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The Weight of Words

Posted in Uncategorized on October 5, 2016| Leave a Comment »

I am back in the realm of my normal schedule today, but for the past two days I have spent time with God on a retreat titled Longing For His Presence.  On this retreat, the attendee is given the opportunity to practice a handful of Christian practices or Spiritual Disciplines.  It has been a while since I spent concentrated time not doing strategic planning or sermon preparation but specifically on focusing intently on God.

One of the disciplines I practiced on the retreat was silence.  From 8:00 pm on Monday night until 1:00 pm on Tuesday I practiced silence.  Granted, at least 6 hours of that I was asleep, but it was still a lengthy time to keep quiet.  When you think about it, a large part of my calling involves speaking.  So for me to commit not to talk takes a little effort.

But really, the time alone was not difficult.  When I noticed the strain was at breakfast, sitting across the table from the brothers and not saying anything.

I am still working through the impact of this experience, so I am sure there will be other insights that will come as I reflect on this in the days to come.  But one overwhelming thought came over me yesterday as I sat in silence in the presence of others – the weight of words.  I was overwhelmed with the realization that we were created for relationship – to relate to God and to others.  Without words, developing those relationships would be very difficult.  Words are not the only way we develop bonds but they certainly help.

Our words have the ability to bring encouragement or hurt.  Our words can offer healing or they can offer division.

I think also of how words are wasted.  We spout off things with little thought to their impact.

Sometimes withholding words is powerful – sometimes using words to express ourselves can be powerful.

Words.

Words carry weight.

How will you use your words today to offer life?

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Walking With God

Posted in Formation, Grace, Hope, Uncategorized on September 27, 2016| 2 Comments »

This Sunday we will begin a new series here at the church entitled, Walking With God.  So I have been thinking for some time about all the ramifications of this thought of actually walking with God on a daily basis.  There are all kinds of images that come to mind when thinking about walking.  walking-with-god-series-poster

Kristi and I often walk together along the jogging trails around our house.  But when we walk it is more for exercise than for leisure.  Walking also serves as the means of getting from one place to another – so the idea of destination becomes important.

But when I consider walking with God, I am drawn to the idea that walking with God is more encompassing than simply exercise or destination.  Walking with God is more about the time together and the direction than it is about meeting a specific goal in a specific timeframe.  Maybe it is more about the conversation and observation than about the distance.

As you set out to walk with God today, note what is happening around you.  What is God showing you?  How is God leading you as you walk through this day?

And as you walk, remember this – God’s promise to Joshua (Joshua 1:9) is extended to you as his child –

Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

God is with you on this journey so walk with confidence today!

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True Identity

Posted in Formation, Grace, Hope, Uncategorized on September 19, 2016| Leave a Comment »

We hear a lot about identity and self-worth these days.  People are searching for meaning and validation.  We are wired that way.  We want to think that our lives matter.

Most often we turn to other people for that validation and it is natural to think that we can find worth in what others think about us.  The problem is, even the best people are inherently selfish.  Even with best intentions, we will eventually let one another down.  So to put our trust in what others think of us as a basis for our own identity and worth is trust misplaced.

The author of 1 John reminds us of something very important in chapter 3 verse 1.  Let his words filter down to your deepest self today:

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

i-am-a-child-of-god

We find identity not in what other people think of us but in knowing that as believers in Jesus Christ, we are God’s children!  Praise God for this truth – this life-giving truth!

Be blessed today!

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Sufficient Grace and Ample Strength

Posted in Formation, Grace, Hope, Uncategorized on September 15, 2016| 1 Comment »

This morning I was reminded, in a unique way, of God’s blessings.  I was in my office at my desk working when I began to hear something on my windows.  The sun was up and prayer-at-sunriseshining through but in the midst of the bright sunlight, rain was gently blowing against the glass.  While I was looking at blue sky and sunlight, rain was falling.

This simple experience reminded me that God’s blessings are new each day.

Whatever you face this day, remember that God’s grace is sufficient and his strength is enough.

Live with peace and joy today!

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Walk In the Light

Posted in Community, Formation, Hope, Uncategorized on September 13, 2016| Leave a Comment »

What happens in the shadows?

In scripture, we see light and dark used to describe the contrast between good and evil.  What happens in the dark is evil but what happens in the light is good.Sunrise Over Littlefield

Haven’t we seen this to be true in life?  It is easier to carry out evil in the shadows.  But in the light of day, what we do is visible for all to see.

The author of 1 John encourages us to walk in the light in chapter one of his letter:

5 God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

As followers in The Way, walk in the light today.

May the light of Jesus Christ so shine through you today that it brings hope to all you encounter!

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God Is Worthy

Posted in Community, Formation, Hope, Uncategorized on September 7, 2016| Leave a Comment »

When is the last time you considered God?  Maybe that is an odd question or at least an odd way to ask.  This week we will start a new series entitled Created to Worship.  Worship is reverence offered out of extreme respect.  The etymology of the word worship shows us that it comes from the old English word, worthship and carries the meaning of acknowledging worth.

