Sunday morning retuning: I trust in You. Four little words we sang on Sunday, one big implication. This is a life altering statement. No matter what comes your way, keep believing that “Nothing is impossible for [God].”
No, I did not mean to say, “So what”. Occasionally words from the Scripture jump off the page at me. I hope you have had this experience. If not, keep reading and praying for the Holy Spirit to open your eyes and you will.
We are studying humility as a staff in our weekly gathering. Today’s material took us to 2 Corinthians 12:1-10. The second part of verse nine is what drew my particular attention, “I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
I have read these verses before. I probably have even heard sermons preached from them, but the Holy Spirit really got my attention with those two words, “so that”. I will not speak for you but I confess that I want, I need Christ’s power. Oh, that it would rest on me, as the Amplified Bible puts it, “pitch a tent and dwell” on me. I want His power, His presence, His person.
So…how can I ensure that? By boasting all the more in my weaknesses. Does it seem as simple to you as it did to me this morning? If I will boast in my weaknesses, Christ’s power WILL rest on me. That’s what the Scripture says, right? Simple, right? Not really.
Why? Because that rails against my flesh. Cover up my weaknesses, ignore or deny my weaknesses, despise my weaknesses more likely. But boast in my weaknesses. Are you kidding me Paul. No, you are not. OK. Now I have a decision to make.
Do I want Christ’s power to rest on me? Absolutely. Then I MUST boast in my weaknesses. Lord, I am weak, frail, selfish, arrogant, mean, disrespectful, controlling, etc. Christ, may Your power rest on me to make me a useful servant to the glory of Your name.
Jesus, thank You for Your grace. I believe it is sufficient for me. I will boast in my weaknesses because I am desperate for Your power to rest on me.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
One Step Behind Jesus – The Life
Sunday morning retuning: And so our journey with Jesus through the book of Luke begins. I want to encourage you to keep your eyes open for Jesus. It may very well surprise you where He shows up. Expect to see Him everyday.
I sat in my study several times last week looking forward to starting the next part of our journey together with Jesus as a church family. I am excited to see how He will show Himself to us and where He will lead us. I hope you are too.
I also sat in my study several times last week looking forward to traveling to District Conference. It is an annual event for the leadership of our District of Alliance churches to get together to celebrate what God is doing, pray and talk about the future, and do some business as well. I generally look forward to it, but especially so this year. Why? Because it is in West Virginia.
As I sat thinking on Friday about these two converging realities, something struck me and actually brought me to tears. Staying a step behind Jesus is not always easy and often requires a willingness in us to lay something down or walk away from something. It occurred to me that staying a step behind Jesus for me and my family has meant leaving the state we love so much.
If you do not know me very well, let me tell you that I love West Virginia. I do not think I can explain the sacrifice in a way that can truly explain it, but suffice it to say that we left family and friends, and the church where I met the Lord in addition to a place that is dear to us to come and serve North-Mar. But here is what I really want you to hear. Though I LOVE West Virginia, I love Jesus MORE!
In that moment I was overcome by a rush of emotion. I really must love Jesus to leave my home state, family and church to serve here. And I do. And I believe that you too want to be willing to leave whatever is necessary for you to stay one step behind Jesus. But it is not always easy.
I want to encourage you to resolve that you will stay one step behind Him in the weeks and months ahead of us. It is important to do that now because as He shows Himself to us, we will have the opportunity to adjust the direction of our life to His call. Let’s do it.
Jesus, help us to commit to staying close to you. Then Spirit give us the grace to do it. We love You Jesus and we want to stay one step behind You, but we confess we can only do it if you help us.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy
I sat in my study several times last week looking forward to starting the next part of our journey together with Jesus as a church family. I am excited to see how He will show Himself to us and where He will lead us. I hope you are too.
I also sat in my study several times last week looking forward to traveling to District Conference. It is an annual event for the leadership of our District of Alliance churches to get together to celebrate what God is doing, pray and talk about the future, and do some business as well. I generally look forward to it, but especially so this year. Why? Because it is in West Virginia.
As I sat thinking on Friday about these two converging realities, something struck me and actually brought me to tears. Staying a step behind Jesus is not always easy and often requires a willingness in us to lay something down or walk away from something. It occurred to me that staying a step behind Jesus for me and my family has meant leaving the state we love so much.
If you do not know me very well, let me tell you that I love West Virginia. I do not think I can explain the sacrifice in a way that can truly explain it, but suffice it to say that we left family and friends, and the church where I met the Lord in addition to a place that is dear to us to come and serve North-Mar. But here is what I really want you to hear. Though I LOVE West Virginia, I love Jesus MORE!
In that moment I was overcome by a rush of emotion. I really must love Jesus to leave my home state, family and church to serve here. And I do. And I believe that you too want to be willing to leave whatever is necessary for you to stay one step behind Jesus. But it is not always easy.
I want to encourage you to resolve that you will stay one step behind Him in the weeks and months ahead of us. It is important to do that now because as He shows Himself to us, we will have the opportunity to adjust the direction of our life to His call. Let’s do it.
Jesus, help us to commit to staying close to you. Then Spirit give us the grace to do it. We love You Jesus and we want to stay one step behind You, but we confess we can only do it if you help us.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
One Step Behind Jesus – The Series
Sunday morning retuning: Jesus Christ is beautiful. Set you heart on Him until the day when you finally see Him face to face and behold His beauty with unveiled eyes.
For several months now several of us have been looking forward to this Sunday. Our fall preaching series, One Step Behind Jesus, begins this week as we walk through an entire gospel together. There are several things that will signal this beginning on Sunday.
• A new bulletin cover with a cool graphic of Jesus just ahead…
• The next installment in our series of CD’s laden with music for the series (This was so much fun to create as a gift to our church family!)
• A new sermon intro video to set-up the series each week (Just saw the unscored rough cut of this and it is awesome!)
• A new preaching series that will enable us to look at a complete gospel together as an entire church
I have had my hands on most of these things at some level and am really excited to share them with our church family. Though it is often the case, I can hardly wait until Sunday!
Fall is a season when the business of summer gives way to the routines of the new season. What will mark this season for you? Will you find yourself drawing closer to Jesus, or slowly fading away? What routines are you putting in place to ensure that you are one step behind Him as we turn into a new year and on into the spring? What old routines will you renew? In short, how will you cultivate your relationship with Jesus Christ in this next season?
Jesus, thank you for your willingness to stay just one step ahead of us. Your patience with us is amazing and certainly undeserved. Help us to stay close to You Lord.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy
For several months now several of us have been looking forward to this Sunday. Our fall preaching series, One Step Behind Jesus, begins this week as we walk through an entire gospel together. There are several things that will signal this beginning on Sunday.
• A new bulletin cover with a cool graphic of Jesus just ahead…
• The next installment in our series of CD’s laden with music for the series (This was so much fun to create as a gift to our church family!)
• A new sermon intro video to set-up the series each week (Just saw the unscored rough cut of this and it is awesome!)
• A new preaching series that will enable us to look at a complete gospel together as an entire church
I have had my hands on most of these things at some level and am really excited to share them with our church family. Though it is often the case, I can hardly wait until Sunday!
Fall is a season when the business of summer gives way to the routines of the new season. What will mark this season for you? Will you find yourself drawing closer to Jesus, or slowly fading away? What routines are you putting in place to ensure that you are one step behind Him as we turn into a new year and on into the spring? What old routines will you renew? In short, how will you cultivate your relationship with Jesus Christ in this next season?
Jesus, thank you for your willingness to stay just one step ahead of us. Your patience with us is amazing and certainly undeserved. Help us to stay close to You Lord.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)