Description:Today we begin our Lenten series, ‘Who is this Man? We will look at how Jesus is described through the gospel of John. It’s imperative we allow Scripture to reveal who Jesus is not make him into who we want him to be.The sermon is titled, “Word of God.” Jesus is the Word. What does this mean? How does this description helps us to better understand the man Jesus? As you’ll see it helps reveal that Jesus was truly a man, but He was also so much more.Remember, God spoke and the world was created. He says a word and it comes into existence. It reveals the power of God for only God can create out of nothing.Think too about how we understand phrases like, “I keep my word” or “her word is good” or even “who gets the final word?” There is power in words. There is power in our commitment to our word. There is power in the promises we make with our words.So when Jesus is described as the Word of God, we see how God is seeking to reveal himself in this world not only through words on paper, but through the Word, a living, breathing human being who we find out to be the very revelation of God.“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1

Description:We conclude today the six-week series titled, Reformed and Reforming. The focus has been on the priority of God's Word and some of the history in how this has developed in the life of the church.The title of today's message is Sola Deo Gloria which means the glory of God alone.We are called to live for the glory of God. If you are a churched person, you've heard that many times. What does it mean? What is the glory of God? How do we glorify God? Why does it matter?I hope the message will help address these important questions.Growing up I loved to play soccer. I was fast and had a good left foot, so I experienced lots of success as a child playing soccer. I loved to score goals, so as I've described this part of my childhood to others, I often say, "I was a glory-seeker." I love the glory of scoring a goal. I loved the attention and celebration and the feeling that I had done something important. I did it. I got the glory.Now my glory-seeking has become more adultish. It's not about scoring goals; it can be about bigger things. Look at my family. Look at my house. Look at my church. Look at what I've done. Look at how funny and friendly I am. Now I would never say this out loud, but at times it's the same as what drove me as a child. "Give me the glory."It's why this conversation today is so important. I think there is something in each one of us that either strives for the glory or keeps telling ourselves we don't deserve anything. Maybe we do a little of both.Paul writes in I Corinthians 10:31, "So whatever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God."Everything .Whatever you do, do it to glorify God.

Description:We continue the six-week series titled, Reformed and Reforming. I know the title isn't probably that exciting, but the content will be. The focus will be on the priority of God's Word and some of the history in how this has developed in the life of the church.Today we consider the importance of Sola Christus (Christ Alone), which inevitably leads to the conversation about salvation. For Christ alone states that salvation comes only through Christ."I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father, but by me." John 14:6"There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name (other than Jesus) under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12This is a very controversial perspective in our culture, because it is perceived to be a lack of acceptance and tolerance for other religions. Honestly, the Christian church has at times used this perspective as a hammer to judge and condemn others. That has often not been experienced as a loving action.It's attractive and easy to want to say, "all roads (religions) lead to God", but when we say that, we are denying some of the core tenets of the Christian faith such as Scripture alone, faith (in Christ) alone, and grace (through Christ's work) alone.So how do you reconcile the truth of God's Word with the call to love all people? How do we stand on the foundational truths of the Christian faith AND live and act in ways that communicate a deep love for all people from all perspectives?The simple answer is we ask for help. We keep looking to the creator and author of faith and life. We start with listening, serving, showing compassion, and truly desiring the best for everyone. We don't start with judgment (of people), condemnation, and avoidance. These perspectives communicate something very different than love.And we humbly tell the truth as we know it - not only the information but also the impact of the Truth (think relationship with Jesus) on our lives. We share our story as it is being transformed by His Story. We trust God to empower us to do our part, and we trust God with whatever the outcomes are in the lives of others.

Description:Today continues a six-week series titled, Reformed and Reforming. I know the title isn't probably that exciting, but the content will be. The focus will be on the priority of God's Word and some of the history in how this has developed in the life of the church.Our specific focus today is on Sola Gratia, grace alone. Grace is one of the those words which carries a lot of meaning. It is so central to our Christian faith. Grace also has an important relationship with concepts like works, power, God's favor, God's sovereignty, forgiveness, our weakness and salvation just to name a few.What does God's grace mean to you? How has it impacted you? How do you understand it? Receive it? Be empowered by it? Where does grace come from?Imagine for a moment if God's grace did not exist. What would be true for you and me? What would we lack? Who would we be?Paul states very clearly, "for by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. . ." Our salvation is dependent upon God's grace.Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of the Bible defines grace in this way:"free and unmerited favor of God as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings."Oh, the gift of grace.Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me,I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.

Description:Today continues a six-week series titled, Reformed and Reforming. I know the title isn't probably that exciting, but the content will be. The focus will be on the priority of God's Word and some of the history in how this has developed in the life of the church.Our focus today is on the gift of faith and how we understand the role of faith in relationship with God. Paul says this, For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God - not the result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9There is something in us that encourages us (deceives us) to believe that our salvation (our rightness with God) is dependent on what we do. We have to earn it. From day one, human beings have struggled with both understanding the gift of faith, and in many ways, believing that it is a gift.God, knowing us completely, has included all sorts of help in His Word to express this truth.Remember too, what James says:So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. (2:17)One of the key questions we need to keep asking and allowing to guide our lives is the important relationship between faith as a gift and works as a response.It is the work of Jesus Christ which saves us. As we learn to put our faith in Him and what He's done, we live a life of good works (God-directed works) in response.

Description:Today continues a six-weekseries titled, Reformed and Reforming. I know the title isn't probably that exciting, but the content will be. The focus will be on the priority of God's Word and some of the history in how this has developed in the life of the church.Specifically today, we'll consider the foundational roles the Scriptures play in our lives as well as some of the history of how the Bible came to be. Here are a few of the questions you may wonder about:Who wrote the Bible?When was it written?Who decided what books were included and why were some books not included?What role did humans play in the creation of the Bible as we know it?What's up with the different translations?What does inspiration, canonization, inerrant, and infallible mean and what do they have to do with our understanding of Scripture?What are manuscripts of the Bible and why does it matter?Why was the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls so important?Why is it important to understand the history of the Bible?One of the foundations of being Reformed is the importance of Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) and knowing the history helps us see how God has been faithful in the transmission of His Word to us today.As Paul wrote to Timothy:All Scripture is inspired (God-breathed) by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

Description:Today begins a new six-week series titled, Reformed and Reforming. I know the title isn't probably that exciting, but the content will be. The focus will be on the priority of God's Word and some of the history in how this has developed in the life of the church.Specifically today, we'll consider the importance of reform and what it means to be Reformed. What does it mean to you that you attend a reformed church? Beyond simply the name of our denomination (Reformed Church in America), what is the importance of being reformed or Reformed? Are you a Reformed Christian? Does that matter?As you'll see, one of the significant events in church history is the Reformation. The Reformation included a bunch of people who were instrumental in encouraging the church to embrace a more biblical understanding of faith, because what they saw in the church during their time did not line up with what they understood the Scriptures to say. They became "protestors" and "reformers" as they called the church to a more biblical faith.So what about today? Is there ongoing need for 'reform'? Is our work done; we are reformed? Or is there the ongoing need to be open to reforming our lives, church, and possibly even doctrine based on a growing understanding of the Word of God?One of the key quotes comes from Jodocus van Lodenstein in 1674:The church is Reformed and always in need of being reformed according to the Word of God.

