By popular request, here's a sort of summary outline of last Sunday's sermon, "Living Powerfully"
LIVING POWERFULLY . . . that's what God wants for us, his beloved children . . .
But clearly, something is wrong.
God said that the light was (and is) more powerful than the darkness, but you couldn't tell that by looking at our world. This place is a mess.
We have two key problems, I think . . .
1. We don't really know what we want
I saw the third "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie and was fascinated by Captain Jack Sparrow's special compass - it is a "magic compass" which always points to the thing one most desires. The problem is that when Jack holds it, it just spins around and around.
Often, if you or I held the compass, it would do that, too . . . so many times our lives are marked by running in circles - stressed out, panicked, breathless . . . we saw that Jesus is Lord, but do we really follow His lead, are we guided purposefully by His agenda?
2. Our second problem: We're afraid . . .
We're afraid that God will ask us to do GREAT THINGS for God, hard things.
So we try to hide in busy-ness. Subconsciously, we reason thus: If we're busy doing good things for God, how could God ask us to do great things?
On this day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came to the disciples - to set their compass on the Glory of God, to set them free from their fear. The Holy Spirit came in wind and fire, and they were TOTALLY transformed. The same disciples who had been hanging out behind locked doors "for fear of the Jews" now poured out into the streets, freely proclaiming the Gospel (the one that got Jesus killed!) to the Jews that they had been afraid of.
The disciples were free, free to LIVE POWERFULLY.
If we want to know what it's like to be free, all we have to do is to learn from someone who has been in prison . . .
Nelson Mandela spent 25 years in prison for his work in the struggle against apartheid. During long, dark days in prison, he searched his heart . . . how to stay faithful, to his God, to his calling. Eventually, he was freed and was elected President of the very country which had imprisoned him. In his Inaugural Address, Mandela spoke these words about fear - and liberation.
"Our worst fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God: Your playing small does not enrich the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone, and as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our won fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
Mandela speaks to us of LIVING POWERFULLY. No matter what our challenges, no matter what our circumstances, we can be free.
Today is Pentecost . . . tomorrow is Memorial Day.
In this time when wars, the truth of the Gospel is tested, our values and beliefs and actions are tested. Will we LIVE POWERFULLY? Will we live the kind of life that liberates others? Or will we fall back, isolating ourselves by hiding away - or by lashing out in anger, frustration, fear.
The Holy Spirit is come on this day, come to US to empower US - transforming our fear to faith, our intention to action, fanning the flames of our hope into GLORY . . . that the Glory of our God will be known NOW, here in our midst.
Amen.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Friday, May 25, 2007
Prom Night!! Prayer
Thoughts for High Schoolers and their families from our awesome Youth Minister, Leslie:
For some of you tonight is a big night! I want you all to know that I will be praying for all of you on this very special occasion.
Here are some tips to help you through this special evening (and to help create less drama!):
Make sure you tell your date how nice they look.
Make sure you don't ditch your date when you get to the prom.
Guys, treat the girls special: open doors for them, pull their chair out for them. These little things make them feel so special.
Girls, remember that you are dressed in beautiful gowns and dresses, try to act beautiful, too. Say please and thank you to your date. Don't chew with your mouth open. Your date is also dressed very handsome for this evening so treat him with the respect he deserves. And tell him how nice he looks too.
Also if your date is uncomfortable with a situation that may be going on, please take them out of that situation. It is a horrible feeling to be somewhere and feel totally unsafe or uncomfortable. On that note... if you are feeling that way, make sure you tell your date how you feel. Your date is not a mind reader. Speak up.
Don't be afraid or ashamed to stand up and say NO! Sometimes others feel the same way, and they are afraid. So it could be up to you. God could be calling you to stand up. Don't let Him down.
Last, but not least, a prayer:
Lord, you are the King of kings. Let this evening be to your honor and glory. Father, protect these young people tonight, not just from bodily harm, Lord, but from the spiritual evils of this world. Show these young adults that You are present, that You are there in everything, and that You will help them stay strong in your amour of protection. If there is trouble, Lord, show them a way out of it. Convict their hearts to be a reflection of You this night. With so many lost people in this world, Lord, show them that they are vital to your Kingdom give them the courage to stand in their faith and be proud and not get caught up in the peer pressure of this evening. Lord, protect the parents tonight, that your hand be on the post-prom event and all the amazingly dedicated parents who are making this be a special and safe time for their children.
Let this whole day and evening be for You, Father.
In Your precious Son's Name, Jesus Christ.
Peace to all!
Have a Great Time!!
Email me some pictures
Leslie
PS - Ditto for me - with the prayer, and the pictures!!!
Blessings,
Janet+
For some of you tonight is a big night! I want you all to know that I will be praying for all of you on this very special occasion.
Here are some tips to help you through this special evening (and to help create less drama!):
Make sure you tell your date how nice they look.
Make sure you don't ditch your date when you get to the prom.
Guys, treat the girls special: open doors for them, pull their chair out for them. These little things make them feel so special.
Girls, remember that you are dressed in beautiful gowns and dresses, try to act beautiful, too. Say please and thank you to your date. Don't chew with your mouth open. Your date is also dressed very handsome for this evening so treat him with the respect he deserves. And tell him how nice he looks too.
Also if your date is uncomfortable with a situation that may be going on, please take them out of that situation. It is a horrible feeling to be somewhere and feel totally unsafe or uncomfortable. On that note... if you are feeling that way, make sure you tell your date how you feel. Your date is not a mind reader. Speak up.
Don't be afraid or ashamed to stand up and say NO! Sometimes others feel the same way, and they are afraid. So it could be up to you. God could be calling you to stand up. Don't let Him down.
