The Pastor’s Blog
The National Football League was founded in 1920 and has a long history of change and innovation. Although many of those changes have come incrementally or quite slowly, 2014 saw the league making a couple of its more bold and risky moves. This year they changed the format of the Pro Bowl and for the first time ever, scheduled the Super Bowl in an outdoor stadium in a cold weather city. Time will tell if these changes will pay off or not, but you have to give the NFL credit for being willing to shake things up a bit.
In our spiritual lives it can be easy to become comfortable with the familiar, to get into a rut, to run on auto pilot. It’s not that being in a comfort zone is all bad, that being in a rut can’t still take us forward or that auto pilot isn’t a safe way to fly, in fact, the problem may be that all of those things are too safe and keep us from taking risks for Jesus and from experiencing new ways that He wants to work in and through our lives.
If you look up the word new in a concordance and read the verses listed it’s clear that God is into doing new things. He puts a new song in our mouths, He gives us a new heart and a new spirit, He has made a new covenant with us, He makes us a new creation, and ultimately, He will give us a new heaven and a new earth.
God likes to do new things for, in and among His people and as we move through the pastoral transition process, we should be prayerfully looking for, and even expecting, God to do a new thing among us. And as we seek God’s work and will in our individual lives, as well we should not be surprised that God is doing a new thing in us too.
As God works and moves to do new things among us may Psalm 149:1 be true of us, “Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints.”
Trusting as God Leads,
Mark
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Home Study for January 27 through February 1, 2014
Monday – Read II Corinthians 7:8-10
Why does worldly sorrow bring death?
Why does Godly sorrow lead to forgiveness, salvation and life?
If we are living in worldly sorrow and shame, what should we do?
What is Jesus saying to you? How will you respond?
Tuesday – Read Titus 3:1-8
How are we saved?
What does the washing, rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit mean in our lives?
Are you living in the truth of this work of the Holy Spirit?
What is Jesus saying to you? What will you do?
Wednesday – Read John 13:34-35
Who set the example of the love we are to show to one another?
What stands out to you about this love?
What does Jesus intend for our love for each other to do in the lives of other people?
How does this passage challenge you? How will you respond?
Thursday – Read I Corinthians 12:12-26
How is the church like a sports team?
What happens if someone isn’t using their spiritual gift?
What is your gift and how does God want to use it in the work of our church?
What is Jesus saying to you? How will you respond?
Friday – Read Philippians 3:12-14
Do you find yourself spending more time looking backwards or forwards in your relationship with Jesus?
What is He doing in your life and our church in these days?
Is there anything from your past that is hindering your present?
What do you need Jesus to do in you? Ask Him.
Saturday – Read Matthew 9:1-8
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A Memorial Service for Richard Fleming will be Saturday, February 1, 2014 at 2 p.m. at the church. A reception with light refreshments will follow. Richard was called home to be with Jesus on January 18, 2014. Please be remembering Denise and family in prayer.
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Home Study for January 20 through 25, 2014
Monday – Read Ephesians 1:18-23
How complete is Jesus’ victory over the forces of evil?
What does it mean that God placed everything under Jesus’ feet?
What hope does that give us as we trust in Him?
What do you need Jesus to do in you today?
Invite Him to bring His power to work in you.
Tuesday – Ephesians 6:10-18
According to this passage who is our struggle with?
Why is it important to understand that?
As you read through this listing of the armor of God, how does each part work to protect us from attack?
Take time daily to prayerfully put this armor on.
Wednesday – Read II Corinthians 10:3-6
Besides the armor of God, what weapons has God given us to oppose and defeat our enemies?
What happens if we try to defeat evil with the weapons of the world?
How does this passage challenge you? How will you respond?
Thursday – Read Colossians 3:1-11
What jumps out at you in this passage?
What does it mean to “put to death” whatever belongs to our earthly nature?
How do we do that?
How does this passage challenge you? How will you respond?
Friday – Read Colossians 3:12-17
What jumps out at you in this passage?
How easy is it to live as described here? Whose help do we need?
Which of these attitudes or actions do you find to be hardest to do?
Invite the Holy Spirit to be working in that area of your life.
Saturday – Read Matthew 9:1-8
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