What is imortant?

Have you ever played this game before? You are stranded on a deserted island and you can only take three things with you to survive…what would you take? It has gotten a lot harder now because you could answer it with smart answers like, “an international cell phone” or “global positioning system”. But a few years back you really had to think about it. Would you take a book? If so which book? Would you take a person with you? If so which person? It really made you think about what was really important in life; what things you value.
As a follower of Jesus we are faced with a very similar question in today’s world…what is important to us? Much of what we have held as important is being stripped away and we have to discover what really matters. We can look back at days of yester-years when Wednesday nights were sacred in the community and everyone was involved in church functions. That does not happen anymore. There was a time when prayer was as much a part of school as reading and writing. That does not happen anymore. It causes us to re-think what is important in our relationship with Christ.
We also have to think about what is important when we gather together? As we study God’s Word what are the essentials to be the Body of Christ? There were things that growing up I was told were essential that I have since discovered are not found in scripture. We live in a culture that desires authenticity. They not only want to know what works, but why it works. As we look to allow God be relevant in our lives and in the lives of those we encounter we have to be able to answer the questions that are given to us clearly as to what is important.
What the Church in America is experiencing is no different than what was experienced by Calvin, Luther, Augustine, Aquinas and even the leaders within the church immediately following the original apostles. This was part of the reason why in the 2nd Century The Apostles Creed was developed. It defined what was essential. What was important. Everything else could be debated, but these things that are included in this creed were important.
That same thing was asked of Jesus. What is really important? The religious leaders were trying to trap Jesus all the time and would ask Him questions hoping to capture Him. What they discovered is what was really important to Jesus. He was not concerned about the trappings of religion that the leaders had added to their faith. He was concerned about their heart. He was concerned about their concern for their neighbors. He scaled back all of the other “stuff” that had been added and made it simple. Change your heart and change your world.
This question needs to continue to be discussed…what is important? What is essential? Jesus answered it already…Change your heart and change your world. How are you going to answer it?

Gifts--the best

I wonder why I settle for second best when I have available to me the very best...but I often do. I have been given the opportunity to experience and embrace God's total love for me and I often push Him away. I think I do that because I am afraid that if God really knows me, I mean the dark deep areas of my life, He might not like me. He might reject me. So I push Him away. I never realized how I intentionally choose to make mistakes in critical times of life because I am afraid of the intimacy with God. His very best.
I realized that I often settle for second best when it comes to joining God in what He is doing too. I have available to me the best resources but instead I choose something less. I chose to use the best that I have to give. I could use the resources of God Himself. The power that brought back to life Jesus Christ three days after He was laid in the grave. The same power that called the world into existence. I wonder why I rely on myself rather than on God. Do I really think that I am better? Do I think that I can impress God if I do it without Him? What exactly is it? I am crying out for deeper intimacy with God now. I am crying out to deny myself and trust in God completely for all that I need.
Why do we push God away? Why do we rely/trust in ourselves rather the gifts that He has given to us to do what He wants us to do?

Communion--Love Feast

This week we looked at Communion being the "Love Feast of God". We are called to examine our lives and discover if we are to receive Communion. If we take Communion with impure motives, than according to Scripture we are as good as dead. Not very encouraging words. How do we know if we have pure motives though?
If we read 1 Corinthians 11 in context we discover that pure motives happen when we are in love with God and when we love others. The church in Corinth had created road blocks to others receiving Communion and Paul viewed those actions very unloving.
This caused me to wonder...how am I doing? Do I love God? It is easy to answer yes, but very difficult to be sure. I know that I also love coffee. I love my wife. I love food. I love the Colts. Where does my love for God fit in? Do I really love God? Scripture adds to the love of God loving others. Do I love others or do I just tolerate them? There are times that I know that I do not love or like people and as I examined this scripture I realized that I cannot/do not receive God's grace when I view and treat people this way. It is so hard to stay on top of this. I have found that there are things that I can do to make sure I am loving people with pure motives and based on my love of God. I was wondering what are things that you do to make sure you "stay in love with God and love others as yourself?" Hopefully this discussion will encourage us as we pursue Christ daily in the community that we live and as we prepare to receive Communion, the Lord's Love Feast, next week.

Communion--February 1, 2009

This past week in the service we discussed how God desires the family to teach, to raise up, to educate the kids in the family of the things that God has done. It is amazing how God uses something like a celebration meal to declare His provisions for us. I also realized how as I was studying this, I don't take my responsibility very serious often. I allow the teachers at school to educate my kids. I allow the Sunday School teachers to educate my kids. This is my responsibility. It is one of my biggest responsibilities. I must stop taking this responsibility so lightly.

Another thing that I realized as I was studying the idea of Communion is how I don't take my own studying very serious. I allow one book or one author or one pastor decide what I believe. I accept it all wholeheartedly rather than seriously studying what God is speaking at that moment. For years I have allowed tradition to teach me how to view Communion. I allow tradition to be my professor. God wants to be our teacher. He wants us to seek His face continually on these matters. It is good to learn from others but it cannot take the place of actually sitting in the presence of Papa yourself and hearing from Him what you are to learn.

Are there things that you think Papa wants you to learn that you have allowed others to be your teacher? I would love to hear and see your thoughts about this.