Facing Life

I love God’s family – the church. With my brothers and sisters, I have made some major decisions in my life, and through some tough times. My church family helps me with facing life. Let’s take a look at a few Scriptures on the subject:

Jesus died for us so that we can live together with him ... So encourage each other and give each other strength.  1 Thessalonians. 5:10-11

You should be like one big happy family, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts ... 1 Peter 3:8

In Christ, we who are many, form one Body and each member belongs to all the others.  Romans 12:5

It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others. Ephesians 2:10 

There are different kinds of service ... together you form the Body of Christ and each one of you is a necessary part of it. 1 Corinthians.12:5,27

Be thankful for God’s family. Love, encourage, and strengthen your relationships. Amen

Focus Up

When it comes to our relationship with God and His church it is sometimes one sided. We have great expectations of them, but find serving, obeying, and following an inconvenience and a problem. We need to focus fully on God and seek His plan and vision for our lives.

 President John F Kennedy, a man of vision, said in His inaugural address:

Now the trumpet summons us again - not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are - but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation" - a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself. 

In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility - I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation.

 Listen carefully to these last words. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it -- and the glow from that fire can truly light the world. And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. 

Energy, faith and devotion will bring light into our country, and the glow can truly light the world! Are you ready church to let the light of God shine? Then ask not what God or the church can do for you, but what can you do, where can you serve, where can you minister, to bring glory to the kingdom of God? It is time for God’s church to rise up and “stimulate” the world in the Name of Jesus! Amen?

Being Church

5 Purposes that  made the First Church so compelling:

1. They committed to authentic community. – We are designed to be in relationship.The church is where you can experience relationships the way they were meant to be. They “devoted” themselves.. The church is where you can be loved & accepted.

2. They gave God wholehearted worship. – Do we show our appreciation for athletes more than we do God?

Romans 12:1-2 (proper worship is being a living sacrifice) Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

The church is where God gets the glory He deserves.

3. They took their spiritual growth seriously. –This is the most important purpose, because the others hinge on this one.

The church is where you can become the best you - you can be.

Can you get better? Where do you start?

Remember: You must Show Up in order to Grow Up in the Lord.

4. They invested in positive priorities. –What do you do with your time, talent, treasure?

Some sing, “I owe, I owe, so off to work I go!” -What do you owe God?

The church is where our time, talents, and treasure get invested for eternity. Where are you storing up your treasure?

5. They invited others to join them. – If you loved church you’d invite others! The church is where people get adopted into God’s family.

We are all called to be in the ministry of reconciliation. 

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 – All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:  that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

Are you ready to “Be the Church”?

An Invitation

Think of a name. Any name. A friend, a relative, or a co-worker. When was the last time that person visited a church? Maybe they haven't been to church in a long time. Maybe they've never gone to church.

Have you ever thought about asking that person to come with you to church? Take a chance. Don't worry about feeling nervous. We all do. But remember that God has placed that person in your life for a reason; He can give you the courage and the opportunity to ask.

It’s not as hard as it may seem. Did you know that most people who have dropped out of church haven’t lost their faith in God—they simply fell out of the habit of going to church? Some moved, had a change in life circumstances, or had a falling out with their former church and simply drifted away. Most often, life just became too busy. This means many of them are open to returning to church.

Will you pray for that person God has placed on your heart?

Let's see what He can do!

If the person that you've been praying for doesn’t respond at first - keep praying for and inviting them! 

Amen?

Best Day

Let’s consider Psalm 122 today. It's a short psalm - take a couple of minutes and read it today. It is a great testimony by David on how important going to church should be in our lives. This may come as a shock but: Sunday was meant to be the best day of your week!

David gives six great reasons why he wanted to go to church.

1. He wanted to go to church because he liked being with God’s people (v. 4a). “That’s where my tribe goes.” 

2. He wanted to honor God (v. 4c). “I want to go to church to praise the name of the Lord.”

3. He wanted to do what God asked him to do (v. 4d). “I want to go to church because the statutes given to Israel told us to do that.”

4. He wanted peace for those who love God (v. 6). He just wants good things for God’s people.

5. He wanted peace because God’s people were his family and friends (v. 8). “For the sake of my family and friends,” he says.

6. He committed himself to the prosperity of the house of God (v.9)

How to Make Sunday the Best Day of Your Week:

1. Decide to let Sunday be the best day of your week.

2. Invest in your Sundays. 

3. Take your next step, whatever that is.

 

Are you willing to make Sundays the best day of your week?

Stopping

The Be Still in Psalm 46:10 can be taken as a comfort and a warning.

It can mean to stop. - Zechariah 2:13 says; Be still before the Lord, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.” 

We need to stop sinning. God commands it in Exodus 20:3-8; “You shall have no other gods before me. ⁴ “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶ but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.⁷ “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. ⁸ “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

We need to obey God. We need to make Him first in our lives.

Being Still

Psalm 46:10 is a favorite verse for many of us.

The Lord says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Do we really understand what David is trying to convey here?

Be Still can be taken as a comfort and a warning.

It can mean to be silent. Psalm 23:1-3 says; The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

We need to listen to God. We need to rest in the Lord.

Today and always – be still and silent before God. He has a lot to say to us. Be a good listener. Amen?