7.3.13 "Hanging out with Riffraff"

Today’s Scripture is:  Matthew 9: 9-13  (The Message)                     

⁹ Passing along, Jesus saw a man at his work collecting taxes. His name was Matthew. Jesus said, “Come along with me.” Matthew stood up and followed him.

^10-11 Later when Jesus was eating supper at Matthew’s house with his close followers, a lot of disreputable characters came and joined them. When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company, they had a fit, and lit into Jesus’ followers. “What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riffraff?”

^12-13 Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.”

The first thing I’m reminded of in this scripture is Jesus’ connection with people.  He doesn’t go rent a room somewhere and wait for people to come to Him, He’s out walking the streets, talking to people, calling people to follow Him.  He’s dining with people and living with them in their environment.  He’s defending them when they are judged and He has compassion on them and on their circumstances.  I’m challenged to do the same here because I know that I can get complacent in my church office… behind my computer…. just waiting for people to come to us… to Point of Grace…to me.  I can easily choose to ignore the call to “get out in the world” because I work in ministry in a church environment…and after all, isn’t that enough?  Isn’t working here at POG enough ministry…enough involvement…enough time spent with hurting or far from God people?  I’m sorry to say that I have felt that way before.  But that’s not what the example of Jesus is in this scripture!  It’s getting out, it’s doing, it’s mingling, it’s meeting, it’s calling, it’s eating and loving and listening and inviting people over… and opening up my life enough that people see what Jesus means to me and how I live differently because of Him.    

So what would it look like for me to cozy up to riffraff and crooks?  What does my heart have to recognize in order for me to feel as comfortable with disreputable characters as Jesus did?   I know I have to set pride aside… the kind of pride that says, “I’m better than they are”, or the kind of pride that says, “I could never be in their situation”, or the kind of pride that says, “What will people think of me if I’m seen with riffraff”.   Have you ever had those prideful thoughts about people who are poor, or have a record, or live on the streets, or can’t seem to get their life together….. etc., etc….?  I’m a lot less prone to that now than I used to be because Jesus has been working on my heart and showing me my ugly prideful areas, but I’m still not immune to those thoughts.   It’s a daily check in my spirit and a daily surrender of pride that will help me live like Jesus did. 

And now I have to pray for opportunities to meet the fringe people…the unusual people, the hard to love people, the extra grace required people, the people that smell because they don’t have a place to take a shower, and the people that require my TIME.  Jesus spent almost all of His time with people far from God, and this example is a powerful reminder that loving riffraff people takes sacrifice.  People matter to God so they should matter to me, no matter who they are, what they wear, how they smell, where - or if they work, or where they come from. 

Lord, please help me love like you love.  Give me your heart for the sick and the lost.  Give me your heart and your perspective in all the situations you put me in.  Help me to fully honor the example you put before me by making a true effort to be with people, taking initiative to develop a relationship with them, and being prepared to give them an answer for the hope I have…so they can come to know you as their Lord and Savior.   Amen

What are your thoughts on this scripture today?  Please share –

Denise  

07.02.13 "DO this with Jesus’ HEART"

Dear Father, you know this day has been filled with anxiety over family members needing healing and stressful situations.  I also have been blessed beyond measure with the same family.  Thank You that I can let go of all the worry and guilt - give it to Jesus, because when He died for me He took all of that stuff.  Holy Spirit fill my mind and HEART with Your presence so I may hear Your Words, Your Truth, concerning the blog I’m about to write.  I surrender all to You, Jesus and receive Your Love.  May Your light and love shine through the words You give me.  In Jesus Name I pray.  Amen Colossians 4:2-6

New International Version (NIV)

Further Instructions

2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Sunday’s Message was titled “DO THIS with Gentleness and Respect!”, referencing 1 Peter 3: 15, which states we should ALWAYS be prepared to tell others the reason for the HOPE we have, but do this with gentleness and   respect.  As I read and reread this Colossians passage, I’m convinced Paul (the author) is supporting the entire verse of 1 Peter 3: 15, not just the last part.  I knew Sunday I would be responsible for writing the blog today, so I looked at Colossians and God spoke to me through Delton and the message and He nudged me “TO DO”.

As I read this passage for the first time Sunday I underlined the words and phrases that stuck out: DEVOTE, PRAYER, WATCHFUL, THANKFUL, that God may open a door for our message, proclaim the mystery of Christ, PRAY, proclaim it clearly as I should, make the most of every opportunity, always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.  I was convicted to “prepare my answer”, that day, Sunday.

As I set out to write down my answer, to be prepared, to tell “the outsiders” of the HOPE I have, I looked over my notes from the Message.  My notes were filled with all kinds of instructions for the heart.  I love the heart! :) God made me a hopeful romantic! (I know its supposed to be hopeless, right?) Some of my notes included: we need to reset our hearts everyday several times to set apart Christ as Lord, it takes a while to kick out other gods from our hearts, and the final line - Do this with Jesus’ heart.

There was one more phrase that Delton mentioned in the Message, but it was not new to me.  I read Francis Frangipane’s article, “Unoffendable” last fall for the 1st time and the Holy Spirit put it again on my heart last Friday - Sunday.  The article is about trying to have an unoffendable heart, as Jesus did.  My answer that I should proclaim should be with the unoffendable heart of Jesus - the utmost of gentleness and respect.