Description:A new year is upon us, which often provides an opportunity for both reflection on the past year and hopeful anticipation for what's next in the new year.How was 2017 for you? What did you learn? What are you thankful for? How did you grow? What did you lose? Any regrets?What about 2018? What are you excited about? What do you hope for? What plans have you made? What are you afraid of or anxious about?Consider these words from Paul to the Philippians:" . . . but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus."3:13b-14And the prayer of serenity:God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.Let's remember what we have. Let's remember what has been done for us. Let's remember how God has grown us. Let's be thankful.Let's also trust in his presence and plans as we look forward. Let's remember what He promises. Let's be filled with hope. Let's embrace the 'heavenly call' that God has placed upon each one of us.

Description:The duties of a shepherd in a country like Palestine were very onerous. "In the early morning, he led the flock from the fold, marching at its head to the spot where they were to be pastured. Here he watched them all day, taking care that none of the sheep strayed and if any for a time eluded his watch and wandered away from the rest, seeking diligently till he found and brought it back.” In those lands, sheep require to be regularly supplied with water, and the shepherd for this purpose has to guide them either to some running stream or wells dug in the wilderness and furnished with troughs. At night he brought the flock home to the fold, counting them as they passed under the rod at the door to assure himself that none were missing. His job didn’t always end with sunset. Often he had to guard the fold through the dark hours from the attack of wild beasts, or the wily attempts of the prowling thief. The sheep knew their shepherd, and they knew his voice. Shepherds played a role in the Old Testament as we hear about David and his protection of the sheep and then becoming a king. Shepherds played an important role the birth story as the first ones who were told of his birth.Jesus took on the title of “The Good Shepherd” to all those who will follow him. - asking us all to follow him and to be him in this hurting world. We are called to be shepherds to those around us as we lean on the “Good Shepherd.”

Description:We begin our Advent series "What Child is This?" which will help us remember and celebrate in the coming of Jesus Christ into our world. We will hope to more deeply understand the answer to these questions. 'Who is this child?' 'Why has he come?'Today our focus is on the wise men who have "Come From Afar." What led them to come? Who are they? What are they looking for? Why did these learned men, who sure seem to have financial wealth, risk their lives to take a journey following a star not knowing where they would end up? What motivated them?We are all searching for something, aren't we? Sometimes we search, find, and then realize we need to keep searching. These 'wise men' sure seemed to have what the world most highly valued, yet it wasn't enough. They kept searching.That search led them to a baby, who they believed was the King. Their response reflected that they had found what they were looking for. They worshipped. They gave gifts. They were filled with joy. Their search was over.But their calling was not. They were led to this child because His story was being told and spread throughout the lands. And now, they had a story to share about what they had found and how this child became the end of their searching."Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; 46 on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it."Matthew 13:45-46The merchant didn't need anything else . . . nor did the wise men . . . and nor do we."Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you."Isaiah 60:1

Description:What I find so fascinating about the Exodus story is the route that God had his people take to get to the promised land. The destination was known, and it certainly would not have taken 40 years to get there, but God held them in the wilderness for this time for a purpose. Have you ever heard the saying, "It's not the destination, it's the journey?" This may be the first example of this being true. God used the time in the wilderness to prepare his people for the promised land. The people were not ready for the land because they had a slavery mindset. All they ever knew was slavery. Generations grew up only knowing what life was like being a slave. Now that God had set them free, they needed to know what it means to be his people. God uses "wilderness times" for you and me also.Today as we finish our series, "Canoeing the Mountains," let us consider what it means for us individually and as a church to embrace God's workingin our lives.

Description:We continue our fall series "Canoeing the Mountains," which will take us through the Exodus story as the Israelites are delivered from slavery in Egypt and start moving toward the promised land.Today our focus is on the conflict within the Israelites camp regarding going into the promised land. It is one of many examples of the internal conflicts that happened as the Israelites journeyed together.Conflict is inevitable when people gather. We see this in families, workplaces, and even the church. HOW we handle conflict impacts the outcomes. In fact, I'd suggest that HOW we handle conflict is actually more important than the content of the conflict. No matter what the content of the conflict is, if it's not addressed appropriately and lovingly, the outcomes will not be good.There is no question that conflict often leads to separation, hurt, and distraction. We all have not been at our best in the midst of a conflictual situation. Some of us today remain separated from others because of HOW we have handled conflict.Yet, it is imperative that we keep working at it. Conflict is never going to go away. It's part of how we grow and it's part of how we move more deeply into God's emerging future.Our mission is to "help all people find and follow Jesus". When we don't navigate conflict well, the mission suffers. We get distracted from the mission and separate from one another. That's exactly what the enemy hopes to accomplish.Let's be honest. We all have room to grow in this area, and we all need to keep working at it – giving ourselves grace when we fall short, but being committed to staying on mission and staying connected to one another.

Description:We continue our fall series "Canoeing the Mountains," which will take us through the Exodus story as the Israelites are delivered from slavery in Egypt and start moving toward the promised land.Today our focus is on gratefulness. Consider for a moment all that you have to be grateful for. Go ahead think about all of the things you can give thanks for.Each time I do a message like this one, I am reminded of how often I fall short in this area. I spend so much time thinking about what I don't have instead of appreciating what I do have. I see with 'worldly' eyes instead of 'faith' eyes.Think about the reactive behaviors of the Israelites in their wilderness wanderings. When they were hungry or thirsty, their first response was to complain and blame. When Moses took too long to come down the mountain, they asked Aaron to make them a god out of gold. When they considered their unknown future, they quickly demanded to go back to Egypt and the slavery they were familiar with.When you look at your life and your future with the eyes of faith, what do you see? When you look at what you have and don't have with the eyes of faith, what do you see?"Christian, Christian, what do you see?""I see God's love resting on me."(These two final quotes are a play on a classic children's book. Can you name it?)

