8.28.13 "Love is not a Suggestion"

Today’s Scripture is:  1 John 4: 10-12 (NIRV)                     

¹⁰ What is love? It is not that we loved God. It is that he loved us and sent his Son to give his life to pay for our sins.  ¹¹ Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we should also love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God. But if we love one another, God lives in us. His love is made complete in us.

When I think of the magnitude of love it took for Jesus to die for me and the magnitude of love it took for God to send Jesus to die for all of us…. I feel so convicted about anything I’m holding onto that prevents me from fully loving someone else.  Hurt feelings, anger, bitterness, personality clashes, wrongs done to me, etc., all pale in comparison to the pain Jesus felt as He experienced all my sin on the cross!  I have to think about this daily because it’s so easy to get caught up in the world view of what love means and loving only those who ‘deserve’ it.  I’m naturally selfish, self-centered and short-sighted – so loving people that are hard to love or hard to forgive does not come naturally and it’s just really hard! 

These verses put it in perspective for me though: “It is not that we loved God”…. So my love for him does not determine his love for me… “It is that he loved us and sent his Son to give his life to pay for our sins”…. And I’m humbled by the magnitude of love in that. “But if we love one another, God lives in us”…. So it’s him in me that helps me to love people that I can’t naturally love….(what a relief!) “His love is made complete in us”…. Allowing him to love thru me means not withholding even when I want to – but taking a step of faith and letting him show me and the other person how big His healing power is.  As his love becomes more complete in me, I become more Christ-like.

Pastor said on Sunday that forgiveness is non-negotiable in the kingdom of God… Love is also non-negotiable.  This verse says to love each other because of how much God loves us!  That’s not a suggestion, it’s literal.  He says to love our neighbors as ourselves… He doesn’t say it’s helpful to love each other…. He simply says to love!  I have to remind myself these aren’t suggestions, but commands – and they are commands for a reason, so I need to love others and I need to forgive others no matter how hard it is!  Not by my own strength though, because that’s impossible… but thru God’s strength and power inside me.

I took a step of faith today and met with someone that I needed to reconcile with because of past hurts.  We both took a step of faith into forgiveness and reconciliation.  It was a hard 2 ½ hours of conversation and tears, but on the other side came a new beginning.  Not necessarily a forgetting of the hurts, but a letting go and a place to start fresh with different lenses.  God helped us love each other enough to do this… and it was only by His power and courage that we were able to step into that uncomfortable and fear-based place.  His love took over during our time together and now we have a new starting place for our relationship.   He really does what He says He’ll do if we only trust Him!

What are your thoughts on this today?   Do you have any stories of God’s faithfulness through times of forgiveness, love, or reconciliation?  If so, share!

Denise

8.27.13 "From God"

Forgiveness is the topic for this week!  The parable of the Unmerciful Servant  in Matthew 18 formed the message Sunday! Jesus is very serious about the forgiveness from God “to us” flowing freely “through us”!  Jesus clearly teaches this “flow” of grace as a non-negotiable for life in His kingdom. This is bold teaching!  Absolute! No wiggle room when it comes to forgiving others as we have been forgiven.

What must it have been like to be a disciple?   Hearing Jesus words?  Seeing His expression?  Benefiting from hearing the tone of His voice?    They could ask questions later – getting deeper insight as they walked down the road together – had lunch! How would this teaching have affected one who was there?

In the reading for today we get a glimpse!  John was there listening!  John lived the rest of his life interpreting, integrating, discovering how you take Jesus teaching and live it out authentically in the human experience!  John did for the following six decades what we are trying to do everyday – live as a disciple of Jesus.  In 1 John 4:7-10 we get a glimpse into the results of John’s life long journey following Jesus!

⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ 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. 

It seems John wants me to realize that bottom line following Jesus is about love.  True love comes from God.  God is the source.  This ties wonderfully with our theme of forgiveness when I consider that “forgiveness” is one of the most fundamental expressions of love.

The good news from John for me today is that this love is from God.  I can’t create it – it is not natural for me – it is from God!  When God calls me to love and forgive limitlessly GOD IS NOT ASKING ME TO GIVE SOMETHING I HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN!

As I move forward today encountering people that will be hard to love I will get to remember and trust that whatever limitless love is required of me today will have already been given me.  I get to humble myself and simply trust that what will be required of me has already been given me.  That is my walk of faith today.  I get to act like God’s love to me is real and abundant and I am free to give it away with out limit!

WOW!

Delton

Talk to me!  What is going on in your heart and mind today?

8.26.2013 A Story About Forgiveness

Please find a quiet place to focus on these scriptures for a few minutes, asking for an open mind and heart to hear God’s wisdom for us today.  

Matthew 18:21-35

The Message

A Story About Forgiveness

²¹ At that point Peter got up the nerve to ask, “Master, how many times do I forgive a brother or sister who hurts me? Seven?”

