Sunday, January 31, 2010

Is It Enough?

Read 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

We read and sing about it, but is it enough? Is God's grace really enough in your life? In my life?

Even with just a cursory reading of 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 we can't miss the fact that Paul who wrote this letter was struggling. While we may question what he was struggling with there's no doubt we are all in agreement with the fact that all of us struggle and face difficulties. But what does Paul say in verse 2? He says I'm going to go on to visions and things God has revealed to me when times are tough. You see it's when we remember God's goodness, God's grace and we go back to Him that we're able to go beyond reading that God's grace is enough to singing it by showing it's true in our lives.

Have you hit a tough patch? Struggling with anything right now? I'm going to encourage you - come back to God's amazing grace. In 2 Corinthians 12:9 we're told the Lord says - My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Please don't skim over this verse. It's critical to our understanding of where to go and what to do when we are weak. Every morning when we put our feet on the ground to get out of bed, let's remember this promise of God.

And last thing to consider - what does Paul say he'll do as a result of God's promise? He says I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses. Why? So that Christ's power may rest on me. So whatever comes your way, my way may we delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

God's grace - IT IS ENOUGH!!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Purpose

Read Acts 2:42-47

This upcoming Sunday at Hope we're having our four Core Classes offered all on the same day. Each class is part of our focus as a church of being followers of Christ on purpose. Our desire is that everyone would take each of these classes as part of our spiritual journey so that together we might grow as we discover our church family, spiritual maturity, our ministry SHAPE and our life mission (learning to effectively and clearly communicate our faith with those not yet in the family of God).

Friends it's critically important that we realize our faith is not meant to be kept to ourselves. We're to come together as Hebrews 10 instructs to encourage each other toward love and good deeds, grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, learn what our spiritual gifts and passions are so we can then go and serve accordingly and we're to make no mistake about it that we all are to share a verbal witness with others so that all might come to know our great God. And all of this is to be pursued because we are called to glorify God with our lives - every day, in every way.

Take some time this Sunday and join us for one of the four: Class 101 - Discovering Our Church Family (Membership); Class 201 - Discovering Spiritual Maturity; Class 301 - Discovering My Ministry SHAPE; Class 401 - Discovering My Life Mission. You will be blessed and God will be glorified.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Questions

Read Hebrews 10:19-25

Questions - they keep us up at night, cause us to stop and think at all times and truth be told not many of us like questions, that is unless we have some good and solid answers.

Questions prevail everywhere today and about everything. In the church we have questions we ask about effectiveness of ministry and direction of ministry. Now as I've been reading over the years, I've come across some key questions that are just so important for us to have some good and solid answers to. And it all fits in with our message this past week about Biblical Community.

The first question is: What do we want people to become? This question is all about becoming more and more like Jesus Christ. Jesus said two little words that have significant impact on lives if lived out. To His first disciples He simply said - FOLLOW ME. You see when we follow Him we're becoming something new, something different. Now not only are we to follow Him but Jesus says in Matthew 28 that we are to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that He commanded. We are called to help others follow Him as well.

The second question is: What do you want people to do? This question answers how we are going to help people follow Him. How we become followers of Him is we must continually pursue 3 vital relationships -- intimacy with God, community with insiders and influence with outsiders. Matthew 22 says we are to Love God and Love People (those already in the family of God and those not yet in the family of God).

The third question is: Where do we expect people to go to accomplish this? You see to follow Him and help others do the same we need a place where we can meet with others who are committed to the same goal. So we must ask ourselves where's the best place for sustained life change? It's in the context of intentional relationships where we encourage, support and pray with and for one another to live our faith in a way that is pleasing to God. This is where we come together and inspire each other to follow Christ.

When questions abound may we remember the answers God's given in His Word. So let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Do Not Grow Weary

Read Galatians 6:6-10

Think for a moment about something you've been enthusiastic about recently. Maybe it was spending the holidays with family and friends, maybe it was the start of a new year with new horizons or maybe it was the thought of something that's happened recently in your understanding of God - knowing more fully who He is and experiencing more of His presence in your life. Whatever it is for you, we've all experienced enthusiasm. Yet on the opposite end of the spectrum but not such a far way off is discouragement. We've all been there - all fired up and enthusiastic about something, but at what seems like the blink of an eye our enthusiasm fades. And this can happen quickly and without notice.

The Apostle Paul wrote the book of Galatians and said that we are not to "become weary in doing good." Easier said than done wouldn't you agree? I don't know about you but over and over in my life after a spiritual high where enthusiasm is at it's peak, come times when I grow weary. And what I want us to remember is God's word, because I think this growing weary stuff happens to all of us. Paul says in Galatians 6:9 - Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

God has a promise that there's a harvest coming for all of us who do not give up in doing the good He has called us to! Let's be enthused by this truth. That the God who promises is the God who always delivers!! Circumstances, people, health, life all these things will let us down, but God will never fall short of the promises He's made! Amen.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Decision Time

Read Joshua 24:14-28

With the start of a New Year, at Hope we're starting a new series we're calling - Decision Time. And this series is all about commitment. You know, what kind of commitment are you willing to make in your relationship with God?

Over time we all have numerous decisions we need to make. And each of these decisions reveals something about us, something about our character and something about what we're really committed to. I love Joshua 24:15 where Joshua writes - as for me and my household we will serve the Lord. Think about that verse for a moment. Joshua was saying to Israel it's decision time; so what are you going to do? Are you going to serve God or if that doesn't seem desirable to you choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.

Did you notice their is no middle ground here? Joshua doesn't give them the option to make a half-hearted decision. He lays it on the line and clearly says what are you going to do? Who are you going to serve?

Friends, every day, every moment, every decision and every thought we have is an opportunity to serve God and therefore give Him the glory that's rightly due His name. Or, we can choose something else. But by choosing something else, we're making the choice to not serve God.

Take a few minutes this week and read the passage listed above. And as you're reading, please take a few more minutes to evaluate your decisions. Ask yourself if you're serving God or not; ask yourself if your decisions align with the God of our Fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. May this year be a year where all our decisions are grounded in the word of God and may this year be a year where all our decisions demonstrate our love and worship of God Almighty!