property was demolished, our family wiped out and our career dead? Maybe there is something noble and honorable about fighting and dying for what we think is right but a very wise man once reminded me that all martyrs have one thing in common.
Jesus speaks with a certain ruler. He's asked about inheriting eternal life. Jesus responds truthfully. We can do nothing to achieve eternal life and we can never be good enough. The life Jesus invites us to participate in has nothing to do with accumulation, rights, entitlement or inheritance. Salvation is ultimately not possible for humanity and only possible with God. But, hear what sounds like the punch line: after a time of weakness, trial, suffering, pain and death 'on the third day he will rise again.'
The irreducible quality of resilience demonstrated in Jesus Christ can be so intoxicating to me, I sometimes look for things to give away just to see how he replaces them for me. I often find through the excruciating process of giving away whatever I received makes the previous things I held onto pale in comparison. Then, I am blessed. I drop to my knees in praise and wonder as the tiny universe I once held onto so tightly gives way to the ever expanding Kingdom of God. Humility is a far better partner on my journey I discovered. Nothing really belongs to us. But, we do have a choice. Have you thought much about what to keep and what to give away?
"The disciples didn't understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about." Luke 19:34 NIV
-Pastor Jen
Prayer Is A Two-Way Street
A New Three-Part Series: [i3]
Mission is more and different from recruitment to our brand of religion; it is the alerting of people to the universal reign of God through Christ. South African Missiologist, David Bosch
A cacophony of sound emanated from the streets of Cairo as tributaries merged into a central river of traffic known as the Ring Road. I quickly gained an enormous amount of respect for our bus driver in the midst of such turmoil and chaos. Perched within the precarious safety of our air-conditioned bus, I noticed many of the men bobbing along the endless sea of people had black smudge-marks on their foreheads. I asked our Egyptian guide about the black marks. He said they were zebibah (a prayer bump). It was a mark of piety. It represented the prayer life of a devout man.
Later that same day, I stood barefoot on the scarlet carpet within the Alabaster Mosque. Hundreds of world travelers whispered native languages in excited hush tones as they exchanged words of awe and wonder. I silently marveled at the architecture. You may watch a quick travel video here to see for yourself. The Mosque of Mohammed Ali could no doubt rival Notre Dame or Westminster Abby.
My gaze drifted toward our tour guide who patiently stood next to me with his hands folded behind his back. He looked like a proud parent. It was then I noticed he didn’t have a black mark on his forehead. I leaned toward him and privately asked why he didn’t have a black mark on his forehead. He smiled as he looked down at me but he didn’t answer. Then, I said, “I am glad God looks at the mark on our heart and not at the mark on our forehead.” In the midst of the cacophony and splendor two Christ-followers shared an unexpected moment of grace.
This Sunday we begin a three-part series called i-3: Integrate, Infuse and Ignite. Integrate messages are designed to help us learn how to merge simple, ordinary and practical ways of sharing our faith into the never-ending stream of our daily life. We can discover together how we may have a lasting impact for the Kingdom of God in ordinary and often unexpected ways. Our September Infuse messages plan to challenge us to become better leaders by becoming more responsible in a winsome Christ-like way. The Ignite series will introduce the Holy Spirit to our congregation in a fresh new way. We will host an event called the Ignite Weekend Experience on October 24-26. Plan to join us--we’re onto something exciting!
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. I Peter 3:15 NIV
-Pastor Jen
You Crave A Greater Purpose
"While all creation is to be valued, while everything that breathes is to be treated with respect, while the earth itself is a sacred stewardship, everything is not equal. You are not equal. You are human. You are given one life, and it translates into eternity." Erwin McManus Soul Cravings
God has placed longings within us. Maybe this is something new for you to grasp. Most people don't understand why they do the things they do.
Curiosity and creativity drive us to discover and learn more. Success drives us to find meaning and purpose. We sometimes wrestle with dreams, ambition and calling. We remain hopeful, so that when we discover our specific duty, we can fulfill our mission and accomplish something great. Some of us privately hope we accomplished something worthwhile and haven't squandered the one and only life we were given on things that just didn't matter in the end.