Description:We continue our fall series "Canoeing the Mountains," which will take us through the Exodus story as the Israelites are delivered from slavery in Egypt and start moving toward the promised land.Obedience. This word has taken on a whole new level of meaning now that we are dog owners. We talk daily about the importance of obedience school. Life is so much easier when our dogs, children, spouses, co-workers, employees, etc. just do what we say. Can I get an AMEN?Yet our own journey of obedience is clearly not easy. We are more drawn to desire obedience in others than to expect it of ourselves. It is easier to expect obedience than it is to be obedient.God calls us to a life of obedience. John writes "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." (14:15) That's pretty straight forward. We're going to press into the Ten Commandments today. They play such an interesting role in church and faith history. They can also be a source of controversy, such as whether we have a right to display the Ten Commandments in public places. Why did God give them? Why are they important? Why is obedience important? What is God's purposes in calling us to obedience? And today as we address these questions, I hope you leave with some clarity around the core reason we practice God's call to a "long obedience."

Description:We continue our fall series "Canoeing the Mountains," which will take us through the Exodus story as the Israelites are delivered from slavery in Egypt and start moving toward the promised land.We're going to look at a very dramatic event in the Israelite's journey in the wilderness. They lose their patience with Moses (he's been gone too long) and decide to have Aaron build a god, actually a golden calf. What?! Obviously, God is not pleased with this choice and threatens (to Moses) to destroy them all and start over with just Moses, which sounds awfully familiar to the story of Noah and the Ark, doesn't it?This story surfaces an important tension: relationships and mission. God has a plan for the Israelites. He's called them to a mission, yet what will He do if they get sidetracked or even disobedient? Will He give up on them and accomplish it another way? Maybe, but one clear aspect of God's nature is his love for people. Relationships matter to God.We've been emphasizing the importance of mission at CRC, but sometimes that can be heard as ‘mission trumps even relationships.' ‘The mission is more important than people.' That is not God's perspective, so it should not be ours. However, there is danger on both sides. Relationships cannot be at the sacrifice of the mission. Many churches face this challenge and are tempted to "keep the peace" at the expense of faithfulness to God's mission. It seems easier to "not rock the boat" than it is to rock the boat and stay connected to our fellow boaters . . . or fellow canoers. Relationships matter. Mission matters. We can't sacrifice one for the other.

Description:We continue our fall series "Canoeing the Mountains," which will take us through the Exodus story as the Israelites are delivered from slavery in Egypt and start moving toward the promised land.Today, we face a challenging part of Scripture and a challenging part of life. Death. Who wants to talk about death? Who wants to think about their mortality?There is an important relationship that exists between life and death from God's perspective. Some have walked away from God or been unwilling to even consider God because of the death that is frequently attributed to Him, especially in the Old Testament."For the wages of sin is death." Romans 6:23aProbably not our favorite Scripture verse, however, it's only part 1 of Romans 6:23. "But the free gift of God is eternal life." Romans 6:23bWe're in the midst of the Exodus story and our focus today is on the departure of the Israelites from Egypt. How does this come about? Why does Pharaoh finally let the Israelites go? Because of death - the death of the firstborn in Egypt. The Israelites freedom is directly connected with the death of many in Egypt. Not a real child-friendly part of Scripture is it?It is an important conversation for us today and really everyday to see the important relationship between life and death, and to realize that following Jesus means to keep choosing death (dying to the old self) because we know that in death, we find life.

Description:We continue our fall series "Canoeing the Mountains," which will take us through the Exodus story as the Israelites are delivered from slavery in Egypt and start moving toward the promised land.Today, we'll remember the incredible promise that God speaks to the Israelites which reflects His ongoing promise to us. "I am the Lord, and I will free you from the burdens of the Egyptians and deliver you from slavery to them. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my people and I will be your God . . .”Exodus 6:6-7aConsider for a moment how this promised has been realized in your life. What an incredible gift it is to know that we are God's people. We have been chosen by Him.AND, that this gift of being chosen includes our calling. The Israelites were chosen as the people of God FOR A PURPOSE. Not only would they be blessed, but they were called to be a blessing to the nations of the world.May we celebrate today and every day that we are children of God, but may we also embrace our calling to keep inviting others into God's family.

Description:Make God a PriorityModern life has become a constant battle for balance. We spend so much time at our jobs and keeping up with the fast paced culture that we tend to leave God on the sidelines longing for our attention. I see it in everyone’s faces when I’m out shopping or driving. The majority of people are in a hurry and impatient, often irritable and self-focused. With cell phones to their ears or in their hands with furiously typing fingers, they skate through days with little awareness of what they’re missing. I’ve been in public spaces, like an airport, where nobody interacts. It’s a strange world now that constantly connects electronically but seems to lack a desire to connect face to face. I have fallen into that cultural wave myself, but I know when I need to stop surfing it. In the midst of this challenging new world, God still wants our full attention. He desires a personal relationship with us that fills us with a contentment and joy that the world never will. The only way to get to know a person intimately is to spend time with him or her. We know that to be true with marriages and friendships. Even parenting requires us to make time for our children as they become independent adults. They can mature into strangers if we’re not careful. So with this is mind, how much time are we spending to know our Lord and Savior intimately? He has provided us with the bible to learn about Him. Are we making time to read scripture as we juggle all of our daily obligations? The attitude with which we approach it needs to change from another “obligation” to “an opportunity to be closer to God.” Hopefully as we view time with God as a blessing, we will begin to meditate more on his word with open hearts and minds. Our lives will reap the rewards of peace, hope and joy as the Holy Spirit leads us closer to Him.“Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” -Matthew 6:33.-Tanya Whitley

Description:We continue our fall series "Canoeing the Mountains," which will take us through the Exodus story as the Israelites are delivered from slavery in Egypt and start moving toward the promised land.Our focus this morning is on the God who rescues the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Who is this God? What does He want us to know about Him? What is His name?I was talking with my son recently about why some people have a hard time believing in what the Bible says. They often describe the story of the Bible as fantasy - made up stories to make a point. What is true, regardless of your perspective on the Bible, is that we all put our faith in something. For some, their faith is in science alone, and as a result, there is not room for the supernatural. There may be unexplainable events, but because the lens through which they look at the world does not include the supernatural, it is either unexplainable, a coincidence, or an anomaly. It can't be God, a miracle, etc.Our faith choice determines the lens through which we look at the world and 'make sense' out of what we see.When we put our faith in God, we sure ought to know this God. Thankfully, God has revealed Himself to us - not fully - that's impossible, or God wouldn't be God. But as you'll see today, God helps us not only understand some of who He is, but longs for us to experience Him.