Here’s what I wrote:

I have hope and joy because I know this is not my Home.  I know that I will mess up everyday, that there are so many things in this world that overwhelm me with sorrow, things that no one on this earth can fix, but because of Jesus I can surrender all mistakes, all hurt, shame, or guilt to my God.  You see when Jesus died, He took on ALL those things for me so that I can let them go!  He is so ready to do that for you too.

I know that I must always leave room for the Spirit’s prompting and this won’t be memorized for every situation, but I feel more prepared than I was before.  I feel I could go on and on with this passage - I didn’t even say anything on being “full of grace” or “seasoned with salt”, or did I?  The heart of Jesus certainly has all those things so maybe the final line in the Message notes encompasses it all:

DO this with Jesus’ HEART and lens!

What do you think?  Are you prepared?

 cindy

07.01.13 "Sharing the Hope Within"

Lord, send your Spirit to guide and direct out thoughts as we meditate on your word today. 1 Peter 3:15-17 (NIV)

15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. 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, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

Whenever I read this passage I think about Henry Muster a committed Christ follower I knew in Springfield, Illinois. He told me once about one of his neighbors who drove a truck for a large delivery company.  He noticed that on several occasions, when the price of gas was a bit steep, the neighbor would drive the truck home and siphon gas from the truck into his family car.  Henry prayed about what to do and believed that God told him to call the company rather than confront the neighbor.  He did.  The company followed the man and discovered that in addition to his own car, he was siphoning gas into the cars of a number of his friends.  He was caught and arrested in a neighborhood far from where he and Henry lived. The man never knew it was Henry who made the call.

I told Henry he was very brave to phone the company. The neighbor knew Henry was a Christian and if the neighbor had been only filling his car, it would be fairly obvious who had made the call.  The repercussions for Henry could have been devastating. Henry said that as a Christian he was compelled to make the call and trusted that Jesus would protect him from harm and danger.  He said if there were repercussions, it would be a privilege to suffer for the name of Jesus.

I found this conversation with Henry very faith building.  Here was a man who had complete trust that if he did what Jesus demanded of him, Jesus would take care of the rest.  That was the hope in which Henry lived.  In his heart he revered Christ as Lord and was compelled to live out his life in obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

From Henry I learned two lessons.  The first was that God looks after those who are obedient to His desires.  The second was how easy it is to share a testimony about the faithfulness of God with someone who, I am sorry to say, was more concerned about staying out of trouble than doing God’s bidding.  Living out our lives as Henry did, all of us will have some wonderful opportunities to share the hope that is within us.  When someone comments on our praiseworthy behavior today, I pray we will take a moment to tell him or her about the Jesus we know.

Lord, guide us by Your Spirit today and give us an opportunity to share the hope that you have placed in our hearts. Amen

John

6.29.13 "Saturday's Blog"

Welcome to the POG Blog!

Instead of a staff person or lay leader beginning the discussion, we are asking that YOU begin the discussion on what today’s Scripture is saying to you and how it relates to Sunday’s message.  Enjoy praying, digging in, sharing thoughts and responding!

Have a great Saturday!  Denise

Psalm 27: 1-6  (NIV)

The Lord gives me light and saves me.     Why should I fear anyone? The Lord is my place of safety.     Why should I be afraid? ² My enemies are evil.     They will trip and fall when they attack me     and try to eat me alive. ³ Even if an army attacks me,     my heart will not be afraid. Even if war breaks out against me,     I will still trust in God.

⁴ I’m asking the Lord for only one thing.     Here is what I want. I want to live in the house of the Lord     all the days of my life. I want to look at the beauty of the Lord.     I want to worship him in his temple. ⁵ When I’m in trouble,     he will keep me safe in his house. He will hide me in the safety of his holy tent.     He will put me on a rock that is very high. ⁶ Then I will win the battle     over my enemies who are all around me. At his holy tent I will offer my sacrifice with shouts of joy.     I will sing and make music to the Lord.

Share your thoughts on this Scripture!  What is God saying to you today?

6/27/13 Love One Another Deeply

Welcome to a new week and to the PoG Blog!  God speaks to us in all sorts of ways, including through his Holy Word.  Thank you for responding to God’s call by checking out today’s blog.  Pray God will open your head and heart to what He has to say to you. 1 Peter 1: 22 – 25

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For,

“All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

And this is the word that was preached to you.

Missed being at Point of Grace last Sunday.  Was at Lake of the Ozarks visiting an old college friend.  During the course of the five days spent together it was obvious that God has blessed him in an amazing way: lakehouse, boat, jet-skis, etc.  As I was in worship with my wife while visiting them, tears repeatedly came to my eyes.  I kept thinking…my friend has everything, but he is missing the most important thing – a relationship with the God of the Universe, his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

As I read the scripture above, written by St. Peter, the words “love one another deeply, from the heart” ring in my head.  I truly love my friend, my college classmate, and I want him to know the Jesus I have come to know and love.  I am committed to reaching out to him, even from a distance, with the truth.

Who is God calling you to reach out to today, as you go about your daily routine?  May God grant us the faith and the desire to “always have an answer…”.

mark

6.25.13 "LOVE THE JOURNEY-SAVOR THE DESTINATION"

Let’s pray:

Lord I come to you humbled that you ask me to be salt & light.  Please use me as your vessel to be your Disciple reaching out to all as the light on the hill.  Please clear my mind & spirit as I listen to your words so that my words & actions become a symbol to all that I come into contact with today & in the future until I sit at the right of Jesus.   Amen.