God created us for progress and his intention for us has always been that we could be conduits of good. We may find that we are most alive when we are instruments of change and refuse to accept the status quo. Even great humanitarians understand this drive for progress, meaning and purpose but few humanitarians give God the credit for initiating the longing that drives them. We are not meant to live hopeless aimless lives. We can try and insulate ourselves from the problems of the world but in doing so we cut ourselves off from each other. We could say we become less human. When we stop believing the world can become a better place or stop caring about the lives and conditions of others, we lose part of ourselves.
Unless you've been severely jaded, there is something that drives you to either make the world better or makes you feel guilty for not responding. We become jaded because we lose hope. If this is you, try to remember a time when you believed the future would be better. Remember a time when you longed to make a difference. We can't work at changing the world if we are not progressing and becoming better ourselves. The Hebrew perspective is that we are unique. God created human beings in a distinctive act. Only humanity was created in the image and likeness of God. It is God who knows you best because he placed the longings within you in hope they would drive you back to him.
Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23 NRSV
Hope Has The Last Word
"It's a troubling thing when your soul demands what your brain rejects." Erwin McManus, Soul Cravings
"I'm not really motivated. I don't know why I am still here," she confessed as I listened to her talk about life in the nursing home. She said she felt lost and alone, totally insignificant. It doesn't take long for some people to lose hope after several unsuccessful attempts to climb out from beneath the debris pile of life. Hope is supposed to be our internal guidance system that keeps us on track and focused on the future. But, the ocean of despair can be an overwhelming eraser. It can tempt us to believe all hope for the future is lost and we can lose sight of a purpose beyond ourselves. If it wasn't for God, we would all be drowning in the ocean of despair haunted by our soul craving for this irrational need for hope.
Some very smart and educated people may try to convince us that we can live without God and without hope. The troubling truth is life may not end when we lose hope but it will stop. Sometimes all we need is one person to really see us, to reach in and truly care. Dr. Basman Alashi caught my attention this week as I read reports from the Middle East. The title of the article gripped my heart, "We Stay Together, or We Leave This World Together." You can read the article here.
Hope for the future brings possibility and potential. It gives birth to resilience and it's an active resistance against the darkness. Amazing strength is unleashed within us if we can find purpose beyond ourselves. Jesus revealed God's greater purpose for all Creation. His command is simple. We are to love as we have been loved by God. We are to define success as becoming more Christ-like. We are to follow Jesus on a daily basis which means daily dying to our self. A true sense of destiny helps us not only endure but persevere during unimaginable obstacles and hardships. It's often the worst that brings out the best in us.
Choose to define success by opening the eyes of the blind. Reach one who cannot see their significance to God. Remind someone who's close to the brink of despair that hope has the last word. As far as we know, the tomb is still empty and Jesus promises to come back. So, in the meantime, let's get to work. Destiny is waiting to be fulfilled.
"The created world itself can hardly wait for what’s coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens." Romans 8:19-21 The Message
A Hero's Dream
"We get lost in desires and never find what our soul longs for." -Erwin McManus, Soul Cravings
Who is your favorite super hero? As a kid, I liked Aquaman. He could exist beneath the waves unencumbered and had the power to communicate with under water creatures. He was part of a team of crime fighters called the Justice League of America. Even though he will forever be the butt of jokes thanks to his fishy powers, comic readers have come to love Aquaman as a noble (and very powerful) figure who is forever torn between the worlds of land and sea. In a 2011 reader poll, Parade magazine ranked Aquaman among the Top 10 Superheroes of All Time.
I think there is something within us that wants to believe we could be like them. Secretly we may hope there is some hidden unique power within all of us that needs to be discovered as significant and somehow be used for the greater good of all humanity. Film producers sure recognize how lucrative the market can be for super hero movies. Hitfix researched the greatest superhero moves of all time. You can read their discoveries here.
Super heroes are cartoon characters. They can inspire us and help us dream big dreams. But, they're not real. And beneath life's debris pile, we're tempted to give up believing that we could ever have anything in common with such extraordinary individuals. Sadness, disappointment or even resentment can creep in and soon we become resigned to accept a misconception about ourselves. Eventually, we may give up believing altogether that we are extraordinary or that life has a greater meaning and purpose.