Description:Today begins our new fall series Canoeing the Mountains, which will take us through the Exodus story as the Israelites are delivered from slavery in Egypt and start moving toward the promised land.Today the focus will be on what we are delivered from and what we're delivered to. What did God deliver the Israelites from? It was definitely more than slavery in Egypt. And what was he delivering them to? How would life be different with God? What would they need to give up? What would they need to embrace?You might wonder about the title, Canoeing the Mountains. It comes from a book that the leadership recently read which focused on how to lead the church in uncharted territory. As the Israelites began their journey toward the promised land, they were moving into uncharted territory. And it wasn't just about geography. It included relationship. What did it mean to be God's people? Who was this God? What does it mean to follow this God? Where was he leading them? One of the premises of the book Canoeing the Mountains is that the church in North America faces uncharted territory. What has worked in reaching people in the past no longer seems to work. The church is no longer central to communities but now often on the margins. And the church faces a very uncertain future if current trends around attendance, especially among the younger generations, continues.There is so much for us to see and learn from the story of the Exodus as we seek to be the church in the world we live in. Would you commit to praying for CRC and for the courage to embrace the calling God has placed upon His people? Would you pray for the many people in our community who are far from God? Would you ask God to help you embrace the calling He's placed upon your life, out of your love for God, to reach out and love those far from Him?

Description:Today, in recognition of Labor Day Weekend, our focus is on the relationship between work and following Jesus.How do you look at your job, recognizing that for some your 'job' may be staying at home raising kids? Are our jobs simply a means to income or fulfillment? Is work simply toil? How do we view how we spend the majority of our day as adults?Too often life is looked at through the categories of sacred and secular. Most would say their jobs fall in the secular part of their lives. "What would faith have to do with the secular?"First, the sacred/secular perspective isn't true. All of our lives are sacred, meaning every aspect of our life is an opportunity to serve and worship God. Yes, even work. Yes, even those tasks that simply feel like toil.Second, God knows what He's doing. He has placed us where we are on purpose, and whether you love or hate your job, at least for now, God has you there. Don't these words from Paul apply:Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17 Do everything, whether at work or at home, whether you like it or not, whether it's easy or hard, do everything for HIS sake, to honor and glorify Him.And remember, if this is where God has placed you, God has also providing everything you need to serve Him there, most importantly to love and serve the people you work with and for.

Description:We continue our summer series, "Every Step Counts." Over the course of these twelve weeks we'll consider the relationship between following Jesus and the 12 Steps used in recovery.Today our focus is on the crucial role that prayer and meditation play in our growth.God says to Joshua as he is about to lead the people of Israel into the promised land: Do not let this book of the book of the Law depart from your mouth; mediate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:8Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12Prayer has become for many Christians a chore to complete. It is an item we know we are supposed to do, but doesn't come naturally for most of us, so when we talk about prayer our first response is guilt. Is this God's intent for prayer? Make us feel guilty? If not, what is God's intent? Why ought we pray?Meditation comes with baggage. It's often attached to eastern religions and seen as a tool of the enemy. Yet when we understand that meditation is simply concentrating/focusing/thinking/pondering about something (like God, Scriptures, etc.), we can see how important this practice actually is in our growth as followers of Jesus. We need to think on THESE THINGS (God, grace, love, Christ's work, truth, etc.).Prayer and meditation are like water and sunshine for a plant. They are necessary for growth. They are avenues by which we experience more and more of the fullness of God.Recommended ResourcesA couple helpful resources regarding the relationship between the 12 Steps and following Jesus are:A Hunger for Healing - Keith MillerBreathing Under Water - Richard Rohr

Description:This morning we’ll be talking about Step 10 in the Twelve Step Program: “Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.” This is perhaps the first step of the twelve that involves daily maintenance. Some may wonder about the necessity of this because Step 4 also involves taking inventory, but this one is different because it is done “continually” and, like the laundry, it will never be finished.There are some religions that would call this and “Examination of Conscience” and there are many ways to examine one’s conscience. Some churches use the Ten Commandments and/or other church guidelines. When I was young, I learned a song that I still use on occasion for this purpose:If I have wounded any soul today,If I have caused one foot to go astray,If I have walked in my own willful way,Dear Lord, forgive!If I have uttered idle words or vain,If I have turned aside from want or pain,Lest I myself shall suffer through the strain,Dear Lord, forgive!If I have been perverse or hard, or cold,If I have longed for shelter in They fold,When Thou hast given me some fort to hold,Dear Lord, forgive!Forgive the sins I have confessed to Thee;Forgive the secret sins I do not see;O guide me, love me and my keeper be,Dear Lord, Amen.However we choose to take inventory, we are also called to admit to God and to each other that we have sin in our lives. Frederick Buechner says that if a church was like an A.A. meeting it would look something like this:Nobody lectures anyone or each other. They simply tell their own stories with the candor that anonymity makes possible. They tell where they went wrong and how day by day they are trying to go right. They tell where they find the strength and understanding and hop to keep trying.You can’t help thinking that something like this is what the church is meant to be and maybe once was before it got to be Big Business. Sinners Anonymous. “I can will what is right but I cannot do it, “ is the way Saint Paul put it, speaking for all of us. “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.”(Romans 7:19)“I am me. I am a sinner.” “Hi, you.”Hi, every Sadie and Sal. Hi, every Tom, Dick and Harry. It is the forgiveness of sins, of course. It is what the church is all about.No matter what far place alcoholics end up in, they know that there will b e an A.A. meeting nearby to go to and that at that meeting they will find strangers who are not strangers to help and to heal, to listen to the truth and to tell it. That is what the Body of Christ is all about. Frederick Buechner, “Whistling in the Dark.”