1 Peter 1:18-21 MSG

^18-21 Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. It cost God plenty to get you out of that dead-end, empty-headed life you grew up in. He paid with Christ’s sacred blood, you know. He died like an unblemished, sacrificial lamb. And this was no afterthought. Even though it has only lately—at the end of the ages—become public knowledge, God always knew he was going to do this for you. It’s because of this sacrificed Messiah, whom God then raised from the dead and glorified, that you trust God, that you know you have a future in God.

The 1^st thing that jumps out at me is “journey you must travel.” Yuck, anyone that knows me knows that I am impatient & hate to travel.  I want to hurry up & get there wherever there is because that is the destination.  The journey & travel is necessary in order to get where I need to be.  I try to consolidate restroom breaks with food & gas stops!

But that is me trying to be in control!  I have to constantly remind myself that I am not in control!  God is in control & HE wants me to take the journey with HIM leading.  HE wants me to drop the “dead end, empty headed life” that I am living.

HE wants me to hope in HIM because HE sacrificed HIS son for me!  HE then raised Christ from the dead for me so that I will be forgiven of my many sins & enjoy the journey.  HE does not promise me that my journey will not have pot holes or bumps in the road.  HE does promise that HE will be there with me & help me if I put my faith & hope in HIM.  Only when I place my hope & faith in God will my life change & my journey becomes as important as my destination.

I had the privilege & honor of knowing Michael Kindle.  He was part of our Small Group.  Michael didn’t say much during our studies.  He just kind of sat back listened to what everyone else said.  I usually ended each small group with Michael, you have been kind of quiet over there, you have anything to add?  He would then give us that Michael smile & proceed to tell us what the Bible said & what Jesus said about our study.  Shortly after he finished, we knew that our small group discussion was complete because nothing else needed to be said.

Michael enjoyed the journey.  He was God’s disciple no matter where he was or what he was doing.  He never missed an opportunity to share God’s love & hope with anyone that would listen.  It was never about Michael it was always about God’s love & hope for each one of us.

However, Michael also savored the destination.  At our last small group Michael told us that he loved each one of us.  He also said (& I don’t remember how it even came up) that “whenever the good Lord takes him, he will be ready.”

I pray that I can slow down & enjoy the journey.  It might be bumpy at times but with my faith & hope in God & my memories of Michael, I know that I will get through anything life throws at me.  I pray that I will be ready whenever opportunities come to express & show my love & hope in GOD.

When Michael Jordan was playing basketball, there was a saying “Be like Mike”.  I pray that I can be like Michael.

Are you enjoying the journey?  I would love to hear from you!

With faith & hope,

Jerry

6.24.13 "What a God we have!"

1 Peter 1:3-7  The Message ^3-5 What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole.

^6-7 I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime. Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it’s your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.

What an uplifting word today! I can sit here and pull out all the wonderful things mentioned in these verses; words and phrases like “fortunate”, “brand-new life”, “have everything to live for”, “future in heaven”, “life healed and whole”, “proved pure” and “proved genuine”! I can’t help but smile and know that today is a new day that I get to try life all over again, living and working for His Victory (vs. 7)!

There have been times in my life when each of these things have been the source of a fresh perspective on my faith.

Last month I was beating myself up over something that I feel is missing in my life, but when I looked at everything I have around me, I realized how fortunate I am! How can I even try to discount all of my blessings for just one thing that I feel is missing? Jesus knows that I’m not missing anything in my life, I have everything I need right now, and then some!

Yesterday I messed up and those thoughts are haunting me today but “we’ve been given a brand-new life” DAILY! It’s the easiest thing to do you know, dwell in thoughts of our past sins, mistakes, things that broke us. But He heals us and makes us whole every moment. We don’t need to think about those moments because He doesn’t!

There have been times when I didn’t feel life was worth living (more times than I’d like to admit), yet here we are reminded why we’re here and that we “have everything to live for”! Maybe you’re like me, struggling to figure out your purpose in this world, but be patient and listen for Him to nudge you in the right direction. There is a Reason for you!

We’re reminded in verse 6 that life isn’t easy, “I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime”. Life is tough, it’s irritating, it’s full of pain, heartache, disappointment and aggravation, but it’s worth it! Remember “it’s your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of His Victory”. So don’t beat yourself up my friend! He is working you to be proved pure and proved genuine.

Lord, thank you for loving me and for never giving up on what You see in me. Keep negative thoughts out of my mind today as I bask in Your blessings and Your glory. In Jesus name, Amen.

What sticks out the most to you today? Which one of these power words or phrases resonates in your heart?

Toni

6.22.13 "Saturday's Blog"

Welcome to the POG Blog!

Instead of a staff person or lay leader beginning the discussion, we are asking that YOU begin the discussion on what today’s Scripture is saying to you and how it relates to Sunday’s message.  Enjoy praying, digging in, sharing thoughts and responding!

Have a great Saturday!  Denise

Today’s Scripture is:   Psalm 96  (NIV)

¹ Sing a new song to the Lord. All you people of the earth, sing to the Lord. ² Sing to the Lord. Praise him. Day after day tell about how he saves us. ³ Tell the nations about his glory. Tell all people about the wonderful things he has done.

⁴ The Lord is great. He is really worthy of praise. People should have respect for him as the greatest God of all. ⁵ All of the gods of the nations are like their statues. They can’t do anything. But the Lord made the heavens. ⁶ Glory and majesty are all around him. Strength and glory can be seen in his temple.