²² Jesus replied, “Seven! Hardly. Try seventy times seven.

^23-25 “The kingdom of God is like a king who decided to square accounts with his servants. As he got under way, one servant was brought before him who had run up a debt of a hundred thousand dollars. He couldn’t pay up, so the king ordered the man, along with his wife, children, and goods, to be auctioned off at the slave market.

^26-27 “The poor wretch threw himself at the king’s feet and begged, ‘Give me a chance and I’ll pay it all back.’ Touched by his plea, the king let him off, erasing the debt.

²⁸ “The servant was no sooner out of the room when he came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him ten dollars. He seized him by the throat and demanded, ‘Pay up. Now!’

^29-31 “The poor wretch threw himself down and begged, ‘Give me a chance and I’ll pay it all back.’ But he wouldn’t do it. He had him arrested and put in jail until the debt was paid. When the other servants saw this going on, they were outraged and brought a detailed report to the king.

^32-35 “The king summoned the man and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave your entire debt when you begged me for mercy. Shouldn’t you be compelled to be merciful to your fellow servant who asked for mercy?’ The king was furious and put the screws to the man until he paid back his entire debt. And that’s exactly what my Father in heaven is going to do to each one of you who doesn’t forgive unconditionally anyone who asks for mercy.”

Yikes!  Verse 35 is a real stinger!  As I ruminated on that last verse, the word “heart” jumped out at me – that word is used in the NIV version:

³⁵ “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

I thought about the difference between forgiving someone with my head, in my mind, and forgiving them in my heart.  One is very different from the other.  There have been times when I forgave someone because I knew I was supposed to do so, and nodded in agreement after they said “please forgive me”.  You know, just like Peter wanting the exact number of times he should forgive.  And then, a few days later, I find myself thinking about the hurt or pain that caused the request for forgiveness, and I’m framing my relationship with them through the hurt or pain.  That’s not forgiving from the heart, that’s just a robotic, fake forgiveness.

Jesus gave up EVERYTHING so that we might be freed from sin, guilt, pain, worry, etc. by His death on the cross and resurrection.  As Pastor so eloquently described in his message yesterday, we need to be “framing” our forgiveness looking through Jesus’ eyes.  He always cares, always loves, always FORGIVES.  And he truly wants to see us in relationship with each other in that framework… tents of grace for each other… compassionate and forgiving with our hearts.  Not just because supposed to, but because we want to out of thanksgiving for the gift of forgiveness given to us.  It’s not easy for me though, and that verse 35 is a convicting reminder of the cost of being forgiven and not forgiving…

Father God, give me Jesus’ framework for forgiving in my life.  Give me Jesus, kingdom of heaven eyes to see how I can forgive with my heart.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

kristi

8.22.2013 "Be REAL with God!"

Psalm 51:5-9 NIV 5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

I remember reading somewhere once that “honesty is the first step to admitting your true condition”. We see that here with David. He’s being very honest with God about his sins, which opens up the rest of his prayer – First to Forgive him, then to Cleanse him and finally to Use him (if you continue your reading past vs 9).

When David cried out for God’s mercy, he acknowledged the true source of the problem and where his healing must begin. Until there is truth in the inner crevasses of the soul, as long as we lie to ourselves, we can never get better, and God cannot teach us wisdom. Would you like to be set free? It can happen, but you’ll have to let the truth hurt you first.

David is saying, “I know what you want, Lord. You want me to stop playing games and stop making excuses. I’m ready to do that. No more excuses, no more games. I’m guilty in Your eyes and I admit it.”

Not only does David not hide his sin, and not only does he not minimize his sin, he begs God for a deep work of grace to cleanse him from the stain of sin. He wants God to wash him from the inside out. Because he wrote this psalm himself, we see that he doesn’t care who knows what he has done and how desperately he seeks the grace of God.

True confession is a humbling experience. Be real with God, be humble and honest – tell Him where you have sinned. If God forgave David, don’t you know that He will forgive you? Forgiveness is always possible but only for those who deal deeply and honestly with their own sin.

Father, I pray for a clean heart, and a renewed mind. I pray that for everyone who seeks your Word today. Make us white as snow. Thank You for your unfailing grace. Amen

Toni

082113 - What can wash away my sin...

Please begin with prayer for an open heart, before you read the passage below. Psalm 51:1-4 –  ¹ Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.² Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. ³ For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. ⁴ Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.

Did you continue singing the song???  I will get back to the words of the song shortly.  This is one of my favorite chapters in all of Scripture, which is a little weird, when you think of the context.  King David had just committed adultery with Bathsheba, attempted to trick her husband to cover her baby bump, and when that didn’t work, he essentially had him killed on the battlefield.  (Again, weird this is a fave!)