Description:We continue our summer series, "Every Step Counts." Over the course of these twelve weeks we'll consider the relationship between following Jesus and the 12 Steps used in recovery.Today we are going to talk about making amends which is more than simply apologizing but includes the importance of making things right. I don't just say "I'm sorry", I also do what is necessary to acknowledge the loss. If I steal money, I pay it back. If I break trust, I recognize and work toward restoring the trust.We're also going to recognize the importance of doing this face-to-face. It can't always happen face-to-face, but if it can, it should.Part of what gets stirred up in conflict is how hard it is for us to see ourselves as the villain. We are often perfectly capable of embracing our role as victim, but when it comes to owning our part in the breakdown, that is much more difficult. We naturally blame others and minimize our shortcomings.It's why the words and posture of the prodigal son are so helpful to us. Not only must we approach God in this way, but as we become aware of the hurt we've caused others, we come quickly and humbly to confess."Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son, treat me as one of your paid servants."Luke 15:19Recommended ResourcesA couple helpful resources regarding the relationship between the 12 Steps and following Jesus are:A Hunger for Healing - Keith MillerBreathing Under Water - Richard Rohr

Description:We continue our summer series, "Every Step Counts." Over the course of these twelve weeks we'll consider the relationship between following Jesus and the 12 Steps used in recovery.One of the big differences you see consistently in the New Testament is the stark contrast between the "sinners & tax collectors" and the "scribes and Pharisees." One group was acutely aware of their sin, humbled by it, and were quick to admit it. The other group was not acutely aware of their sin, were prideful, and were awfully good at pointing out other people's sin (but not theirs). Not just a problem of New Testament times, is it?Our sin hurts other people. It doesn't just hurt us. One of the key steps we need to continue to take is to see and acknowledge the impact our sin has on others. It's why the 8th Step is so important. "Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all."We have to become willing.Jesus also makes this clear:23 So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister (in Christ) has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.Matthew 5:23-24Recommended ResourcesA couple helpful resources regarding the relationship between the 12 Steps and following Jesus are:A Hunger for Healing - Keith MillerBreathing Under Water - Richard Rohr

Description:We continue our summer series, "Every Step Counts." Over the course of these twelve weeks we'll consider the relationship between following Jesus and the 12 Steps used in recovery.How often do you ask for help? I think of all the different ways we do this naturally. We go visit the bank to set up a checking account or take out a loan. We need their help. We hire a financial planner because we need their help. We call one of our grandchildren to help us navigate our new IPhone. We need their help. We aren't feeling well, so we go visit the doctor to get their help. It is so natural for us to recognize our need for help in certain areas of our lives. Yet . . .Yet often when it comes to many of the MOST IMPORTANT areas of our lives, we are prone to go it alone. Marriage, parenting, faith, addictions, internal struggles, anxieties, etc. are often places we don't ask for help. We try and manage and cope.Why is that? Why is it that in the most important areas of our lives, we often go it alone?One of the core foundations of faith that lines up so well with the 12 Steps is that we all need help. To be a follower of Jesus is to be one who recognizes their ONGOING need for help.I hope to wonder with you today about what's keeping you and me from asking for help in the areas where we most need it. I hope to encourage all of us to recognize that help is right in front of us and our asking for it reflects our wisdom not any form of weakness. Plus, we just flat out need help, and the God who loves us completely longs to give us the help we need.Recommended ResourcesA couple helpful resources regarding the relationship between the 12 Steps and following Jesus are:A Hunger for Healing - Keith MillerBreathing Under Water - Richard Rohr

Description:We continue our summer series, "Every Step Counts." Over the course of twelve weeks we'll consider the relationship between following Jesus and the 12 Steps used in recovery.Step 6 of the 12 step program is, “We are entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.” As Christians, this is our call to repent of our sins and allow God to begin making the changes in us that need to take place in order for our lives to glorify Him. This process can be painful, not only to us as individuals, but to those around us. Although repenting and reconciling with God is a personal matter, we all need the love, support and encouragement from our friends and family.If we allow God to preform “surgery” on us and we accept the directions He has laid out for all of us in the bible, we can be on the road to recovery. This recovery can be filled with the beauty of getting to know Jesus Christ in a much more personal way and to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit in a much clearer and more specific way. Philippians 3:1212Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal: but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Romans 9:1616So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy.Luke 5:1212Once, when he was in one of the cities, there was a man covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.”

Description:We continue our summer series, "Every Step Counts." Over the course of these twelve weeks we'll consider the relationship between following Jesus and the 12 Steps used in recovery."No pain, no gain."As much as we may try to avoid it, discomfort is the pathway to growth. If you want to get healthy and lose weight, you have to be willing to feel pain. If you want your relationships to grow, you have to be willing to do hard uncomfortable work. If you want to follow Jesus, it will always include suffering.Step Five: “Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.”Step Five is a place where many of us take the off-ramp and decide the pain isn't worth the growth. We choose comfort over freedom. We choose avoidance over grace. Maybe we can admit our wrongs to God, but often it is especially hard for us to say them out loud to another human being. Yet this 'pain' is so critical to our experience of forgiveness and freedom. These are transformational moments in our lives even though they are often very difficult.I also have falsely assumed you only need to do hard things once and then you can coast, but that is not it. Choosing to following Jesus and to experience His way of life is to continue choosing the path of discomfort, often because it is in these moments where we learn to trust Him and where we learn to depend on Him. If it's easy and comfortable, what do we need God for?

Description:We continue our summer series, "Every Step Counts." Over the course of the next twelve weeks we'll consider the relationship between following Jesus and the 12 steps used in recovery.I recently heard the saying, "Jesus said, 'the truth will set you free,' but often it first makes you miserable." I'm not sure who said it, but I find it to be consistently true, especially when we consider acknoledging the whole truth about what is and what is not going on in our lives.Sometimes it's really hard for us to admit the truth - the truth of our sin, the truth of our shortcomings, the truth of our selfishness, the truth of the ways we've hurt others. Those are hard truths to admit. YET, it is so important for us to admit them, because the truth really will set us free.I John 1:8-9 "If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the turth is not in us, but if we confess our sin, He who is faithful and just will forgive us our sin and cleasne us from all unrighteousness.Step Four of the Twelve Steps:Made a searching and fearless inventory of ourselves.The focus of today will be God's invitation to freedom throught eh confession and admission of our sin. This requires q willingness to see ourselves as clearly as we can and acknowledge our ongoing need for God's forgiveness.