⁷ Praise the Lord, all you nations. Praise the Lord for his glory and strength. ⁸ Praise the Lord for the glory that belongs to him. Bring an offering and come into the courtyards of his temple. ⁹ Worship the Lord because of his beauty and holiness. All you people of the earth, tremble when you are with him.

¹⁰ Say to the nations, “The Lord rules.” The world is firmly set in place. It can’t be moved. The Lord will judge the people of the world fairly. ¹¹ Let the heavens be full of joy. Let the earth be glad. Let the ocean and everything in it roar. ¹²     Let the fields and everything in them be glad. Then all of the trees in the forest will sing with joy. ¹³     They will sing to the Lord, because he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the people of the world in keeping with what is right and true.

Share your thoughts on this Scripture!  What is God saying to you today?

6.21.13 "Squelching the Appetite!"

Welcome to the POG Blog! Today’s scripture is 1 Peter 2 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, ² like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, ³ if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. ⁴ And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, ⁵ you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

It takes energy, even passionate energy to do a good job of holding on to malice, being deceitful, maintaining a hypocritical lifestyle, being envious and slanderous.  Oh, these things come naturally to me, don’t get me wrong, but they do take energy!  Perhaps they don’t take much effort but they do take energy!  They are spiritually, emotionally, physically and mentally draining.  And most of all they ruin my appetite, craving, longing for the good stuff!  That is what God is using this verse to show me today!

I am on an "ice cream" kick!  I love ice cream especially at night!  I am realizing though, over time this ice cream thing I have going on at bedtime will be disastrous on me.  Oh, no will I have to get rid of "ice cream"!  Not only is it not all that nutritious perhaps the space it takes up in my diet should be filled with "good stuff"!  But, I like my ice cream and a lot of it!

So spiritually speaking, Peter is saying “put aside”, “let go of”, “get rid of” malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander because as long as I am dining on those things I will not “crave”, “long for”, “desire” the pure milk of the word of God.  Peter is using a powerful metaphor with the whole infant analogy!  Like a newborns “longs for – desire – crave” the pure, enriching, fortifying, antibody rich, well balance milk from the breast of their mother so you now “crave, long for, desire” that enriching, well balanced, enemy resisting, strength building pure milk of the word.

Physically, a high carb, refined sugar diet will squelch my appetite but I will not be strengthened, nutritioned and fortified for the long haul. So spiritually, I will lose my craving for the purity of God revealed in His word if I don’t get rid of the junk food! I love this call God is making on my life through this word.  “Delton, get rid of some of the things you are focused on so you can “long for” the good stuff.”

We talked last Sunday about “Setting apart (sanctifying) Christ as Lord in our hearts!”  This is what Peter is talking about I think!  When I am turning from the junk food and longing for the real food my heart is considering and consecrating Christ as Lord!  Then I am moving in the right direction to live the day!

What do you think about all this?  What is Peter getting at here?

delton

6.20.2013 "Speaking Grace-filled Truth IS HARD!"

Ephesians 4: 29-32 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

This passage felt like a big wet slap in the face to me.  Over the past year I’ve found myself struggling  with “corrupting talk.”  Frustrations with employers, family members, friends…even random strangers (who were astonishingly bad drivers) have gotten the best of me more often than I care to admit.  What is sad is that my ability to criticize is so finely tuned that I trick myself into thinking of it as a “gift.”  I actually convince myself that the world needs people like me…people who are such great “evaluators” that they can take things and make them better.  Only I don’t make things better…I just chew them up and spit them out.  Making myself miserable in the process.

I’m glad I had the chance to read these verses and think about them prior to writing this.  Obviously my initial reaction was conviction.  But I don’t feel that it ends there.  I don’t feel like we are being told to keep our mouths shut, or even to only say nice things to people.  My mom used to tell me, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”  I don’t think that’s the message.

The command is to use words that are “good for building up, as fits the occasion.”  There is no question that we are to speak the truth…and do so courageously.  But I think that it takes some intentionality, some effort to speak truth gracefully.  At times it seems like those two concepts, truth and grace, are fundamentally opposed.  It can feel like we have to sacrifice one to have the other.  I think that this internal struggle stems from how we view others in relation to ourselves.  Truth feels like criticism when it’s delivered in a way that draws attention to how we differ from one another.  Statements like “you did this wrong” or “you need to be more _____” illuminate how I differ from the person I’m speaking to.  (or at least how I see us differing).

The image that pops into my head is one of two people climbing a mountain.  One climber, further up, calls down to the person struggling to climb with instruction.  Unless the instruction is purely encouraging, it’s almost always difficult to receive.  The slower climber likely feels burdened and even hindered by the “truth” being delivered.  I contrast that image with that of two climbers, side by side, making their way up the mountain together.  The words that pass between the two are collaborative rather than authoritative.  Rather than feeling annoyed by the “more successful” climbers instruction, there is synergy.

It’s helpful for me to remember that in relation to God, I’m no further up the mountain than anyone else.  The people God has placed in my life are my team…and it’s far more rewarding (and more glorifying to God) when the entire team succeeds.  That truth should affect my speech.

Jon

6.19.13 "An attitude change"

Today’s Scripture is:  1 Peter 1:17-21    (NIV)                     

¹⁷ You call on a Father who judges each person’s work without favoring one over another. So live your lives as strangers here. Have the highest respect for God.

¹⁸ The blood of Christ set you free from an empty way of life. That way of life was handed down to you by your own people long ago. You know that you were not bought with things that can pass away, like silver or gold. ¹⁹ Instead, you were bought by the priceless blood of Christ. He is a perfect lamb. He doesn’t have any flaws at all. ²⁰ He was chosen before God created the world. But he came into the world in these last days for you.