It’s such a leveling section for me---it totally evens the playing field amongst all of humanity and should be reflected on frequently to humble us at the mercy and grace of God.  All too often in my life, it’s easy to rank myself against people I encounter through a variety of ways.  Probably stems from deeply rooted insecurity, but that’s a topic for another blog!

V.2-3 hits me hard---I only bring sin and brokenness to the table and have no possibility to remove that in and of myself.  David thanks God for His mercy and unfailing love, because he (and we) is not given what is deserved.  We deserve the weight, separation, and consequence of our inborn nature and sinful rebellion.  Now, back to the song---What can wash away my sin…nothing but the blood of Jesus!  God, in His forbearance, left man’s sins unpunished (Romans 3:25) and at just the right time, executed His judgment on His perfect Son---wow!  V.4 shows the only true Judge is God himself, who brings His judgment down fiercely, just on the unblemished One and not us.

This should cause us to pause---Do we really understand the magnitude and offense of our sin?  Do we capture a glimpse of the grace and mercy extended freely to us through Jesus?

I heard it explained like this---imagine I was walking down the street and someone ran up and punched me in the face.  There would be consequences and probably some jail time, but nothing major.  Now, imagine this same person broke through the Secret Service and did the same thing to the President.  I bet the consequences would be much steeper.  Now, imagine this magnified one more time to ‘punching’ a Holy God in the face.  The magnitude of the offense is measured by the one that if offended!!

When looking at Matthew 18 from Sunday, we begin from humility in the body of Christ, understanding the grace and mercy granted to us.  Why would I/we ever desire to hold something over our brother’s head and not seek out reconciliation?  God, change my heart, God change our hearts, so we can live out offenses from a healthy starting point---it doesn’t mean that we don’t recognize the sin, because we do!  We should take sin seriously---it just needs to start with my own sin and God’s mercy as the frame of reference!  We can learn tools of forgiveness, which are great, but we must heal the deeper proclivity towards unforgiveness first.

Let us receive God’s mercy and grace and have that compel our heart to healthy relationships and reconciliation within and outside the body of Christ!

Is it hard to forgive those around you?  Why?  How frequently does the mercy and grace of God cross your mind?  How can we be better at remembering His mercy?   I would love to hear your journey and how this passage impacted you.

mike

8.19.2013 "The Wanderer"

  Good morning all.  Before you begin, please take some time to clear away all distractions of the day…unload your burdens and worries… just focus on the Lord.

Jesus…we give this time to you.  Please touch our hearts, souls and minds as you see fit..and may it all be to the glory of your Holy Name.  Amen

James 5:16-20

NIV

¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

¹⁷ Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. ¹⁸ Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

¹⁹ My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, ²⁰ remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

New KJV

¹⁶ Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

¹⁷ Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are. And he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it rained not on the earth for the space of three years and six months.

¹⁸ And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth brought forth her fruit.

¹⁹ Brethren, if any of you err from the truth and one convert him,

²⁰ let him know that he who converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

In these words, James offers us a look at what practical Christian living should like…what it means to be in community with one another…walking with Jesus, together.

I selected these two versions of these verses because they helped me ruminate over the meaning and context to which God is speaking through James.

Take for instance vs 1…. “Therefore confess your sins to each other”…&… “Confess your faults one to another”.  Now, understand…that Jim confessing to anything, is like saying that I was wrong..and as my good wife and family will loudly profess…that don’t come easily.  I even end up having to repeat myself after they’re over the initial shock and disbelief!

Somehow, I know this sounds weird..please bear with me…the words sin & fault, coupled with the words “confess to one another… and pray for each other so that you may be healed”….gave me this sense “wholeness”…of people who maybe wanted to know Jim…and each other…even in our brokenness.  A sense of true grace and community that could only come from God.  I get the feeling that this should be a common occurrence…an everyday thing…that I should be putting into practice…but I need help.

Then, James makes this riveting proclamation that “the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective”

…and I just love beauty of the KJV… “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”  Now comes Elijah, a prophet of the Lord…a human being much like you and I, with the same mental make-up, inclinations and passions we find in ourselves…yet, his prayers closed and opened the heavens…earnest prayers that I think James is exhorting us to emulate….but I need help.

In conclusion, James words are a wonderful snap shot of kindness and love that should permeate all that we do as Christian brothers and sister in community…to seek one another out when we fall away from The Way…

when we “wander from the truth”..and in the Name of Jesus…we are His instruments in bringing each other back to Him…all of our sins & faults covered by grace…not by our own, but because He..our Messiah..paid our debt.

Yes, I Jim, am a wanderer…and I believe…but I need help!

Well…there you have it.  What’s Jesus saying to you in these verses?  How is Jesus messing with you and your wandering ways?

Sure would like to hear from ya!

Blessing to you and yours!

jim

8.17.23 "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 reading:  Psalm 100

Psalm 100

A psalm for giving thanks.