Description:We continue our series, "Every Step Counts." Over the course of the next twelve weeks we will consider the relationship between following Jesus and the 12 steps used in recovery.Step Three of the Twelve Steps:Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God.There is so much in this step that is important as we consider growing our relationship with God and others. First, what is our understanding of God? Is it the God of the Bible or the god that we create or a flase god that we have been taught? Second, turning not just our lives, but our will. Surrender. "I give up." "I can't do it." "I need help." "Thy will be done."Finally, turning our lives over to the care of God. As we come to see God as the God of Scripture, "slow to anger, abounding in love," and as we recognize that no one cares for us more than He does, we learn to surrender. This learning process is over the course of a lifetime, and there are aspects of our lives that are harder to surrender than others, but we come to realize and experience more and more of a life resting in the arms of THE loving God.

Description:We continue our summer series, "Every Step Counts." Over the course of twelve weeks we'll consider the relationship between following Jesus and the 12 Steps used in recovery.One of the gifts of our lives is getting to know other people. It is one of the highlights of my job, getting a chance to grow in relationship with others. One of the common questions I ask is: "Describe yourself in three words." It's interesting to hear what people say. I've heard all sorts of responses: "funny", "caring", "focused", "determined", "spontaneous", "sensitive", "emotional", etc. The list goes on and on. But one of the words I've never heard anyone say (including myself) is "dependent." 'Independent' is a much more attractive word and a characteristic that seems more positive.Yet, one of the ongoing ways we continue to grow is to keep embracing our dependence on the power that comes from God. Paul writes:"Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."Ephesians 3:20-21The power we need to live our lives requires that we depend on the power of God. We are called to be dependent people.As you'll see today, this power is necessary to change our minds, hearts, and bodies.Have you come to believe that a power greater than yourself can restore you to sanity and empower you to live a faithful and fruitful life?Recommended ResourcesA couple helpful resources regarding the relationship between the 12 Steps and following Jesus are:A Hunger for Healing - Keith MillerBreathing Under Water - Richard Rohr

Description:Today we begin our summer series, "Every Step Counts." Over the course of the next twelve weeks we'll be considering the relationship between following Jesus and the 12 Steps used in recovery.Following Jesus requires our ongoing growth. Whether you use theological language like sanctification or more simple language like 'becoming more like Jesus', it's clear that following Jesus will be reflected in our ongoing transformation. We will change. We will grow. And it will include both how we think and how we live. We will think, see, and act more and more like Jesus would think, see, and act. And all of this growth is not only for the benefit of others, but it helps us experience more and more of the life God designed us for.The 12 Steps are an incredibly helpful tool for growth . . . for all of us. You don't have to be an alcoholic or drug addict to benefit from these steps. In fact, I'll be making the case of how the 12 Steps express, in a very practical way, how Jesus calls us to follow Him.Today, we'll address Step One:"We admitted we were powerless over alcohol (think sin) - that our lives had become unmanageable."Consider this in light of Paul's words:"I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do." (Romans 7:18b-19)And as you'll see, every step does count. No one can take a step for you. Some of the steps we need to take aren't simply what we need to do but actually include changing our thinking. Recommended ResourcesA couple helpful resources regarding the relationship between the 12 Steps and following Jesus are:A Hunger for Healing - Keith MillerBreathing Under Water - Richard Rohr

Description:We all have times in our lives that are turning points. They are significant "markers" such as graduations, marriage, having a child, and retirement where we face new opportunities and new challenges. These turning points are opportunities to grow and can encourage us to really think about who we want to be and how we want to approach these new adventures. And hopefully, these turning points encourage us to turn our attention toward God and seek His help.Today we will look at Josiah and how he and the people of Judah pledged themselves to the covenant with God and how God honored their commitment.

Description:Today we conclude the series, "The Heart of Worship." Over the course of these six weeks, we raised important questions around the topic of worship. "What is worship?" "Who do we worship?" "Why do we worship?" How do we worship?" "Worship and service?" and "Worship and stewardship?"The focus of today is stewardship and its relationship with worship. Let's start remembering that stewardship is different than ownership and maybe one of the greatest sticking points in this conversation. Whose time, talent, and treasure is it? We are much more likely to take the posture of an owner than as a steward. Ownership comes naturally; stewardship, not so much.Let's also remember that when we start talking about money, there is lots of baggage, especially when the conversation is happening in a church. Here are just a few pieces of baggage:We say we don't love money, but we sure act like it's the answer to many of our woes."The church just wants your money" is a common perception.There is a lot of bad theology that has been promoted by churches and pastors about money."What I do with my money is my business, so stay out of it. It's personal."I know this is not the most exciting topic and one many of us wouldn't mind avoiding, but yet it is such an important area of our lives and our discipleship. Jesus talked about stewardship a lot, maybe because He knows we need lots of help. I hope today we'll be open to the help He'll provide.

Description:Today we continue in our Series, “The Heart of Worship. Over the course of these six weeks, we will raise important questions around the topic of worship. “What is worship?” “Who do we worship?” “Why do we worship?” “How do we worship?” “Worship and service?” And “Worship and stewardship?” Today we are focusing on the HOW. How do we worship? Continuing along the lines of what Pastor Chip shared last week we know that worship is not an isolated event but it is our entire lives. Paul tells us in Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the LORD Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” There is a tell here in the words “Word or in deed.” We worship both with what we say and our actions. The opposite is true also. We can ignore who God is in word and deed. And also in our text for today we see John tell us to worship in “Spirit and in Truth.” What does it mean to worship in Spirit? What does it mean to worship in Truth? Do these things reflect in our lives? Today it is important to look at our lives as worship. We want to look closer at what it means to worship for us as body of believers together and in our lives throughout the week.

Description:This morning we’re going to talk about “who” we worship. It feels like an easy question to answer, especially for those who have been raised in the church. I remember when my mother asked my mentally challenged cousin what he did in church, he answered very quickly, “worship God.” We are very quick to answer the question of “who” and probably think it’s unnecessary to ask about “what” we worship, since worshiping anything other than God is clearly wrong. We can even recite the first two commandments as proof. We also can get a little bit smug when we think about the Israelites and their inability to stick to the plan of worshiping God alone. Moses was only gone for a few days when they decided to ask for something else to worship. We hear that story and say to ourselves, “what were they thinking?” But, just like they were, we are easily fooled into doing the same thing. Our worship of unworthy things, or even assumed worthy things can sneak up unexpectedly. Time and again God has to call us back to focusing on Him alone.John Calvin says it this way: “There is nothing more perilous to our salvation than a preposterous and perverse worship of God.” We also must understand that we will never “arrive” in worship, just as we will never “arrive” in being completely whole in this life. But our imperfect methods, and our imperfect hearts still bring joy to the Father, who is indeed the only one who is worthy of our praise.And if I sing out in the dark of nightOr praise You in the light of dawnHear my song and lift me on Your wingsAnd if I worship You in solitudeOr join a choir 10,000 strongHear my song 'til all creation sings