²¹ Because of what Christ has done, you believe in God. It was God who raised him from the dead. And it was God who gave him glory. So your faith and hope are in God.

There are two verses that really grabbed my attention here.  “Live your lives as strangers here.” and   “…But he came into the world in these last days for you.”    

On Sunday, Pastor was teaching on what it means to set Christ apart as Lord in our hearts.  I think I felt that if I could get up every day and say Jesus is Lord of my life that that would be enough.  There’s so much more to the meaning of that verse though.   If I really lived as a stranger here on earth every day and recognized that Heaven is my true home, I would view life differently and I would literally LONG for Jesus…. and LONG to be with Him every moment.  And if I truly absorbed the fact that He came into the world for ME (as in personally… not just one of many), then how differently would I feel about myself and my worth…and how humbly would I live my life knowing He came for me. 

To daily recognize how empty my life would be without Jesus, how hopeless my life would be without His promises, and how this life is only a snippet of the life to come – gives my life perspective…and as a result, hope….no matter what I’m facing.  To me, that’s what it means to set apart Christ as Lord in my heart.  To do this, would result in a change of attitude in everything I do:  Being humble in situations where pride would normally set in.  Seeing challenges as temporary and not putting so much emphasis on them.  Not needing to prove myself to others because God has given me my value.  Moving into difficult situations that need attention, rather than running or avoiding them.  Authentically giving an answer for the hope I have in Jesus, even if I feel judged.   Loving people that think differently than me….. Having the knowledge that Jesus is Lord, is great… but how much greater when I’ve set Him apart from all other things in my heart and recognize what He’s done for me.  And how great it is when my attitude reflects that, because that is what gets the attention of the people around me, that’s what gives me hope for my present and future, and that’s what generates interest from those far from God.  It’s to my benefit to set Him apart daily because I live life differently and with more peace… but it’s also to the world’s benefit, because they see Jesus in my daily living!

What do you think about this passage?  How did it speak to you today?

Denise

6.17.2013 Set Apart: It’s not about Position or a Title

Good Monday morning to you.  If you would, take a little time to pray and put all “the stuff” away that tends to be competing for your attention right now…that way to can give it all to Him. 1 Peter 2:9-12 (NIV)

⁹ But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. ¹⁰ Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

¹¹ Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. ¹² Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

The first thing that jumped out at me in the verses was “identity”…identity from our Father, through Jesus.

An identity so special that He calls us a “holy nation”…and just as Pastor taught on Sunday ..set apart.  Peter also says we are “chosen people”.  As Israel was God’s chosen people in the Old Testament, so we, His believing children, are designated chosen in the New Testament.  Then there’s this “royal priesthood” thing..in vs 5 he uses “holy priesthood”…and I don’t know about you, but I get a little nervous…a little jittery inside…a little scared…a little uncertain…does that really apply to me?  Maybe it’s because it sounds so much like a title, a position….that I’m so undeserving of?  But then, he tells us…hey, your “God’s special possession” and here’s why..” that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (I had this part of vs 9 underlined in my Bible with “MC”…Missional Community..noted next to it…think about it).

So, it’s not about any of those things that I was worried about…it’s about being in service of our Holy Father, declaring the good news of all that we have received, to those of his children that do not know him…and living in such a way that we are a reflection of His goodness and mercy…and at the same time bringing glory to His Holy Name:

Isaiah 43:10   (NIV)

¹⁰ “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,     “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me     and understand that I am he.

Romans 9:25-26  (NIV)

²⁵ As he says in Hosea:

“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;     and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”

²⁶ and,

“In the very place where it was said to them,     ‘You are not my people,’     there they will be called ‘children of the living God.'”

I’d like to leave you with the Message version of the word from Peter…I think it sums up things very well:

^9-10 But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.

^11-12 Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives.

Would sure like to hear your thoughts…so would a lot of other brothers & sisters.

Blessings to You & Yours!

jim

6.15.13 "Saturday's Blog"

Welcome to the POG Blog!

Instead of a staff person or lay leader beginning the discussion, we are asking that YOU begin the discussion on what today’s Scripture is saying to you and how it relates to Sunday’s message.  Enjoy praying, digging in, sharing thoughts and responding!

Have a great Saturday!  Denise

Today’s Scripture is:   Psalm 103  (NIV)

¹ I will praise the Lord. Deep down inside me, I will praise him. I will praise him, because his name is holy. ² I will praise the Lord. I won’t forget anything he does for me. ³ He forgives all my sins. He heals all my sicknesses. ⁴ He saves my life from going down into the grave. His faithful and tender love makes me feel like a king. ⁵ He satisfies me with the good things I long for. Then I feel young and strong again, just like an eagle.

⁶ The Lord does what is right and fair for all who are beaten down.

⁷ He told Moses all about his plans. He let the people of Israel see his mighty acts. ⁸ The Lord is tender and kind. He is gracious. He is slow to get angry. He is full of love. ⁹ He won’t keep bringing charges against us. He won’t stay angry with us forever. ¹⁰ He doesn’t punish us for our sins as much as we should be punished. He doesn’t pay us back in keeping with the evil things we’ve done. ¹¹ His love for those who have respect for him is as high as the heavens are above the earth. ¹² He has removed our lawless acts from us as far as the east is from the west. ¹³ A father is tender and kind to his children. In the same way, the Lord is tender and kind to those who have respect for him. ¹⁴ He knows what we are made of. He remembers that we are dust. ¹⁵ People’s lives are like grass. People grow like the flowers in the field. ¹⁶ When the wind blows on them, they are gone. No one can tell that they had ever been there. ¹⁷ But the Lord’s love for those who have respect for him lasts for ever and ever. Their children’s children will know that he always does what is right. ¹⁸ He always loves those who keep his covenant. He always does what is right for those who remember to obey his commands.

