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Happy Monday

October 8, 2012 by jbrianhill

Happy Monday!

For most of us, Monday’s are not typically happy.  Monday’s seem to be the worst day of the week for most people.  Regardless of the day of the week, if I have a bad day, I can usually be heard to say, “It’s been Monday all day.”

But really, what we think about the first day of the week is up to us.

Today, I see it as the beginning of blank canvass.  I have a whole week ahead of me to see what God will do – the relationships that will be built and the tasks completed.

Make today a great day!  And then let that run over into tomorrow and the rest of the week.

Be blessed!

Posted in Formation, Hope | Leave a Comment »

Living Hope

October 3, 2012 by jbrianhill

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,           1 Peter 1:3

A living hope.  Sounds good doesn’t it?  This morning I found those words very refreshing.

So often, I find myself reflecting back to a better time.  I catch myself thinking about a mountain top experience and relishing in the emotions of a time when all was well with God and with the world.  I think back to times when it seemed everything was going just right.  And then the phone rings or my In Box sounds and I am brought back to the reality of today.

But this verse this morning splashed cool water on my weary face.  In Jesus, we don’t have a hope that comes and goes.  We don’t just have to hold on to the memories of a mountain top experience.  We have a living hope.  A hope that is growing and maturing.  And this hope is made possible by God’s great mercy.

Our hope would be non-existent without God’s unspeakable mercy.  The two things are tied together – inseparable really.

You see, God’s mercy is not a single act at one moment in time.  It’s not like we were caught red handed doing something wrong and God decided to forgive us.  God’s mercy is always with us.  In fact, that might be the best way to describe it.  God with us.  When I think that God loves me enough to stay with me even when I do stupid stuff, I get a picture of that mercy.

And that is how our hope can stay alive.

God loves you and his mercy is real!

Live into today reflecting vibrant hope.

Posted in Formation, Grace, Hope | Leave a Comment »

Complacency Is a Cancer

October 2, 2012 by jbrianhill

As I sat down this morning for part of my time alone with God, I decided to use a practice I turn to frequently – prayerful reading (lectio divina).  I turned on my computer and opened my online Bible.  There for me to read on the front page was the verse of the day.  I would normally have clicked passed this to a passage to start my time with God, but for some reason, I felt a nudge to stay with this verse.

Proverbs 29:25, “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in God is kept safe.”

We are entering a journey in the life of our church family here at 1st B and on the outset, it seems too big and illusive to really get our heads around.  We are at the very cusp of what will be a new era in our church.

As I pray about God’s leadership in this endeavor, I often find myself doubting.  Thoughts flood my mind like: “What if we miss it?” or ‘What if we fail?” or even “What will other people think?”  I guess at the root of all the anxiety is that last one – what will people think.  If we attempt something big and fail, what will others in the community think?

The writer of Proverbs warns us that fearing what others might think is an immobilizing trap; a trap I believe  leads to complacency.  We throw up our hands before we even start and say, “It can’t be done – its just too big.”

I have said this before but the fact of the matter is complacency is the cancer that is killing the church.

The cure for this cancer is trust.  While the writer of Proverbs gives us this warning about fear, he also encourages us by reminding us that those who trust God walk in God’s protection.

Whatever you are facing today that seems too big – don’t fear.  Simply trust.  God has a plan and that plan includes protecting you.

Live boldly today!

Posted in Church, Community, Formation, Hope | 4 Comments »

Waiting . . .

October 1, 2012 by jbrianhill

I talk a lot about slowing down and listening for God fairly frequently.  I believe it is important to slow down and rest in God’s presence.

Today, I am being forced to slow down.  I am writing this from a doctor’s waiting room.  I began to feel sick Saturday night.  Before bed I was running fever and the body aches had set in.  Yesterday, I made it through church and a meeting and then spent the rest of the day on the couch.

So this morning, I decided to go see the doctor to hopefully speed up the process of getting better.

Now, I am waiting . . .

So as I sit here, I am reminded, once again, of the importance of waiting.  I am one of those people who does not like to wait – particularly when the reason for waiting is out of my control.  But as I sit, I am also reminded that God is in it all.  I am reminded that I need to be present, even in the waiting.

Today, slow down and focus on being present.  It might just make your day come alive.

Posted in Formation | Leave a Comment »

In the Depths of Silence

September 25, 2012 by jbrianhill

In the depths of silence, where there is no where else to run, we come face to face with God.

Have you experienced God’s presence in that way?  So often, we fill our lives with noise – busyness and tasks and sights and sounds – noise.

When I strive to remove the noise and rest in silence I find my true self – and there I find God already at work.  As believers we know with our heads that God is present but too often we fill our lives with noise and fail to truly experience intimate relations with God.