¹ Shout to the Lord with joy, everyone on earth. ²     Worship the Lord with gladness.     Come to him with songs of joy. ³ I want you to realize that the Lord is God.     He made us, and we belong to him. We are his people.     We are the sheep belonging to his flock.

⁴ Give thanks as you enter the gates of his temple.     Give praise as you enter its courtyards.     Give thanks to him and praise his name. ⁵ The Lord is good. His faithful love continues forever.     It will last for all time to come.

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

8.16.13 “No tripping”

  Today’s Reading is 1 Corinthians 12:21-26

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

I find it very interesting to see how corporate America always has double speak when it comes to how they want you to act in your job.  One minute they’re telling you to work like a team, then they want to put you in competition with your teammate when it comes to reviewing and determining your increase in pay.  So naturally the employees run around tripping each other trying to move up the corporate ladder.  Meanwhile, the employer is trying to figure out why the job that they’re trying to accomplish isn’t getting done.  I remember working on a huge project years ago with 150 other people.  I witnessed people undercutting each other to “make their mark” at the company.  One day a person actually sent out an email to everyone on the project letting them know that he’d created some software that would make their jobs easier.  Instead of people thanking him, they all sat around throwing insults and recommendations how they would have done it better.  All the while the management was copied on these emails.  I was totally appalled that people could be so mean and trivial, they looked like a bunch of 2 year olds.

Now imagine these people stopping at the grocery store for a few items, they get in the express checkout line so they can get out quickly.  Then as they’re looking around they realize that the person in front of them has 15 items and not the allowed 10 items.  Do you think these people are going to be very forgiving if they just left a very competitive environment?  Do you think they’ll be ready to toss out a couple of comments to these people, thus tripping them?  Every person is valued by God, not just the ones that are good looking or are have lots of money.  Each part of the body is as important as the other parts, no part is greater than the whole.  We are called to be a team and to love our teammates, not knock them down to make ourselves feel more important than the others.  The next time you see someone tripped, step in and help that person up, dust them off and let them know that they’re loved by you and our Lord.

Dave P.

08.14.2013 "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you!"

“All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

​‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. “

1 Peter 5:5b-7 NIV

So interesting that Peter instructs us to humble ourselves toward one another and to God, warns us about pride, and then right after….. tells us to cast all of our anxieties on Him.

When I look at my own life, and ponder about what causes me anxiety, so much of it is related to pride.  I spend lots of energy worrying about work.  I worry about how my boss ranks me against my peers.  I worry about every conversation that I have with my customers.  But it goes far beyond work…I worry about what the other volleyball moms think about my lack of volunteerism. And what do the neighbors think about my minimal participation in “neighborhood activities”?  Do my kids’ teachers think I’m involved enough? Are people at church happy with me?  The list just goes on and on. And it’s all about me and my silly pride!

Yet Jesus through Peter here, is calling us to humble ourselves and trust that God will “lift us up in due time.”  There are a couple of really, REALLY tough things that I’m dealing with in my personal life right now.  All requiring an extra portion of humility.  I realize how difficult it is for me to approach a situation with humility….especially when I’m afraid.  I want to protect myself. Make sure that nobody takes advantage or gets the best of me.  And if they do, I at least want them to know I’m aware of it. And I am quietly holding it against them. Not proud of that.

Last Sunday, Pastor issued a powerful call for us to recognize the brokenness in ourselves, and our own need of forgiveness….and then use that same lens to view the people in our lives.  Even when they hurt us.  Even when it’s scary.  When I look at my overwhelming situations…it seems really tough to respond with grace and humility, yet I know that there is great peace (the only peace) in that.  And that when I do respond with grace and humility, I honor my Father in heaven.  And I can trust in His promises that “he will lift me up in due time.”

Erin

08.13.2013 OBSESSED WITH THE LOST

Let’s pray: Lord I come to you humbled that by Your grace I may have a new life .  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.

Matthew 18:11-14

New International Version (NIV)

12 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

Have you ever lost something?  Some people just say well ok, I’m sure it will turn up sooner or later.  Not me!  I become obsessed with trying to find it.  It may not even have any value.  It may be something with little or no significance.  But I can’t go on until I find it.  I retrace all of my steps looking for whatever insignificant thing that I have lost.  It’s just the principle that I lost something & has nothing to do with what I have lost. (Maybe that is just me trying to be in control again!)  I may even wake up in the middle of the night & remember some place that I didn’t look & get up & go check that place.

Can you imagine that God looks for each of His Lost sheep exponentially more times than I do?  HE lovels and cares for every lost person.  HE uses each one of us to look & care for the lost sheep.  Does HE care more for the children that are lost than the faithful?  Of course not!  God is very pleased when His children stay faithful, but HE throws a party when a straying “sheep” is brought back to the flock.  As I was preparing for this scripture I read an analogy that I thought describes God’s celebration for the lost sheep returning best by saying that it is similar to how we celebrate the birth of a new baby.  We love & are excited & celebrate the birth of the new baby, but that doesn’t mean we love our other children any less!