¹⁹ The Lord has set up his throne in heaven. His kingdom rules over all.

²⁰ Praise the Lord, you angels of his. Praise him, you mighty ones who carry out his orders and obey his word. ²¹ Praise the Lord, all you angels in heaven. Praise him, all you who serve him and do what he wants. ²² Let everything the Lord has made praise him everywhere in his kingdom.

I will praise the Lord.

Share your thoughts on this Scripture!  What is God saying to you today?

6.14.2013 "Hold on!"

Luke 19: 1-10 19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. ² A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. ³ He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

⁵ When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” ⁶ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

⁷ All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

⁸ But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

⁹ Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

As a child this was one of my favorite Bible stories.  It has several appeals.  It is hard not to have empathy for Zacchaeus at least early on because of the way he is presented.  It was easy as a child for me to identify with him because he was little and so was I.  Often children are under or overlooked, simply because of their stature.   So here is Zacchaeus with all the things money can buy yet we learned he is not well thought of.  The image presented is that of a pariah someone people avoided a man with everything but ultimately a man alone.

Then the unimaginable happens.  While trying to catch a glimpse of this prophet he’s heard so much about, Jesus calls him out by name!  How cool is that!  The one person I’m sure everyone in town would have vote least likely to get any attention from the Son of GOD is called out by name!  As a child and even more so today for me this was awesome.  It told me that even if you are the underdog GOD sees you and you are not a little nobody to HIM no matter how badly you’ve messed things up.

But the story continues.  As you would expect, those folks with stature don’t appreciate this development.   See people of stature don’t run around with trash.  After all, you are who you associate with right?  But JESUS ignored the trash Zacchaeus had piled up in his life; he didn’t even hold his nose.  He looked right into his heart and offered a clean and fresh alternative to the mess Zacchaeus had made.   While he appeared to also ignore the right and proper people of stature he did not for he looked into their hearts as well and I can imagine him then holding his nose.

The last sentence of the passage is the hold story.  GOD did not send his beloved SON to earth on a search and destroy mission.   JESUS was deployed on a search and save mission.

LORD GOD of the universe thank you for sending your SON to not only save us but to teach us and show us how to live.  Thank you for the lesson of this passage that no one is too little or too dirty to be held up and cleansed by your ALMIGHTY hand.  Thank you for this day that we may be blessed and be a blessing.

6.13.13 The Source

Ephesians 4:29-32The Message (MSG) 29 Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.

30 Don’t grieve God. Don’t break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted.

31-32 Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.

The Bible refers to the tongue as a weapon in so many places, and today's reading gives direct, specific actions to take to make sure that what you say is uplifting and helpful to others. I've read this section a number of times and work hard to put it into practice, but there is one part that I really 'saw' for the first time today -- His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted.

Wow. After spending some time looking closer at the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives and examining now, how to be a living testimony of our faith, this statement seems to be a lynch pin that explicitly ties the two together.

We have the Holy Spirit inside us, living and guiding, providing us with intimate connection to God all throughout our lives. How then, can we 'take such a gift for granted' and completely skip living our lives as worthy of our King? We do that whenever we use our mouths to speak ill instead of good. When we tear down instead of help. When we focus on the negative instead of the beautiful that God created. When we skip forgiveness and hold on to our victim status, keeping score of the wrongs committed against us. We grieve God, and break His heart. I think sometimes it is easy to imagine that God is hurting for us from afar, but if we have the Holy Spirit living and breathing inside of us, God is very much present in the moment and within the negativity and yuck we are feeling and sharing. He is feeling it as we are. And it breaks His heart for us. US - the person that is feeling and sharing the yuck. US.

Lord, please help me to be a worthy home and vessel for your Holy Spirit. I surrender all the yuck of my humanity so that it will not get in the way of the good work you want to do IN me and THROUGH me. Please forgive my never ending attempts to take control and do life without You in the lead. I don't want to live like that. Please let the fruits of my living be something other than negativity, hurt, and slander. Please let my words be more of you. Amen.

Lisa

6.12.13 "Pray for an Open Door!"

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.  And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.  Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.  Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:2-6

And pray that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ….let your conversations be full of grace and seasoned with salt.  I am so touched as I read these words tonight.  For the last couple of years there have been 3 non-Christian friends that I have prayed for pretty regularly.  Prayed that they would come to know Christ, and that I might be involved in that in some way.  I spoke last month about some progress with one of them (Leo), and last night God answered another prayer.

Dinner with Sarah.  Sarah and I are childhood friends.  Sarah came from a very different back ground…lots of money, very refined, intellectual, guarded, proper (I know…why did she want to be friends with me?:))  She has always claimed to be “spiritual” but is turned off to organized religion,   though she is an advocate for abused women and children and volunteers her time and money to this cause.  I find her doing Jesus’ work, without the life changing relationship with him.  I think there is deep hurt in her past with “Christians.”

