Generous
On Sunday, we sang and heard about the generosity of God. God does not respond to us as if we have deserved or merited anything from him. God generously pours out, lavishes his grace, love, mercy, kindness upon us. But here's the thing, we often operate out of an "earn it" mentality. If I have not earned it, why would God give me anything...especially his love? The parable of the workers in the vineyard challenges us to see and joyously embrace the incredible divine love, welcome and acceptance which God offers us freely in and through Jesus. As we sang on Sunday, our response is, "Beautiful One I love you. Beautiful One I adore. Beautiful One my soul must sing!"
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- Sep 29, 2019Generous
GenerousOn Sunday, we sang and heard about the generosity of God. God does not respond to us as if we have deserved or merited anything from him. God generously pours out, lavishes his grace, love, mercy, kindness upon us. But here's the thing, we often operate out of an "earn it" mentality. If I have not earned it, why would God give me anything...especially his love? The parable of the workers in the vineyard challenges us to see and joyously embrace the incredible divine love, welcome and acceptance which God offers us freely in and through Jesus. As we sang on Sunday, our response is, "Beautiful One I love you. Beautiful One I adore. Beautiful One my soul must sing!"
- Sep 22, 2019Trustworthy–Guest Speaker Jenn Strobl
Trustworthy–Guest Speaker Jenn StroblBecause we tend to compartmentalize our lives, Sunday worship does little to form our lives in the coming week. So can I ask, "Are you pursuing God's trustworthiness?" It's easy to fall into the mold of putting everything on ourselves. "I've got to take care of this. I"ve got to make it happen." And while initiative and hard work are commendable, even desirable, this perspective can easily eliminate the presence, power and love of our heavenly Father. God's desire is to give "good gifts" to his children. The metaphor is both beautiful and hard. How do I lean into trusting God? What does that look like while I'm planning and acting in response to life? Perhaps we can start by resting in God's presence. And in these intentional quiet moments acknowledge God's presence, goodness and trustworthiness. Give thanks for these realities and invite God into your circumstances, planning and implementing. Ask the Holy Spirit to walk with and guide you so that, "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." We can begin this practice and value it because God is trustworthy.
- Sep 15, 2019Good
GoodOn Sunday we focused on the goodness of God. Tragedies in life are not the judgement of God on you or others. Tragedies happen in a broken creation. But the response of God to such things is compassion motivated by loving goodness. Jesus' response to the man born blind challenges any narrative of a smiting, angry God who balances the accounts. Instead Jesus shows us that God's very nature is good. In his goodness God moves to bring flourishing through liberation, forgiveness, and empowerment. So while I hope your week is going well, if something bad has happened, please know that God is not punishing you. God is audaciously in love with you.
- Sep 8, 2019Available
AvailableOn Sunday, we looked at the story of Jesus, God in the flesh, who invites us to "Come and see." He invites us to walk with him, hang with him, be with him in life. In this context Jesus tells us the true story of God and of ourselves. The challenge is, will we believe and embrace Jesus' story of God and us? The way to being fully human and fully alive is indeed to embrace these truthful and life-giving stories of Jesus.
- Sep 1, 2019Excitement
ExcitementSunday concluded our Summer Series "Looking Forward." We ended on the high note of EXCITEMENT. God is a God who shows up in unexpected places and circumstances to do unexpected and amazing things on behalf of his people and mission. How do God's people respond to this? EXCITEMENT, "God has come to help his people!" Are your eyes, minds and hearts open to this work of God? Or, are you fixed only on the circumstances around you/us? Let's be praying for the Holy Spirit to open us to the new possibilities God is cultivating and inviting us to share in.
- Aug 25, 2019Embassies of the Kingdom–Guest Speaker Mandy Fowler
Embassies of the Kingdom–Guest Speaker Mandy FowlerKingdom embassies, making our lives, homes and relationships places where people encounter Jesus. This is actually incredible. God wants me/you to be a person through whom God becomes present, real and relevant to others. You/we through our day-to-day actions and interactions become the temple of God, the place where God dwells and is experienced. WOW! What a high calling and privilege we have as followers of Jesus. So let's intentionally invite the Holy Spirit to fill us anew each day this week. Let's sing in our hearts, "Here I am Lord," and freely offer ourselves to be vessels of our risen Lord. Let us examine our days and encounters to see if we have been faithful, confess and repent where we have stumbled, rejoice in grace that cleanses and empowers and rise up each day committed to being Christ's embassy to others.
- Aug 18, 2019Fatigue
FatigueOn Sunday we listened to stories about fatigue. Sleeping disciples overcome with grief. A Martha Stewart of the New Testament feverishly working to create hospitality and in her fatigue complaining to Jesus about the lack of help. Grief and busyness...including church busyness can create weary, tired, bodies and souls. The answer? Sabbath resting. Sabbath is God's gift for renewal. How can you practice Sabbath rest this week? Is there something you can stop doing? Is there a relationship in need of renewal? It's okay to stop. It's okay to say, "No more." It's okay to say "yes" to rest and renewal.
- Aug 11, 2019Failure
FailureFailure, not something we aspire to or want to admit. But the story of God's people is rife with failure and God's redemption. On Sunday, we looked at Peter's dramatic failure, his thrice denial of Jesus. One might expect that that event was the last time we'd hear about Peter for he would be cut from God's team. What we find though is a much larger story. This story reminds us that Christ CHOSE Peter, Christ CHALLENGED Peter, and Christ CALLED Peter to "Follow me." His story is our story as we too confess, "I have not loved you with all my heart nor my neighbor as myself."
- Aug 4, 2019Fear
FearOn Sunday we heard the story of people frightened by change, fearful of what they might loose if God's preferred future happened for God's people. They sought to impede God's vision through ridicule and conspiracy theories. We can find ourselves in their shoes. When change happens, we fear what we might loose, position and status, familiar and favored things, even buildings and a sense of place.
- Jul 28, 2019Questions
QuestionsGod is at work all around us at all times. Will we see his work? Are our eyes open? Are we inviting the Holy Spirit to grow our capacity to "see"? This is the take away we ended on this Sunday. We ask God questions that arise from our anxieties. We ask God to fill in the blanks of life. God invites us to deep trust and dependency, to follow and to see his work unfolding all around us.