Although I am obsessed with losing anything, I would have a hard time leaving 99 sheep, dogs, people, whatever to go look for the 1 that is missing.  I think I would be more worried about finding the 1 & losing the other 99.  The saying a “bird in the hand, is better than 2 in the bush” kind of comes to mind.  Yet God loves each one of us (lost, straying or faithful) equally & cares so much for each one of us that He gave his only son for us.  For me!

I am glad that God obsesses over me even though I am far from perfect.  HE loves me with all of my imperfections & although I may hurt him when I stray, He rejoices when I return.   Are you as excited about God obsessing over each one of us (lost, straying or faithful) as I am?   I would love to hear from you!

Jerry

08.12.13 "Little Ones"

Matthew 18: 6-10 If anyone causes one of these little ones – those who believe in me – to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.  Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble!  Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!  If your hand or foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away.  It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.  And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away.  It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.  See that you do not despise one of these little ones.  For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

I love how Jesus uses metaphors, analogies and parables so effectively.  It seems as though they are delivered spontaneously….kind of “off the cuff”, yet they withstood the 2000 years of scrutiny that followed.

I know that this passage starts off in v. 6, but just to dial it back a little bit…the chapter opens with Jesus instructing his followers to “change and become like little children” in order to enter the kingdom of heaven.  I’m sure the scripture notes from virtually all of our various Biblical translations (NIV, ESV, King James, etc.) make reference to the fact that Jesus is highlighting the helplessness of a child and comparing that to our total dependence and need for Jesus as a savior.  Seems fairly straightforward.

Then in v. 6 He totally changes direction and starts talking about the ramifications of causing a “little one” to stumble.  The anger in his tone is obvious.

I guess what stood out to me was that when I read this passage last week, my brain took me in a different direction.  When I read Jesus’ words about little children entering the kingdom of heaven, I immediately thought that He was making reference to their innocence, their purity.  (I have 4 kids so please know that I am well aware that “little ones” can be quite devious little devils at times…) But regardless, I felt as though I could picture a sweet, innocent child…one that assumes the best about everyone and everything…one that trusts…one that’ll stand on stage and belt out VBS songs without a hint of pride…one that hasn’t been broken down by the world and taught to be jaded and cynical.

The point is that I think that concept works here.  And it illustrates what a perfect metaphor Jesus chose.  It works from every angle, and the more you think about it the more sense it makes.

Then in v. 6 when Jesus talks about those that cause little ones to stumble; well, we get a pretty healthy dose of truth.  It would be better to have a giant stone tied to your neck and dropped into the ocean.  That’s terrifying.  Mess with a little kid…die a gruesome, terrible death.

I can get behind that level of justice.  I like it. I think that innocence and purity are worth fighting for.  They’re worth defending with a ferocity that might seem excessive.  I find that noble.

So, I guess that when I put it all together I find it comforting that I don’t have to have it all figured out...in fact, the more that I realize that I don’t know, the more I realize that I need something bigger than myself.  The reality is…I am weak, I am vulnerable.  But I have a king who loves me and will protect me fiercely.  And so I can trust in Jesus for purpose, direction, and more than the occasional rescuing.

Jon

8.10.13 "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 reading:  Psalm 62

¹ Truly my soul finds rest in God;     my salvation comes from him. ² Truly he is my rock and my salvation;     he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

³ How long will you assault me?     Would all of you throw me down—     this leaning wall, this tottering fence? ⁴ Surely they intend to topple me     from my lofty place;     they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless,     but in their hearts they curse.^[b]

⁵ Yes, my soul, find rest in God;     my hope comes from him. ⁶ Truly he is my rock and my salvation;     he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. ⁷ My salvation and my honor depend on God^[c];     he is my mighty rock, my refuge. ⁸ Trust in him at all times, you people;     pour out your hearts to him,     for God is our refuge.

⁹ Surely the lowborn are but a breath,     the highborn are but a lie. If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;     together they are only a breath. ¹⁰ Do not trust in extortion     or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase,     do not set your heart on them.

¹¹ One thing God has spoken,     two things I have heard: “Power belongs to you, God, ¹²     and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”; and, “You reward everyone     according to what they have done.”

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

08.09.13 "What is it that God is redefining in your life?"

Welcome to the PoG Blog!  Please take some time to pray for God to grant you peace and quiet in this moment, before you begin to read and think about what God has for you in today’s blog.  

Jeremiah 29:11 – 14a

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.”

I remember receiving a pen on which was inscribed the words of Jeremiah 29:11.  It is a popular scripture verse which many of us find comforting.  Yes, it is a great blessing to know that God has a plan for us.  The last few years I have been drawn more and more to what follows Jeremiah 29:11.