So last night at dinner, my guarded Sarah, started sharing with me the pain of her childhood, and how all of that baggage manifests itself in her life now.  She referenced being overcome with worry especially as it relates to those that she loves the most.  At one point in the conversation she asked me, “how do you survive every day..loving your children so much, and being apart from them, and not knowing if they will be safe?  If they will be taken from you?”    I had been waiting a very long time for her to ask me a question like this.  I very prayerfully answered, that my only peace is in knowing that God loves my children more than I do.  That his plans are greater than mine, even if in my mind…his plans could devastate me.  I told her that there was a time in my life where I realized that no matter how much I wanted to believe I was in control…the circumstances in my life convinced me otherwise.

For the first time, she was open to having this conversation.  After I shared this with her, she told me about an experience she had several years ago, where both her niece and her sister were miraculously healed from illnesses that were diagnosed as fatal.   She was crying when she told me the story of how some members of her family and a Baptist preacher had come together in a prayer circle to pray over them.  I told her I believed there was enormous power in a group of people coming together in prayer.  She told me that she actually felt it (the power) and was convinced that it was the reason that both her niece and sister were made well.

So how does all of this fit together with today’s reading? Paul begins by telling us to devote ourselves in prayer, that God will open a door, and that we would be prepared to gracefully share the gospel with an outsider in a way that was full of love and  seasoned with salt.

As I think about Sarah, I realize that God has been beckoning her for many years.  The profound experience she had with the healings made the soil of her heart fertile.  The pain in her life currently has sent her searching.  God put the two of us together for dinner….and something beautiful happens.

I feel so honored that God shows me that I belong to him by allowing me to share his love with others.  I also realize how important it is to pray for those who are far from God.  Sometimes it takes a long time, but it is beyond exciting when the prayers start to be answered.

Thank you Father that even in my brokenness, you find me worthy to share your beautiful heart.  I pray that you continue to draw Sarah to yourself, and that we as a church have the courage and heart to grow your Kingdom.  I love you!!

Erin Jay

6.11.13

Dear Lord, You know the kind of day I’ve had today, filled with rejoicing in Your good works and protection yet filled with heart wrenching sadness. As I start this blog much later than I should, fill my heart and mind with what You and ONLY You want to say through me. Thank You my kind Father for already filling me with your peace. In the precious Name of Jesus I pray. Amen 1 Corinthians 3:6-11

New International Version (NIV)

6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

If you look at the title the NIV gives this section, its “The Church and It’s Leaders”. I back up to verse 1 to find out where the scripture for today is coming from. Paul writes, “Brothers and sister, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly - mere infants in Christ”. Ouch! Paul goes on in verse 2-5 proving the people are “worldly” because of their jealousy and quarreling among them and that the people follow mere humans in Paul and Apollo.

We viewed the training video on having Spiritual conversations from “Explore God” this past Sunday. Well verse 6 - 11 certainly supports how it should be done!!! I would bold “ONLY GOD” and how cool is it that we get to be co-workers in God’s service? It’s just a perfect match to that video.

Well, I know another near perfect match to these verses that God keeps speaking to me. I found out this afternoon that a dear friend, amember of POG, and a brother in Christ is now being “rewarded according to his labor” (verse 8) forevermore. He is rejoicing like never before, like we cannot imagine, in his true Home, with his Lord. My friend shared his journey of being that “co-worker in God’s service” with us in small group regularily. He humbly created a Bible Study class at work. He was that person they talked about in the video about people coming up to Christians asking them why they had the joy and hope they do - and he was ready with an answer! My friend did not live in this world, he lived in God’s Kingdom. He was a “wise builder” as Paul said he was in verse 10 and he knew it was only by the grace of God.

Thank You, our Dear, Dear Father for the true blessing of my friend, and while my heart is crushed, there is also a peace so real, knowing that he is Home with You. Lord, please protect and comfort his family and friends with Your Peace that passes all understanding. Father, I so want to be Your co-worker in service - please stop me in my tracks when I start acting “worldly”. Thank You Jesus that You “laid the one true foundation”. Take away ANY pride in me - this is so no way about me!!! In Jesus Name I pray. Amen

Please feel free to comment however the Spirit leads.

cindy

6.10.2013 "Do Life My Way and Share the Hope?"

Please find a quiet place to focus on these scriptures for a few minutes, asking His Spirit to speak to your heart, and in Jesus’ name, ridding your heart and mind of distractions, burdens, guilt, worry, etc. Today’s scripture is 1 Peter 3:13-17

The Message (MSG)

^13-17If with heart and soul you’re doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you’re still better off. Don’t give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They’ll end up realizing that they’re the ones who need a bath. It’s better to suffer for doing good, if that’s what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad.

The words that spoke to me today in this scripture were at the beginning, where Peter reminds us not to be afraid, that God is in control and will protect us… “Don’t give opposition a second thought”.  Then he says, through the good AND the bad, “keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master”.

Oh, so I can’t just lean on (assume) the protection of God, and do life my way? :)  Clearly, I shouldn’t go through the motions of my day without calling on His help, worshiping Him… There is that gentle reminder that we must have an ongoing relationship with Christ to have the continual guidance of the Holy Spirit -- to begin our day with Him, seeking the opportunities He gives us to share, and ending the day with Him.  I more often than not DON’T do this, and foolishly storm my way through the day, only counting on my efforts.  After asking to hold God’s hand during the day only THEN can God can equip us to “be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why…”.

Having said that, I also believe, because God has a sense of humor, that He even uses our blunders and selfish ways to further His kingdom.  I’m so grateful for that grace and love!