Description:Today begins a new series, "The Heart of Worship." Over the course of the next six weeks, we will raise important questions around the topic of worship. "What is worship?" "Who do we worship?" "Why do we worship?" How do we worship?" "Worship and service?" and "Worship and stewardship?"The focus of today is defining worship. What is worship? The simple answer to this question is "the action of acknowledging God's worth." I believe there would be few who wrestle with this definition. However, one of the realities we face is that we limit our perspective on worship to Sunday mornings. We can even go so far as to define worship as the songs we sing at church. Worship can easily be viewed simply by songs and hymns. Yet, the Bible helps us see that worship is so much more than singing on Sundays. Worship is a the action of acknowledging God's worth in every aspect of our life. ". . . whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God." The everything includes "singing spiritual hymns and songs" but it is so much more than just music or song.If we define our worship as singing songs or hymns alone, we really have a unbiblical view of worship. We have the opportunity throughout our days, in multiple ways, to actively acknowledge God's worth. The gathering of the body of Christ for corporate worship is really important, but the purpose of these gatherings is still to acknowledge God's worth together.One of the challenges all of us face when it comes to worship is how easily we can worship something or someone other than God. True worship is the action (it is seen in our actions) of acknowledging God's (not our) worth. It is easy for worship to become about us and when it does, it is not God-centered worship.

Description:During the season of Lent, the series is titled "The Crux of the Matter" and encourages us to look at how Jesus encouraged people in the gospel of John to get to the crux of the conversation. Crux defined is "the decisive or most important point at issue." It is interesting to note that crux shares roots with crucial and crucifixion. Today, we remember the week leading up to Easter. Typically, we'd focus this Sunday on Palm Sunday and the children will help us to do that today. However, the main focus will be on the crucifixion. We will continue the story expressed in the Gospel of John from last Sunday.Last week we ended with Jesus being sentenced to death by Pilate, and the Jews expressing very clearly that they had no king but Caesar. Today, we'll see the story of the crucifixion and discuss how the crucifixion is the Crux of the Matter. Did Jesus die on the cross AND did he rise from the dead? These are critical questions that impact EVERYTHING.We are often squeamish about death - understandably so, but death is so much a part of how we understand and experience life. As much as we mourn and feel the weight of Jesus' death, we also rejoice because his death has led to our life. There is no life apart from his death. There is no grace apart from his death. And his death is the clearest statement of his love for us. We cannot comprehend how wide and deep and long is God's love part from the crucifixion.So today we reflect on the story of the crucifixion - Christ's death that has brought us life, but we also remember (especially as we participate in communion) our call to join him in death. We are "crucified with Christ and we no longer live, but Christ lives in us, and the life we live in the flesh we live by faith in the Son of God who gave his life for us." (Gal. 2:20) We, too, are committed to dying each day - dying to self, dying to the flesh, and dying to our reliance upon ourselves.

Description:During the season of Lent, the series is titled "The Crux of the Matter" and encourages us to look at how Jesus encouraged people in the gospel of John to get to the crux of the conversation. Crux defined is "the decisive or most important point at issue." It is interesting to note that crux shares roots with crucial and crucifixion. Jesus never wavered from having crux or crucial conversations. He always encouraged people to get to the heart of the matter. This is important work for all of us because we are prone to be distracted or deceived and therefore avoid getting to crux of the matter. One of the important practices we can develop is learning to tell ourselves truthful and empowering stories because so often the stories we tell ourselves are not true. We need to grow our capacity to tell ourselves true stories and to do the hard work of getting the true story when we're anxious. Jesus is so helpful for us in this work. The stories He is encouraging us to tell are always true and always leading us into life.Today we step into a fascinating part of Jesus' story - his interactions with Pilate. Pontius Pilate was the fifth prefect of the Roman province of Judea and served under the Emperor Tiberius from 26AD - 36AD. As you'll see in John chapters 18-19, Pilate clearly saw Jesus as an innocent man and not deserving of the accusations of the Jewish authorities, yet in spite of this, Pilate ultimately decided to give in to the demands and "handed him over to be crucified" (19:16).One important detail of this event is that it takes place during the Passover Celebration. In fact, the decision to crucify Jesus takes place on Preparation Day of Passover at noon (see 19:13-14), the very same time that the Passover lambs would begin to be slaughtered in the Temple.Jesus' commitment to love is unwavering. He had multiple opportunities to avoid suffering and claim his innocence, but he never faltered. He knew what needed to happen, and out of his love for us, He chose the cross.Here is Bach's final pre-crucifixion Chorale (No. 40):By Thy impris'ning, O God's own Son,Our greatest freedom Thou has won.Thy dungeon is our Throne of Grace,The Safe House of the human race,Hadst Thou not gone the way of slaves,Slaves e'en now we would have stayed.

Description:During the season of Lent, the series is titled "The Crux of the Matter" and encourages us to look at how Jesus encouraged people in the gospel of John to get to the crux of the conversation. Crux defined is "the decisive or most important point at issue." It is interesting to note that crux shares roots with crucial and crucifixion. Jesus never wavered from having crux or crucial conversations. He always encouraged people to get to the heart of the matter. This is important work for all of us because we are prone to be distracted or deceived and therefore avoid getting to crux of the matter. One of the important practices we can develop is learning to tell ourselves truthful and empowering stories because so often the stories we tell ourselves are not true. We need to grow our capacity to tell ourselves true stories and to do the hard work of getting the true story when we're anxious. Jesus is so helpful for us in this work. The stories He is encouraging us to tell are always true and always leading us into life.Today we will discuss the importance of self-differentiation. Its origins are found in the work of Murray Bowen who developed family systems theory. There is no greater example of self-differentiation than Jesus Christ. As you'll see in our text for today, knowing and being who we truly are critical to living into God's plans for us, which also means navigating the emotional processes that are at work within us. An interesting question to consider in preparation for the message today is:Is your life more directed by your thoughts or by your feelings? Does what you think or what you feel have more influence in guiding the actions of your life?