However, imagine the impact to the human soul, if we realized that God really did place a soul craving within each of us that drives us to search for meaning, destiny and purpose? Maybe the inner stirring we sometimes feel is really God nudging us toward his preferred future for us. God has a clear vision for our lives and for the world. Maybe dreams, aspirations and callings don't really even belong to us but belong to God. He just allows them to inspire us. Desire, calling and ambition all have deep significance when they are from God. Join us this weekend for worship as we talk more about destiny and possibly discover how to fulfill yours.
"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also has planted eternity in men’s hearts and minds [a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy], yet so that men cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end." Ecclesiastes 3:11 Amplified Bible
We Cannot Live Unaffected By Love
"We cannot live unaffected by love. We are most alive when we find it, most devastated when we lose it, most empty when we give up on it, most inhumane when we betray it and most passionate when we pursue it." Erwin McManus
Love seems heroic and astonishing when we listen to a much loved bedtime story as children nestled safely in our comfortable bed. After overcoming what seems like an insurmountable obstacle, love conquers all and the hero and heroine live happily ever after in the end. Some people believe love is a worthy pursuit. It's worth living and dying for and can motivate people toward extraordinary outcomes.
But, love can also be confusing for most of us. Broken and confused hearts can influence our totally rational brain and lead us into all kinds of irrational messy situations. I think this is probably why a lot of people search for answers or insight and other people make a lot of money doling out advice. Love can be illusive but remains the primary focus of our personal constitution.
Maturity is a great teacher. It can reveal much truth about our motives and challenge us to broaden our scope of understanding. Maybe what we initially call love is really infatuation. It's our selfish motives that need changing. Love can't be limited to our emotions. The bible defines love as a choice which requires discipline. And then, there is sacrifice. I think Jesus has a lot to say about love and its power to transform us. We will discover some of what he says as we continue with our Crave series this weekend. We will develop the idea of intimacy with God and be challenged to consider our motives in regards to love. Don't miss worship this weekend. Who knows, maybe the answer you've been searching for is waiting for you right where God intended it to be.
"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him." 1 John 4:9 NIV
What Do You Crave?
"There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person, and it can never be filled by any created thing. It can only be filled by God, made known through Jesus Christ.” - Blaise Pascal, Pensees
Most people don't sell their souls to the devil all at once. They end up giving them away in little bits over time. We're all trying to figure ourselves out and most of us don't do a very good job. So, we settle for quick unencumbered solutions to very complicated and complex questions. Most of us are driven by desires we don't understand. We want to have things in common with others but we don't want to be common. We all search for meaning but have a tendency to search in all the wrong places. Maybe there should be a Country and Western song from the 1980's playing in the background as you read this blog.
Many of us want to discover something unique about ourselves and why we are here on the planet. It's possible that deep down in our souls we're all hopeful that we're here for some truly significant reason. Once we find the reason, our lives will take on deeper meaning, our relationships will be released to discover deeper levels of intimacy and our existence will be confirmed by the truth that each one of us is worthy of love and irreplaceable. You may already know the central themes of the Bible and that God unequivocally expresses his absolute and unconditional love for us. Sadly, many in the world don't know the truth and are trapped in hopeless labyrinths of confusion attempting to find love, purpose and meaning on their own.
We are designed to love and be loved by God. But sin has hijacked our God-given desires for love, connection and meaning. Sin sometimes creeps into our soul as arrogance. Arrogance blinds us. We might even argue that it is impossible to truly love someone and be arrogant at the same time. Arrogance can become a coping strategy for people who are afraid to love or who have been so hurt by prior relationships they give up on love all together. There are many stories in the Bible that illustrate our point. But, King David's defining moment chronicled in 2 Samuel 12 is our selection for the series opener as we dive into our Summer Series called Crave. Stop looking in all the wrong places and find your heart in the right place this weekend at any of our worship services. See you at church this weekend.
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me,and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24 NIV A Psalm of David
How is Your Doing Going?