I’m excited about the lesson today from the Explore God video, and can’t wait to hear about the conversations we will all be having in our lives as a result.

May God continually send us “gentle reminders” to do life WITH Him, so that we can share the hope we have only through Him.  Thank you Jesus for your unending patience with me, a sinner.  Give me smiles and encouragement for the people around me!  Amen.

kristi

6.8.13 "Saturday's Blog"

Welcome to the POG Blog!

Instead of a staff person or lay leader beginning the discussion, we are asking that YOU begin the discussion on what today’s Scripture is saying to you and how it relates to Sunday’s message. Enjoy praying, digging in, sharing thoughts and responding!

Have a great Saturday!   Denise

Today’s Scripture is:  Psalm 51

Psalm 51

For the director of music. A psalm of David when the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

¹ God, show me your favor     in keeping with your faithful love. Because your love is so tender and kind,     wipe out my lawless acts. ² Wash away all of the evil things I’ve done.     Make me pure from my sin.

³ I know the lawless acts I’ve committed.     I can’t forget my sin. ⁴ You are the one I’ve really sinned against.     I’ve done what is evil in your sight. So you are right when you sentence me.     You are fair when you judge me. ⁵ I know I’ve been a sinner ever since I was born.     I’ve been a sinner ever since my mother became pregnant with me. ⁶ I know that you want truth to be in my heart.     You teach me wisdom deep down inside me.

⁷ Make me pure by sprinkling me with hyssop plant. Then I will be clean.     Wash me. Then I will be whiter than snow. ⁸ Let me hear you say, “Your sins are forgiven.”     That will bring me joy and gladness.     Let the body you have broken be glad. ⁹ Take away all of my sins.     Wipe away all of the evil things I’ve done.

¹⁰ God, create a pure heart in me.     Give me a new spirit that is faithful to you. ¹¹ Don’t send me away from you.     Don’t take your Holy Spirit away from me. ¹² Give me back the joy that comes from being saved by you.     Give me a spirit that obeys you. That will keep me going.

¹³ Then I will teach your ways to those who commit lawless acts.     And sinners will turn back to you. ¹⁴ You are the God who saves me.     I have committed murder.     Take away my guilt. Then my tongue will sing about how right you are     no matter what you do. ¹⁵ Lord, open my lips so that I can speak.     Then my mouth will praise you. ¹⁶ You don’t take delight in sacrifice.     If you did, I would bring it.     You don’t take pleasure in burnt offerings. ¹⁷ The greatest sacrifice you want is a broken spirit.     God, you will gladly accept a heart     that is broken because of sadness over sin.

¹⁸ May you be pleased to give Zion success.     Build up the walls of Jerusalem. ¹⁹ Then holy sacrifices will be offered in the right way.     Whole burnt offerings will bring delight to you.     And bulls will be offered on your altar.

Share your thoughts!  What is God saying to you through this Scripture today?

06.07.13 - What's in control?

Please begin with prayer for an open heart, before you read the passage below. Ephesians 5:15-20 –  ¹⁵ Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. ¹⁸ Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Please read the context of this verse and I would suggest starting at Ephesians 4:17 and going through 5:21.  The headers in our Bible are helpful, but also break up the flow of the letter and cause us to miss the context.

The context gives example after example to the Christ followers at Ephesus of how they should live and how they differ from the ‘world’ around them.  We are called to make the most of every opportunity that we have, because we are surrounded by evil.  Paul continues and says that we should not get drunk on wine, which leads to this wild living he has been speaking about, but be filled with the Holy Spirit.  Very interesting verse!

2 thoughts…

1) What do getting drunk on wine and being filled with the Spirit have in common?  They are both things that ‘control’ you and create behavior that you are not capable of without outside intervention.  Anyone who has ever had one too many drinks realizes quickly that they do not have full control over their words or actions.  Rarely do you hear a story when someone was drunk and did something positive or productive.

Now, when someone is filled with the Spirit, they are not completely in control of themselves either.  Both wine and the Spirit produce things in you that you are not capable of by yourself---one that can lead to unwise living and the other that leads to wise living, just like Paul said in V.15.  When the Spirit is leading, you will make the most of every opportunity!  Getting drunk is an obvious thing that can control us, but maybe it’s other elements of the sinful nature or our broken world that negate our receptivity towards the Spirit and limit our effectiveness as a believer.

2) The Greek work for ‘filled’ is in the present tense and shows that this filling of the Spirit is not a one-time thing.  1 Cor. 12:3 tells us that ‘…no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.’  So, every true believer is a believer, because the Holy Spirit called them to respond in faith and this Spirit dwells within us!  This Ephesians passage is adding to our understanding and clearly shows even though the Spirit lives in us, there is this filling that can happen numerous times and in numerous ways.  My first question that comes from this is how does the Spirit manifest itself?  John 3 shows that the Spirit blows like the wind and Scripture shows that it manifests in various ways.  So, this continuous filling can manifest in a variety of ways---some extremely demonstrative and others more subtle.  We are not to compare manifestations of the Spirit or try to define the formula.  However it manifests, it’s evident in how we act, speak, live within the body, and treat those far from God.  We must humble ourselves, be receptive to the Spirit, and allow Him to manifest the way He desires in our life.

What controls your life---Spirit or some form of the sinful nature? How would you know?  How have you seen the Spirit manifest in your life?  (Not a competition, just honest sharing!)  I would love to hear your journey and how this passage impacted you.

mike