Description:During the season of Lent, our series will be titled "The Crux of the Matter" and will encourage us to look at how Jesus encouraged people in the gospel of John to get to the crux of the conversation. Crux defined is "the decisive or most important point at issue." It is interesting to note that crux shares roots with crucial and crucifixion. Jesus never wavered from having crux or crucial conversations. He always encouraged people to get to the heart of the matter. This is important work for all of us because we are prone to be distracted or deceived and therefore avoid getting to crux of the matter. One of the important practices all of us need help developing is learning to tell ourselves truthful and empowering stories because so often the stories we tell ourselves are not true. We need to grow our capacity to tell ourselves true stories and to do the hard work of getting the true story when we're anxious. It is why Jesus is so helpful for us. The stories He is encouraging us to tell are always true and always leading us into life.Today that conversation gets opened up as we look at Jesus' interactions with his disciples, and as we see how the stories some of those disciples tell themselves leads them to walk away from Jesus. The untrue stories they tell themselves lead to their departure from the source of all truth. We also are going to talk about artichokes and getting to the heart of the artichoke.

Description:We conclude our series entitled Reflective Living. We'll consider how Scripture encourages us to live a reflective life versus a reactive life. We are created for relationship. To live reflectively is to prioritize our relationships and to continue actively seeking to GROW our relationships.As we conclude this series today, we will be challenge to take responsibility for our ongoing growth. One of the crucial ways we grow is to connect more deeply with each other. As nice as that sounds, we recognize it is not easy and requires effort, authenticity, and help from God.We should EXPECT to grow not just want to grow or hope to grow. If we pursue relationship with Jesus AND do the hard work of connecting with each other, we WILL grow.Thankfully, there is all sorts of grace along the way when we get stuck or take a step backwards. But the trajectory of our lives should be toward ongoing growth from birth to death.Jesus was always and is always calling us to grow, so that we experience more and His life and share more of His love and become more like Him.

Description:We continue our series entitled Reflective Living. We'll consider how Scripture encourages us to live a reflective life versus a reactive life. We'll be reminded that it's not about 3 easy steps to a reflective life, but instead that a reflective life is driven by relationship. We are created for relationship. To live reflectively is to take stock of our relationships and to prioritize our relationships and to continue actively seeking to GROW our relationships.Today we'll consider another non-negotiable to relationship growth that you may not have thought of before today: demanding or challenging. It should be interesting.

Description:We continue our series entitled Reflective Living. We'll consider how Scripture encourages us to live a reflective life versus a reactive life. We'll be reminded that it's not about 3 easy steps to a reflective life, but instead that a reflective life is driven by relationship. We are created for relationship. To live reflectively is to take stock of our relationships and to prioritize our relationships and to continue actively seeking to GROW our relationships.Today we'll consider a non-negotiable to relationship growth that you may not have thought of before today: safety. I'm not talking about physical safety whereby we recognize the incredibly inappropriate abusive behavior that damages and even destroys relationships. I'm talking about safety in communication.Communication is a bedrock of a growing relationship. That's a no-brainer, right? The growing capacity to share thoughts and feelings with one another, listen well, and feel heard is critical to any relationship. No doubt about it. But as we consider Jesus' interactions with the Samaritan woman, a woman Jesus 'shouldn't' have anything to do with, you'll notice that the content of the conversation is really important but so are the conditions. Too often our focus in conversation is the content, but today we're going to consider the importance of the conditions.How often has communication broken down not because of the content, but because of the conditions. Once safety is gone so is the possibility for communication. When we don't feel safe, we either resort to silence or violence. We stop talking and stop listening or we go on the attack and the focus is no longer on the real issue; it becomes about being right or regaining the respect we feel we've lost. At that point, real communication has come to a screeching halt.Today, you'll see how Jesus ALWAYS made it safe for those he talked with. I hope that sentence causes you pause. There are many interactions Jesus had with others where it sure doesn't seem like it is safe, but it was. Safe doesn't mean easy and safe doesn't mean without challenge. We'll talk about the challenge part of communication next week.

Description:Today continues our series entitled Reflective Living. We'll consider how Scripture encourages us to live a reflective life versus a reactive life. We'll be reminded that it's not about 3 easy steps to a reflective life, but instead that a reflective life is driven by relationship. We are created for relationship. To live reflectively is to take stock of our relationships and to prioritize our relationships. The sermon today will encourage the importance of relationships with each other. We are not meant to be alone, yet why is it that so many feel alone? One of the clear results of the Fall was separation - not only from God but from each other. We are prone to isolate ourselves from others which includes removing ourselves from the presence of others, but is more often experienced in the emotional and mental withdrawing. We can be with many people but still experience loneliness.God designed us for connection, belonging, intimacy, and togetherness. He not only designed us for this, he also longs to help us find what we are designed for."God sets the lonely in families . . ." Psalm 68:6Lonely is Just One Word - Mary HavranLonely is just one word chosen to represent so muchTo tell of feelings inside that the senses cannot touchLonely can be in the teardrops on a bereaved person’s cheekLonely can be in the silence of sorrows too deep to speakLonely can haunt a deserted room that Laughter once made proudLonely surrounds you when you’re alone or finds you in a crowdLonely is heard in echoed footsteps of a departing friendLonely penetrates the solitude of nights that will not endLonely will not listen to the pleadings of a broken heartLonely stays and torments until new Love shatters it apart

Description:Today continues our series entitled Reflective Living. We'll consider how Scripture encourages us to live a reflective life versus a reactive life. We'll be reminded that it's not about 3 easy steps to a reflective life, but instead that a reflective life is driven by relationship. We are created for relationship. To live reflectively is to take stock of our relationships and to prioritize our relationships. But let's be honest . . . for many of us this does not come naturally.The sermon today will encourage the importance of our thinking. We need to think well. Paul goes so far to say that our transformation is directly related to the "renewing of our minds." This assumes that our thinking can be influenced by our sinful nature. I've heard the phrase 'stinkin thinking', and I've also experienced it.For example if you think that God is out to get you, then that will impact how you live your life. It will be driven by fear and will encourage a perception of God being a grumpy dictator. Or if you think that you have no value, that will impact how you live your life. You don't matter so why should anything you do matter either.It's interesting in our text today how our thinking is directly related to our doing. We know we aren't just meant to think about God; we are to follow Him. But if our thinking about God is in error or our understanding of how to follow Him is misconstrued, it will directly affect what we do or don't do.We need to think about how we think and what we think. We need God's help to continue transforming how we think, so we can grow in our capacity to follow Him (do what He says).