God seems to be saying that what is going on between him and us is far more than the simple knowledge that God has a plan for our lives.  When he talks about us calling on him, coming and praying to him, he is describing a relationship that we can have with him.  This is a relationship that extends from the heart of God to the heart of his people.

In the “Redefining Everything” message from last Sunday we saw how Jesus redefined things when he was with his disciples.  As recorded in Matthew 18, Jesus said “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

What is it that God is redefining in your life?  Is it that whole idea of God having a plan for your life?  Have you been sitting around waiting for God to reveal his plan for you instead of pursuing a meaningful relationship with him?  What steps could you take to enter into a more meaningful relationship with God?

May He bless your meditation!

Mark

08/06/2013 "Held Hostage - NO MORE!!!"

Matthew 20: 20-28  (The Message) 20 It was about that time that the mother of the Zebedee brothers came with her two sons and knelt before Jesus with a request.

21 “What do you want?” Jesus asked.

She said, “Give your word that these two sons of mine will be awarded the highest places of honor in your kingdom, one at your right hand, one at your left hand.”

22 Jesus responded, “You have no idea what you’re asking.” And he said to James and John, “Are you capable of drinking the cup that I’m about to drink?”

They said, “Sure, why not?”

23 Jesus said, “Come to think of it, you are going to drink my cup. But as to awarding places of honor, that’s not my business. My Father is taking care of that.”

24-28 When the ten others heard about this, they lost their tempers, thoroughly disgusted with the two brothers. So Jesus got them together to settle things down. He said, “You’ve observed how godless rulers throw their weight around, how quickly a little power goes to their heads. It’s not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage.”

Oh boy, I have been praying, struggling with writing this blog for let’s see an hour and 40 minutes. My mind has been everywhere. I’d like to start at the end (verse 28) - I definitely am one of the “many held hostage” in this world of ours. However, I’m glad I’m held hostage, in fact I rejoice, for it reminds me of how truly amazing Jesus is, how he gave his life so that I can break free of ANY BONDS AND CHAINS, yes ANY, that this world can throw me. Yep, doesn’t matter - hurt, disease, helplessness, selfishness, anxiety, worry - the Blood of my Christ covers it all, for He came to serve - Jesus is the ultimate servant. Thank You, Lord!

As I read these verses, I think how similar the world I live in is to the world Jesus lived in. I so want to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, yet I so often fall into the trap of trying to take control myself. I get jealous or judgemental  of others asking for things I don’t think they should. This world is definitely as broken as Jesus’s earth was, BUT...then comes the “Redefining”, as Pastor put it - It is NOT going to be the same with us, with me. Whoever want’s to be great to enter the Kingdom (reign) of God must be a servant, a slave. That means humble myself, that means no self-righteousness Cindy, no whining or complaining, that means truly receiving God’s Redefined Kingdom - the one Jesus died for and acting as Jesus did. Hmmm, I so want to try - help me Lord!

Lord, I thank You, that You “interupt” my life and turn it upside down, inside out. For then I can see You more clearly, I can see the way You would have me live.  I can see the hope I have in Your Kingdom, Your Reign, Your Greatness. Continue to show me how to live in that place, how to ignore worldly things and attitudes. For You are the one true God, help me to erase all other gods and to receive Your Love and Life, Jesus every single day. I love you!

cindy

08/05/13 It's Good to be a Child of the King!

Lord, prepare my heart as I read and reflect on the passage from Matthew today. Amen  

Matthew 18:1-5 (NIV)

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

When I was a child, I had no appreciation for what it meant to love as a parent loves.  All that changed when Sally and I had children of our own. Suddenly we had a profound appreciation for the love and sacrifice that our parents showered on us.  After the birth of our first child we learned very quickly how needy and totally dependent a child could be.

As our heavenly Father, God wants to shower us with His profound love and His unending affection. A love He demonstrated to us through the cruel death and triumphant resurrection of His only Son. He knows that unless we recognize our total dependence on Him, the dependence of a helpless and needy child, we cannot enter the kingdom He has so lovingly and sacrificially prepared for us.

In this passage, He is asking us to lay aside all our inadequate striving to get our lives together and rest in Him. He is a loving father who longs to shower His profound love on each of us.  By the power of the Holy Spirit in us, He enables us to change and become as totally dependent little children.  Then and only then, as His dearly loved children, are we able to celebrate our citizenship in the kingdom of heaven.  It’s good to be a child of the King!

