Our Father…

On Sunday June 28, 2015 we begin a new series on The Lord’s Prayer. Jesus taught us to pray. Consequently, prayer is so central to our faith. When His disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, Jesus was specific and yet comprehensive in his response. The prayer he taught them was one he re-purposed from a traditional Hebrew prayer. When Jesus retooled this prayer he made sure it was a community prayer. We will take a number of weeks to look at the phrases of the Lord’s Prayer to understand what it is we are to be praying. and how does it apply to the circumstances to our lives today. Here is how will look at the prayer week-by-week.

  1. Our Father who is in heaven
  2. uphold the holiness of your name.
  3. Bring in your kingdom so that your will is done on earth as it’s done in heaven.
  4. Give us the bread we need for today.
  5. Forgive us for the ways we have wronged you, just as we also forgive those who have wronged us.
  6. And don’t lead us into temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

Come join us on Sundays at 8:15am (traditional) or 10:45(contemporary) for worship. These are the words of LIFE.

They devoted themselves to their “shared meals”: Acts 2:42

On Sunday, I challenged us to be devoted to sharing together in the meal that forms our identity as children of God. Here are the four actions I’m proposing:

1. (Family Level) Begin now to find creative ways to retell the whole story over a meal at home.
From the Creation to Jesus’ return, be sure to stress our part in the story.
2. (Personal Level) If you don’t know the story, the whole story, It’s seriously time to learn it. Stay tuned for a Sunday School hour program of 5-6 weeks on learning to tell The Story
3. (Church Level) Don’t miss Communion! It forms you into the image of Christ.
4. (Pastor Level) It’s on me and the worship planning team to find ways to enhance the Holy Communion experience to make it more effective at building our identity as part of God’s grand story.

Let me know how I can help you.

“Do you think you are who they say you are?”

That question is a famous line from the mouth of Judas in the rock opera, Jesus Christ – Superstar. In Superstar, Judas also asks, “Who are you? What have you sacrificed?” I don’t know how Tim Rice, the lyricist for Superstar, expected us to react to those questions. However, I think these are really important questions that every Christian should ask and have settled in their own mind.

During the weeks leading to Easter, here are the questions to be thinking about and using to search the scriptures. How would you answer those questions?

  • Who did people in Jesus’ day say he was?
  • Where they right? If not how so?
  • Who did Jesus say he was?
  • What did Jesus Sacrifice?

We’ll be working on these together in worship over the weeks leading to Easter 2015.

Our 2015 Plan – Final thoughts

So we’ve seen that the “Why” of our 2015 plan – of our life-plan –  is because the King is returning and he plans to reward us all as or actions deserve. The “WHAT” of our plan is the Great Commission to go make disciples of all nations, and the “HOW” of our plan is to “LOVE” each other and the world using God’s resources to create an eternal family — a family that calls us all into God’s love. These points are not simply optional, spiritual-development goals, this IS the life of a believer as God has defined it. How will these three corners of God’s life framework be the frame for your 2015?

The best way to start is to include a bit of each of these points in your schedule and plan for 2015. Think about the challenges I made each week. (1) Be able to identify the things you are doing that count beyond this age – that gain eternal reward. Write them down and be sure they get priority. (2) Choose one mission/ministry where you will serve and one where you will invite others to join you? (3) Invite someone you don’t know well to share a meal and to create an eternal friendship together.

Take some time to intentionally plan how these three strategies will be included in your life in 2015. Then, on a monthly basis, do a self-check to see if you are on track at working the plan. Jesus Christ is your model. Turn to him often in your pursuit. And The Holy Spirit is given to you to assure that you have the power and wisdom to succeed at these Kingdom strategies. God’s blessing on your 2015 plan!! It will be amazing and the end of the year to look back and see the progress for God’s loving reign.

Bob

Plan the work, then work the plan – 2015

Plan the work 2“Plan the work, then work the plan.“ Have you heard this phase? It turns up where anyone really wants to succeed at their objective. In Lewis Carroll’s story, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, the Cheshire Cat makes this same point in the negative, saying, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there.”

If we hold our personal life-plans up to these tests, how would we fare? Have we a plan or are we just letting ourselves end up where we may? If we have plans, what are they based on?  Why are we on this planet, What is it we are to do and how are we to do it.

During the remainder of January, on Sundays at 8:15 and 10:45, we’ll look at some guidance from scripture regarding a 2015 life-plan – a plan that would come from the very center of God’s heart for us. The Why, The What, the How. – Don’t miss this! Come be part of our Worship at Second Ave.

Prayer Vigil!

We need a few more leaders for our prayer vigil. Will you lead an hour? We are praying and fasting this month, asking for God to send a fresh fire of God’s Holy Spirit into our hearts, lives and our community. This vigil will take place on 11/22-11/23. Everyone who is not leading an hour, please sign up at church to pray with one of the leaders for an hour.Continue reading “Prayer Vigil!”

Reading the Bible for Spiritual Maturity

I’ve challenged you to add a commentary to you Bible reading plan, so that you gain insights into the original culture and world. This will help you understand the passage the same way the first hearers and readers did. Bottom line, beginning Bible study by understanding this FIRST MEANING of the passage helps us better interpret it for our lives in our day. Follow this link to find recommended commentaries on the Psalms specifically, and on other Bible books in general. 

On 10/26/14 my challenge is to read the passage you are studying several times:Continue reading “Reading the Bible for Spiritual Maturity”