When we take time to reflect, as I mentioned yesterday (you can see that post here), and we truly reflect on God and who he is, we are moved to offer extreme respect and reverence.  When we come face to face with the reality of who God is we are moved to recognize God’s worthiness.heart-and-cross-2

This Sunday we will begin this series with thoughts on God.  But you don’t have to wait until Sunday to think about God.  Start today – start now.

Take time to reflect on God’s majesty.  Spend time considering God’s mystery.  Focus on God’s compassion and grace.

Acknowledge God’s worth today by offering yourself as a living sacrifice out of extravagant respect!

 

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Take Time to Reflect

Posted in Formation, Hope, Leadership, Uncategorized on September 6, 2016| 1 Comment »

I recently read the words of a long-time pastor who has left the ministry.  There are many factors that contributed to his decision to escape – some of which will most likely be the subject of future posts.

But something he said about his life outside of vocational ministry has stuck with me.  I believe it has continued to occupy space in my thoughts because I can relate to what he said.  He made the statement that now that he is no longer involved in vocational ministry, he now has time to reflect.

Worship BWMy initial reaction to his words was one of surprise.  The role of the vocational pastor, I smugly thought to myself, is to lead a congregation by spending time daily seeking God’s guidance and reflecting on what God is doing and saying.  But even as I write these words here, I feel hypocrisy’s hot breath on my neck.  I wish I could say that I live up to the role I just outlined two sentences ago.  But the truth is; there is always something to occupy my thoughts.  There are pressures both self-imposed and imposed by others that drive my actions and thoughts much of the time.

It would be possible to go through an entire week or even month without spending any time at all truly reflecting on God and his provisions and plan.  But lest this post be seen as a fragile attempt to gain sympathy – let me turn the tables.

How about you?

Do you spend time reflecting on God’s activity in your life?  Do you read his word and spend time actually thinking about what it says?   Or do we read God’s word, and then check it off our To Do list and move on to bigger and better things?

Our world, particularly in America, is driven by the illusion that busyness is good for business.  But when do we take time to think – to reflect?  How often do we miss God’s best for us because we aren’t listening or only half-listening to his words?

Take time to reflect today!

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Where There Are Believers There Should Be Joy

Posted in Uncategorized on September 1, 2016| 1 Comment »

Have you ever noticed that when the family of God comes together there is joy? Maybe you don’t see it every time, but as a general rule, when the family gathers there should be visible joy.

Last week I began a new adventure. For many years I have wanted to teach at the university level. Beginning this semester, I have the privilege to do just that. I am teaching a junior level class for Hardin-Simmons University’s extension here in Corpus Christi. The class I am teaching is titled Ministry Formations. We will cover topics pertinent to those considering and searching for God’s leadership into vocational ministry.
The first two class periods have been spent considering God’s calling and discerning that call. I have developed the class to consist primarily of class participation through discussion and activities. We only meet one time per week, so being a 3 hour class, we meet for 3 hours each time we are together. That is a long time to be together in one sitting so I give a brief break in the middle of the class time.  

This past class, one of the students made the comment during the break, “That was the most enjoyable first half of any class I have ever attended.” What he was getting at was the brisk discussion that had made up the first half of the class and the attitude of in which it was approached. While we had good discussion, what I sensed in the class was a group of Jesus followers who came together intentionally to discuss and learn from one another how God interacts in each of our lives. There was joy in the room.

When God’s children come together, we should experience joy. That is church – a gathering of like-minded believer’s coming together to grow in our understanding of what it means to be God’s child and learning, together, to love him and each other more deeply.

I pray you have a faith community where you experience joy.

Live into that joy.

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Life Without Risk

Posted in Formation, Grace, Hope, Uncategorized on August 25, 2016| 1 Comment »

Playing it safe rarely wins the prize.  But it’s easier to play it safe.  Risk is . . . well, its risky.  We like comfort and security and once we find it, we don’t want to risk it.

But God did not create us to live lives of comfort.  We can have security in our relationship with God, but our worldly security is not really a concern for God.  Paul said, “to live is Christ and to die is gain.”  In other words, when our priority is pleasing God and living our lives to fulfill his desire for us, then there really isn’t a risk.

God wants to do immeasurably more than you can imagine in and through you today.  Will you let him?

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You Are Worth It

Posted in Formation, Grace, Hope, Uncategorized on August 24, 2016| Leave a Comment »

I have challenged our deacon body in their daily reading to read through 1 and 2 Peter over the next month. Today’s reading is 1 Peter 1:13-25. As I read this passage this morning, even though I have read it in the past, something spoke to me more clearly than ever before.

The author of this little letter reminded us of the value we hold in God’s eyes.

So often, we buy into the lie that we are not worth much. Some have heard from parents or others, “You will never amount to anything.” Hateful people have called us “losers.” At certain times in our lives, circumstances have left us feeling like no one cares.

Allow this passage from 1 Peter to speak truth into your life today :

18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

You are worth more than all the gold and silver in the world. You are worth the very breath and blood of the son of God. The Father paid your ransom with the life of his one and only son!

Stop buying into the lie that your life doesn’t count. You are worth everything to God – not because of anything you have done but because he loves you.

And that is all that really matters!

Live into that love today.

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