Lord, help me to rest in you today. Help me, by the power of your Holy Spirit, to lay aside all my striving and celebrate the reality that I am loved as a child of the King.  Amen

John

08.03.2013 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

1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 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.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

08.02.2013 What Really Matters

Hi friends! Our Scripture for today is 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10

7 …because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

A few things about this particular scripture really sort of smack me around – some in a good way, some not so good. Bear with me, here. First, we are given no indication of what the thorn in Paul’s flesh was. Oh, there’s been plenty of speculation but no definitives: bad eyes, physical temptation, depression, persecution. It’s easy to get caught up wanting to know what was troubling Paul, I think, because then it’d be easy for us to discount this entire passage. It’s not the thorn that matters.

Paul pleaded with God to remove whatever the thorn in his flesh was. According to God’s answer removing the thorn was not part of God’s plan for Paul. It might be easy to believe God is uncaring (spoiler alert! He’s not) then we could discount this entire passage. It’s not Paul’s pleading that matters.

Paul, after God’s answer, chose to boast about, and delight in, his weaknesses. Wait, what? Why would anyone boast about their weaknesses?? What on earth could be delightful about weakness?? That’s exactly opposite of what we’re taught in society – not just today but throughout human existence, most likely! The crazy boasting and delighting about one’s weaknesses makes it very easy to discount this passage. It’s not Paul’s boasting that matters.

Ok, then, what does matter? Our faith has a part to play, as do our actions, but they are not anything until God produces a result. When we bring mustard seed sized faith to the party, God shows up with the whole mustard tree! It was Paul’s small vision of freedom from that thorn that kept God from showing Paul the vastness of His plan. Once Paul understood that “all” that was required of him, in this instance, was to accept God’s grace and power he finally realized the strength of the God he served. We serve that same God today. God’s grace and God’s power are what really matter!

How do you feel about this passage? Is it hard for you to imagine strength in weakness?

Father God, thank You for teaching us what matters and for working with us in our weakest moments! Thank You for giving us mustard seed sized faith and prompting us to action. Only You can produce such monumental results with what seems to us like a tiny seed! Hallelujah! In Jesus’ Name, amen!

Blessings, Jennifer

080113 - What are you looking at???

Please begin with prayer for an open heart, before you read the passage below. Matthew 14:22-36 –  ²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴ and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. ²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”²⁹ “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”³⁴ When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. ³⁵ And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him ³⁶ and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

The assigned reading was v.25-31, but I think the remaining verses within this section add tremendous context and also application to our ‘mustard seed faith’ conversation from Sunday.

Immediately preceding this encounter, Jesus fed 5,000 men (plus women & chillins).  After the meal, Jesus needs some time in prayer with the Father and sends His boys across the lake ahead of Him.  The disciples begin rowing and then Jesus walks out towards them.  Now, they probably began their journey at least 6-8 hours ahead of Jesus, so either they are slow rowers, waves were tremendous, or Jesus is a world class speed walker!  There were superstitions of water spirits that would come out at night, so those ‘ghost stories’ combined with the fact that a dude was walking on water, freaked the disciples out.

Peter, who lacks a speed bump between his brain and his mouth, pops off with, ‘Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.’  Peter has frequent, impulsive moments, but if we look at the Rabbinical culture of the 1^st century, this move makes more sense.  There would be a number of rabbi’s in the area and each would have a different interpretation of the Scriptures and Jewish custom.  Young men would study throughout their upbringing and if they excelled, they would approach a rabbi, whose teachings they respected, to be his disciple.  The rabbi would then drill them on every detail of the Law, Prophets, culture, oral tradition, etc. and if the rabbi felt that the potential disciple could be like him, then he would ask the young man to ‘follow me’.

Jesus had a slightly different approach and as far as we know, didn’t administer any religious SAT exams on the disciples.  He did call them to ‘follow Me’, because He believed they could be like Him and do what He did!  Back to the disciple with the foot-shaped mouth (Peter)---Peter was chosen as a disciple and knew that Jesus believed He could do what He did.  Naturally, when Jesus walked on water, Peter believed he could walk on water as one of His disciples.  The crazy thing was that Peter actually did!!

The story obviously didn’t end there---notice that Peter’s eyes shifted away from His Lord when he saw the wind and was consumed with fear.  He starts to sink---Jesus saves him---Jesus rebukes him and says, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt??’

In applying the little faith/mustard seed faith, I struggled a little with a clear cut distinction.  I think we are still human and we will have fear, doubts, anxiety, and trials---in processing little faith & mustard seed faith, I think one of the differences is what you are focusing on in the midst of fear, doubts, anxiety, and trials.  Mustard seed faith rises up when in the middle of these circumstances and we look to Jesus and continue to trust in Him!  Little faith is still saving faith, but we become paralyzed by our surroundings---we are paralyzed because we are only looking at our self and our capacity to handle the challenges.  Mustard seed faith has exponential growth possibilities, because it is not limited to us and looks upward.  We may not be healed, we may not get the new job, we may not receive whatever we are stepping out in prayer for, but true mustard seed faith is displayed in those moments and allows the Spirit of God to grow us, shape us, and change us as His followers!  Mustard seed faith trusts in the middle of the wind & waves and trusts even when we don’t receive what we ask for.