Last, but not least, a prayer:
Lord, you are the King of kings. Let this evening be to your honor and glory. Father, protect these young people tonight, not just from bodily harm, Lord, but from the spiritual evils of this world. Show these young adults that You are present, that You are there in everything, and that You will help them stay strong in your amour of protection. If there is trouble, Lord, show them a way out of it. Convict their hearts to be a reflection of You this night. With so many lost people in this world, Lord, show them that they are vital to your Kingdom give them the courage to stand in their faith and be proud and not get caught up in the peer pressure of this evening. Lord, protect the parents tonight, that your hand be on the post-prom event and all the amazingly dedicated parents who are making this be a special and safe time for their children.
Let this whole day and evening be for You, Father.
In Your precious Son's Name, Jesus Christ.
Peace to all!
Have a Great Time!!
Email me some pictures
Leslie
PS - Ditto for me - with the prayer, and the pictures!!!
Blessings,
Janet+
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Do you believe that God gives points for creativity? . . .
. . I do!! . . . :-)
Have a creative day!!
Blessings,
J+
The day finally arrived.
Forrest Gump dies and goes to Heaven.
He is at the Pearly Gates, met by St. Peter himself. However, the gates are closed, and Forrest approaches the gatekeeper. St. Peter said, "Well, Forrest, it is certainly good to see you. We have heard a lot about you. I must tell you, though, that the place is filling up fast, and we have been administering an entrance examination for everyone. The test is short, but you have to pass it before you can get into Heaven."
Forrest responds, "It sure is good to be here, St. Peter, sir. But nobody ever told me about any entrance exam. I sure hope that the test ain't too hard. Life was a big enough test as it was."
St. Peter continued, "Yes, I know, Forrest, but the test is only three questions.
First: What two days of the week begin with the letter T?
Second: How many seconds are there in a year?
Third: What is God's first name?"
Forrest leaves to think the questions over. He returns the next day and sees St. Peter, who waves him up, and says, "Now that you have had a chance to think the questions over, tell me your answers."
Forrest replied, "Well, the first one -- which two days in the week begins with the letter "T"? Shucks, that one is easy. That would be Today and Tomorrow." The Saint's eyes opened wide and he exclaimed, "Forrest, that is not what I was thinking, but you do have a point, and I guess I did not specify, so I will give you credit for that answer. How about the next one?" asked St. Peter. "How many seconds in a year?
"Now that one is harder," replied Forrest, but I thunk and thunk about that, and I guess the only answer can be twelve." Astounded, St. Peter said, "Twelve? Twelve? Forrest, how in Heaven's name could you come up with twelve seconds in a year?" Forrest replied, "Shucks, there's got to be twelve: January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd... " "Hold it," interrupts St. Peter. "I see where you are going with this, and I see your point, though that was not quite what I had in mind....but I will have to give you credit for that one, too. Let us go on with the third and final question. Can you tell me God's first name?"
"Sure," Forrest replied, "it's Andy." "Andy?" exclaimed an exasperated and frustrated St Peter. "Ok, I can understand how you came up with your answers to my first two questions, but just how in the world did you come up with the name Andy as the first name of God?" "Shucks, that was the easiest one of all," Forrest replied. "I learnt it from the song, "ANDY WALKS WITH ME, ANDY TALKS WITH ME, ANDY TELLS ME I AM HIS OWN." St. Peter opened the Pearly Gates, and said: "Run, Forrest, run."
(author unknown)
Have a creative day!!
Blessings,
J+
The day finally arrived.
Forrest Gump dies and goes to Heaven.
He is at the Pearly Gates, met by St. Peter himself. However, the gates are closed, and Forrest approaches the gatekeeper. St. Peter said, "Well, Forrest, it is certainly good to see you. We have heard a lot about you. I must tell you, though, that the place is filling up fast, and we have been administering an entrance examination for everyone. The test is short, but you have to pass it before you can get into Heaven."
Forrest responds, "It sure is good to be here, St. Peter, sir. But nobody ever told me about any entrance exam. I sure hope that the test ain't too hard. Life was a big enough test as it was."
St. Peter continued, "Yes, I know, Forrest, but the test is only three questions.
First: What two days of the week begin with the letter T?
Second: How many seconds are there in a year?
Third: What is God's first name?"
Forrest leaves to think the questions over. He returns the next day and sees St. Peter, who waves him up, and says, "Now that you have had a chance to think the questions over, tell me your answers."
Forrest replied, "Well, the first one -- which two days in the week begins with the letter "T"? Shucks, that one is easy. That would be Today and Tomorrow." The Saint's eyes opened wide and he exclaimed, "Forrest, that is not what I was thinking, but you do have a point, and I guess I did not specify, so I will give you credit for that answer. How about the next one?" asked St. Peter. "How many seconds in a year?
"Now that one is harder," replied Forrest, but I thunk and thunk about that, and I guess the only answer can be twelve." Astounded, St. Peter said, "Twelve? Twelve? Forrest, how in Heaven's name could you come up with twelve seconds in a year?" Forrest replied, "Shucks, there's got to be twelve: January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd... " "Hold it," interrupts St. Peter. "I see where you are going with this, and I see your point, though that was not quite what I had in mind....but I will have to give you credit for that one, too. Let us go on with the third and final question. Can you tell me God's first name?"
"Sure," Forrest replied, "it's Andy." "Andy?" exclaimed an exasperated and frustrated St Peter. "Ok, I can understand how you came up with your answers to my first two questions, but just how in the world did you come up with the name Andy as the first name of God?" "Shucks, that was the easiest one of all," Forrest replied. "I learnt it from the song, "ANDY WALKS WITH ME, ANDY TALKS WITH ME, ANDY TELLS ME I AM HIS OWN." St. Peter opened the Pearly Gates, and said: "Run, Forrest, run."
(author unknown)
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