Find time and space to rest in silence today.  God is already there – waiting for you.

Posted in Formation, Grace, Hope | Leave a Comment »

Make Your Today Count

September 24, 2012 by jbrianhill

I was reminded, yet again, yesterday of the frailty of life.  We get up every day and go about our daily tasks and To Do lists without a second thought.  But the reality is that none of is guaranteed another day.

Over the weekend, a dear friend and 1st B family member passed away at too young of an age.  Eric was one of those guys who everyone liked.  He had a smile that made others smile and a personality that made us smile as well.

He went to bed in Littlefield, Texas on Saturday night and woke up in the very presence of God.  I am sure he had no idea when his head hit the pillow that he would wake up in another place, but that is what he experienced.

When something like this happens, it forces us to reexamine our own mortality and think about life as a frail gift.  None of us know what tomorrow will bring – but we can see what today holds.

What will you do with your today to make it count?

Posted in Hope, Motivational | Leave a Comment »

How Important Is Your Bible?

September 20, 2012 by jbrianhill

Yesterday, I read an online devotional, Lead Like Jesus, that I receive daily.  Psalm 19:7-8 was included in the post.  The text is a beautiful description of the importance of God’s word and how it is crucial to our existence.  The writer of the Psalm obviously understood the importance of scripture.

In the devotion, the question was posed, “How would your world be different if you no longer had access to the Bible?”

I have to admit, that question has haunted me since.  The right answer is that my world would be totally changed.  But my fear is the more real answer for my life, and many others, is that it might not look all that different.

I have multiple Bibles on my shelves.  I even have two on my phone.  But when I read that question, I had to do some soul searching as to how much time do I actually spend pouring over scripture and letting it pour over me?  Sure, I spend time in sermon preparation and that involves studying specific passages for my talk.  But what about for me personally?

I do spend time daily reading, or at least listening to scripture.  But this question has caused me to rethink my commitment level.

What has it done to you?

Posted in Formation, Motivational | Leave a Comment »

The Theology of Steve Martin

September 19, 2012 by jbrianhill

In the words of the great theologian, Steve Martin, “Where ever you go, there you are.”

When I was a teenager, Steve Martin was in the height of his popularity as “one wild and crazy guy.”  While I have never had the opportunity to meet him or even see him live, I watched and listened to his acts religiously – maybe that says something about me.

At any rate, that quote has always made me smile.  But as I have been preparing for this Sunday, I have asked myself, “Is that true of me?”  Where ever I go, am I really there?  It is so easy to go through the motions.  It is possible to be somewhere physically but not really be engaged.

My encouragement for you today is this – where ever you go, really be there!

Be a blessing today!

Posted in Formation, Humor | Leave a Comment »

Encourage the Encourager

September 18, 2012 by jbrianhill

Have you ever been around someone who just makes you feel good? Maybe they listen to your frustrations with a smile.  Or maybe they offer a kind word when you are stressed or down.  I have the blessing of having several people in my life who go out of their way to encourage and support those they meet.

I think all of us, if we stop and think about it, can think of someone who is an encourager.  What would your life be like without that person around?

Take a minute to stop and pray for that person (or those persons) right now.  Ask God to bless them and lift them up.

Now, take another minute to reach out to them and encourage them today.

Encourage the encourager.

Posted in Community, Hope | 2 Comments »

What Sacrifice Will You Bring Today?

September 17, 2012 by jbrianhill

Over the last two weeks, our sanctuary has been either too hot or too cold.  Two weeks ago, we had no air conditioning.  Yesterday, we had plenty.  In fact, it was almost cold.  I had one person suggest we build a fire on the stage around the “campfire” I had built for the sermon.

Now, I agree it was cool but I had to take offense at the thought that the altar I had so meticulously put together would be mistaken for a campfire.

Image

OK, I admit, it doesn’t look much like an altar.  It looked very different in my head when I picked up the stones at Home Depot.

At any rate, we had an altar on the stage yesterday.  And the reason was to illustrate the sacrifice God expects of us.  In Romans, Paul tells us that the sacrifice that pleases God is not our job, our money or even our family.  The only acceptable sacrifice is the complete surrender of ourselves.

Paul also points out that while in the Jewish sacrificial system, the sacrifice was killed as part of the ritual, God wants us to be a living sacrifice.  We must die to ourselves so that we can truly live as God created us to live.  As I crawled onto that altar yesterday to illustrate what we must do, I also made the point that the biggest problem with a living sacrifice is that it can crawl off the altar just as easily as it crawled on.

Offering ourselves as a living sacrifice is a daily act of worship.  It takes commitment – every day.

Will you offer yourself today as a living sacrifice to God.  How will you live today to show God your heart-felt worship?

Posted in Formation | 2 Comments »

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