Final thought---V.33 is the crux of this passage to me.  We all too often insert ourselves into the story and think it’s about us.  There is obviously application to our lives, but the primary application is not how we handle the ‘wind and waves of life’.  The point is who Jesus is!  The disciples respond in worship and say, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’  We fix our eyes on Him who walks on water, forgives sins, and conquers death!  When our eyes are positioned on us and our circumstances, there is little faith, and growth potential is minimal.  When our eyes are fixed on Jesus, there is mustard seed faith, and the potential for growth is endless!

Do you recognize Jesus’ deity & power amidst the trials of life?  How would you know?  What would it look like to step out in mustard seed faith when confronted with fear, doubt, and anxiety?   I would love to hear your journey and how this passage impacted you.

mike

7.31.13 "Why FEAR?"

Hello!  It’s good to be with you! Let’s look at today’s scripture reading!

Matthew 8 ²³ Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. ²⁴ Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”²⁶ He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

So Jesus was caught sleeping on the job – at least from the disciples’ perspective.  We can all probably share the feeling to some extent.  Those times can be tough on faith – when our world seems to be coming apart at the seams and God seems, well, asleep – inattentive – distant – unconcerned.

This is one of the four times in the gospel of Matthew that Jesus refers to His disciples having “little faith”.  Here Jesus identifies fear as the  “faith shrinker”! Fear is consuming them for apparently justifiable reasons, a life threatening storm, but Jesus asks “Why?”

He has a way of challenging our “assumptions”, our “givens” about life!  We all would agree that the disciples had a “right” to be afraid.  Jesus disagrees!  He says there is another option.  Fear may be natural, normal, the given, but according to Jesus not the only option with Him in the picture.  Jesus, just because He is Who He is brings a new way for our hearts to live life – a life of faith with less fear, much less!  He goes on to show the disciples that His Presence changes everything by calming the storm.

I think that Jesus is really challenging my assumption (I’m probably not the only one-it’s a human thing!) that fear is a given in this life.  Jesus is challenging me to believe that His Presence in my life and world, although not in my control, brings great security and deals a death knell to debilitating fear!  I believe this “life of real faith” is how He is training His disciples to live- how He is training me to live!

Fear is not the “given” – even when the storm is raging and God is sleeping!  His Presence changes everything!

So is Jesus saying to me that because He “is” – because He simply “is” I get to live a much less fear-full life?  Perhaps a fear-less life?

Awesome!

delton

Please share your thoughts – would love to hear!

07.30.2013 "I have a FATHER in Heaven who loves ME very much!"

Matthew 6:28-34 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Can I tell you how hard this text is hitting me right now? Can I get really real with y’all?

For the past couple of months I have been worried, fretting about my financial situation. You see, I’m a shopaholic. I absolutely love browsing the shelves and racks for new clothes, new foods, new shoes, new furniture. The shopping doesn’t even have to be for me! I love buying people presents, little or big things I see to show my affection for them. In fact, I love shopping so much that my profession is shopping!

Shopping is just my favorite hobby – but it’s one that has gotten me into a lot of trouble financially. And what does that bring? Worry, fear, doubt and maybe some “little faith”.

When I saw this text though, in the midst of my own personal issues, it really has new light to me. You know how you can read and re-read and re-read a passage and the depth of it doesn’t hit you until you experience something that makes you see the words in a new way? That’s this text for me. God is really opening up my eyes to His desires for me and my life and not my desires for new/bigger/better things (all in my opinion!). He desires a grander life for me, a better well-being for me than I could ever imagine. And that is worth more to me than all the latest and greatest trends this world has to offer.

One of the things that Pastor mentioned on Sunday was a line he and a young man prayed “I have a Father in Heaven who loves me very much”! I have found myself using that line as my tool when I’ve had a desire to go spend frivolously. I don’t need all these things when I realize I have a love that is the most precious thing in the world, which was bought with the most precious blood. Money can never buy that, but God already did. It’s the One thing that I want, the One thing that I need in my life and it is a GIFT.

I encourage you to try saying that line over and over when you have a temptation rise up. Just close your eyes, take a deep breath and say out loud “I have a Father in Heaven who loves me very much, I have a Father in Heaven who loves me very much, I have a Father in Heaven who loves me very much”.

Let me know if that helps you the way it’s helped me!

Father, thank you for your unconditional love. Thank you for all of the gifts you give your children, especially the greatest gift of all, Your Son, Jesus. Thank you for loving me when I find it hard to, when I’ve disappointed myself so much that I cannot fathom how You can love me through it, and yet You do. I love you, Father. Amen.

Toni

I wanted to also include the Message version of this text. The words may impact you a little more clearly as they did for me:

27-29 “Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

30-33 “If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

34 “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.