"I am more and more convinced, that the devil himself desires nothing more than this, that the people of any place should be half-awakened, and then left to themselves to fall asleep again. Therefore, I determine, by the grace of God, not to strike one stroke in any place where I cannot follow the blow." John Wesley March 13, 1743 Journals and Diaries II
How is your doing? Maybe I could re-phrase that question by asking you how it is going with your doing? John Wesley believed small groups were instrumental for Christian growth and maturity. Not only did he want people to ask one another about their inner world meaning their feelings, attitudes and struggles, but he also wanted people to live out their faith in action. Wesley believed that sharing how well you were living out your faith in action pushed you to live a changed life. Not incidentally, so did the Apostle Paul.
What is the gospel? You may wonder and many of us do! Paul pares through all our Christian rhetoric with the precision of a master swordsman with one swift move. He cuts away sentiment, argument or confusion and allows us as readers of his letter to the Corinthian church to hear his clarion call with utter clarity. I heard Paul and John Wesley call out the gospel on a hillside in Bethlehem last week. How is it going with your doing? A tree is known by its fruit. The farmer in this photo is Daoud Nassar. He is a Palestinian Christian whose family has owned one-hundred acres of vineyard, orchard and farm land for generations going back to the Ottoman period. Bulldozers destroyed 1,500 fruit trees two weeks before harvest two weeks ago. It takes ten years for an olive tree to bear fruit. They are all gone and buried beneath the soil. You can read about this story here.
We prayed for Daoud on his hilltop. But, I still feel a sharp pain from the edge of the gospel's blade. How is it going with your doing, Jen Wilson? The Apostle Paul challenges me to disown fears and trepidations about my reputation. They must take the back seat to the gospel. I hope to return to the Tent of All Nations and plant a tree with Daoud because the gospel compels me to do so. Maybe you can come along. "Next year in Jerusalem," as the saying goes.
We only have two weeks left of our Forged series. We plan to move on from the church of Corinth to explore the machinations of the soul during our summer series called Crave. Wheatland will celebrate Father's Day by hearing from influential men who are fathers from our congregation. The following week we will commission short-term mission teams and wind up our series with a fresh call to the gospel.
"The first thing I did was place before you what was placed so emphatically before me: that the Messiah died for our sins, exactly as Scripture tells it; that he was buried; that he was raised from death on the third day, again exactly as Scripture says;" I Corinthians 15:3-4 The Message
-Pastor Jen
Living By Love Honors the Life of Christ
“Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession...Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.” Dietrich Bonheoffer
"Aren't you the pastor?" It's the question every pastor secretly dreads because pastors are sometimes held to a different level of behavioral expectations. We are often scrutinized for how we dress, what we think, where we shop and how we serve our greater community. Unfortunately, the scrutiny often includes our family. Rumors, innuendos and gossip spread like wildfire if a pastor is seen at a 'questionable' establishment or witnessed doing something 'questionable.' I've heard my share of stories from colleagues and their families about how they cope with unrealistic expectations, maybe you have too. However, judgments like this are not limited to clergy. They include all vocations from teachers and police officers to athletes and physicians.
Few people think of the impact their judgment makes before they make their comments. Psychology tells us that the person making the comment is doing so from a diminished sense of self-worth. But, the venom of a well-placed verbal strike can leave a heart paralyzed for life. We often fail to remember the truth when we are the recipient of someone else's poisonous judgment. Maybe this is exactly what Paul is trying to tell the Corinthian church.
The Apostle Paul appealed to the heart of the Corinthian believers. They were to live out their lives with a transformed heart of love and not with a self-sanctified attitude of superiority. Sometimes Christians are tempted to misuse their freedom in Christ to build up a false sense of self-righteousness. Paul admonished the Corinthians and reminded them of their responsibility to the greater Christian community. They were not to become a stumbling block for anyone. Paul summed it up clearly. Christian community is built on a foundation of love and to live any other way is to cheapen and diminish what Christ did for us all. Paul was always the champion for humility. He was very much aware of his temptation to sin. But, he was also convinced of the great love Christ Jesus had for him and for the lost world he came to save. Maybe we can be, too.
'yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.' I Corinthians 8:6 NIV