Today’s worship service looked at Phil 2:1-7. A very simple and often read passage. Pastor at one point noted that everyone wanted to be a somebody. But at some point in their life they will realize that they are a nobody. SO they have a choice as to how to live… will they live for self in the sense that every thing they do will benefit themselves… out of rivalry and conceit? OR will they trust God to be their glory, trust God to be their worth.

This was particularly convicting because I don’t see this in myself, but I do it often. How I treat others is a reflection of what I think of myself. When I lie or when I brown-nose or when I look down upon or when I am critical, it reflects my heart condition. It reflects my theology. In those instances of sin, God’s voice is overshadowed by the voice of my flesh. I want to be somebody and my flesh will seek to validate myself at all costs.

But Christ died for me. And he was raised up for me so I don’t need to do that anymore. I need to trust that that is enough for me and that is enough for others.

My worth and the worth of everyone around me is not based on what I think of myself or what others think… it is ultimately decided and determined by God. So how then shall we live?

if there is any encouragement in Christ…
Do nothing out of rivalry or vain conceit. But in humility, consider others better than yourself. Look not to your own interests but to the interests of others.

Oh Help me O God, to look to you. TO Seek you and to be encouraged by you and to be whole in you. That I may have compassion, seek unity, live a life worthy of the calling that I have received.

Been thinking recently about starting a weeknight bible study.   Where do we start? Where do we begin?

One of the things we’ve been focusing on in our relationship with God has been the idea of sonship.  What exactly does sonship mean?  We’ve been going through things like sanctification, justification, forgiveness, prayer, etc.  Knowing our relationship with God pushes us into other directions especially in our prayer life, our faith and walk in every day life, etc.

How do we then pass this on to others?  how do we impart the spirit to the dead bones in our lives? 

My wife has been insightful in that she realizes that all the work that we do, unless moved by the spirit of God is useless.  So the most important aspect of ministry has to be bathed in prayer, has to be our personal relationship with God.  From there we can grow.  Abide in Christ as he abides in us.

Where are we?  Some of the criteria we learned in the past to evaluate our spiritual walk with God is to look at FIVE major categories:

Prayer, Bible, Fellowship, Service, Giving

How is our prayer life? 
How is our scripture reading life? 
How are we in our interaction with other believers? 
How are we doing in serving one another? 
How are we doing in giving of time, resources, talents?

To evaluate where we are today gives us greater insight in where and how we can grow in the future. I think one of the things I’ve been reading especially on leadership is to find goals. Goals that are measureable, attainable, and time constraint.

If we are to grow, we have to immerse ourselves in all five categories. It might seem mechanical at first, but as the spirit of God works in our hearts, we will no doubt find it natural. My prayer today is that your Spirit o God, move in my heart so that I would love you more through prayer, that I desire your word and truth, that I would love your people, that I would serve your people, and that I would give of myself for your kingdom.

As we visited different churches in the past couple of months I am reminded at how absolutely in love people are with God and in their love they are willing to go the distance whether it is the small things or the big things. God’s people first love will direct them to other things like these five criteria we mentioned above. But more than all those things is the underlying love that is rooted in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So my prayer for myself and my family is that we be rooted in love for God through Jesus Christ that we may grow in prayer, in truth, in fellowship, in service, and in giving.

Amen.

This is a follow-up to our leading songs this past Sunday. I was reminded and comforted by God that when we sing, when we work, when we serve, we serve and sing to God alone. Standing in front of a crowd of people makes me want to hide and this time, we were singing in front of everyone, exposing ourselves, our limited musical skills and our limited range… This was definitely a lot of HEAT I haven’t experienced in a long time. And boy was I sweating from this heat.

Even through the technical mistakes and the lack of any talent, I was reminded that my worship to God, whether in front of everybody or in my seat, is a personal thing that God desires for us to have with Him. We are worshiping as a congregation, but we are also worshiping as individuals. I realized how critical I had been in the past for the lack of worship by the singers or the music or maybe even criticizing technique (THORNS)… but it was only when I stood in front of everybody, when I was messing up in front of everybody and at points thinking, I really stink (THORNS), I realized that God desired something even greater than singing the right note or strumming the right chord.

He desires for us to come to him and to enjoy Him as we exalt him in song. He wants us to truly see the great disconnect that we have with him, the incredible need for his grace in sending Jesus to reconcile us to Him, and to enjoy a new type of fellowship through our worship and communion with Him. (CROSS) It was a very eye opening experience…

I may not have said it in the past, but I’ve always acted as though my offering had to be perfect or else I shouldn’t offer anything at all. But God reminded me that He will bless whatever we give and make it a blessing. Like the loaves and fish, like seed scattered, like Jesus offering of himself, God will multiply and bless the offering we offer to God. Amen to that (FRUIT).