Spiritual Focus (from Worship Services)

WHAT IS THE SPIRITUAL FOCUS FOR THE WEEK?
Each Sunday, the minister leading the service introduces a spiritual focus for the week based on the subject of the talks. It is referred to during the adult sermon portion of the service and includes a brief summary of the lesson and practical suggestions for how you might use the spiritual message of the sermon in the workplace, at home, in your marriage, with parenting, friends, etc.
Listed below are many of the recent spiritual focus messages in chronological order. This list also gives an overview of the topics covered from week to week.

1/29/12 - Offer Yourself Willingly

“When leaders lead in Israel, when the people willingly offer themselves, Bless the Lord.”

(Judges 5.2)

Humility. Willingness, Trust, and an orientation to Purpose - these are the qualities we need to bring to the leadership roles which the Lord asks of us. Choose one of these qualities to focus on this week. If pride and control are poisoning your leadership contributions, work on a living acknowledgment that only the Lord is ruler. If you are struggling to muster courage to do what is right in an area of your life, spend some time meditating on qualities of trust in the Lord, and willing response to His call. Perhaps you are finding yourself distracted or confused about where the Lord wants you to lead. In this case, it may help to give all your attention to the given task at hand and the people it serves. The Lord always calls us to usefulness and service, and by focusing on these goals you may find an increased sense of focus and purpose. As you reflect on these leadership qualities, try reading Judges:5 where Deborah celebrates in song the success of Israel's leaders who responded to the Lord's call.

1/22/12 - Q & A with God - Do you understand what I have done for you?

“I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:12)

The account in John 13 of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet is counter-intuitive on many levels. Jesus stooping down to take on the menial task of a servant was appalling to the disciples at first. It turned their world upside down. The Master serving, that wasn’t right! On a deeper level, the Lord is calling us to make the journey downward! Downward? Again, a message that seems counter-intuitive. The “feet” represent the lowest level of the natural, the pleasures of the physical senses. This level, we’re taught, is the last to be regenerated or reborn in us and for good reason. It is the toughest level of the mind to be cleansed through subordination. Subordination is a good word to describe the “cleansing process” because our physical senses don’t like to be told what to do and think. This is why we must make the journey downward, to the “feet.” Becoming a servant in heart and mind is a humbling experience, and yet it will bring us the greatest joy. It is in serving that we become truly free.

1/15/12 - Q & A with God - Do you want to get well?

Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed, and walk.” (John 5:8)

It’s risky following the Lord because we enter into a new kind of freedom. It’s risky because the change will feel different. It’s risky because we don’t know if it will work or not. The paralytic who lay by the pool of Bethesda had these thoughts running through his head. Jesus said to him, “Do you want to get well?” Was he willing to let go of his old way of life or had he become accustomed to some of the benefits of being paralyzed? After all, he had people, friends or relatives, who fetched and carried him; people who fed him and took care of him. He didn’t have to take responsibility for his life; others had to do that for him. The real test happened when Jesus said, “Arise, take up your bed, and walk.” The paralytic immediately obeyed the Lord’s command. It must have taken immense courage and faith. Imagine his thoughts: what happens if I fail? How will I cope not begging for a living? Can I trust this man’s word? Will he help me if I obey? Take the risk of obedience - see what happens!

1/8/12 - Q&A with God - Why are you so fearful?

And they said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and sea obey Him!”
(Mark 4:41)

Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm (Mark 4:39).

1/1/12 - Forget the Past, Embrace the Future

"Joseph called the name of the first-born Manasseh: “For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.” And the name of the second he called Ephraim: “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”  (Genesis 41: 51-52)

Joseph had every reason to be haunted by his past: he’d been despised and mocked by his older brothers, sold into slavery in Egypt, and thrown into prison for a crime he didn’t commit. And yet when it came to reviewing and assessing his life, Joseph saw nothing but good things from the hand of God. In naming his first-born son, Manasseh, he said “God has made me forget all my toil,” and in naming his second son, Ephraim, he said, “God has caused me to be fruitful.” Manasseh represents a new kind of motivation (willing) that is born in us as a result of our struggles. Ephraim represents the new ideas and future plans born in our understanding as a result of this new willing, this new motivation. The Lord helps us forget the mistakes from our past when we fight the good fight for after temptation He “removes the evils that cause distress” (AC 5352). Let us enter this New Year with the trust and confidence of Joseph, forgetting the toil of our past so that we may be bear new fruit in the future.

12/18/11 - Nativity Enactment Service

“Arise, shine, for your light has come.” (Isaiah 60:1)

One of the strongest thematic elements in the Lord’s Word is that of “light” and “darkness,” and nowhere is this imagery stronger than in the Christmas story. Spiritual darkness is the absence of God while spiritual light is the presence of God. Let this Christmas season be a journey out of darkness into the Lord’s Light. And in the spirit of the season, carry that Light forward by spreading peace and goodwill amongst your family, friends, and neighbors.
Have a wonderful Christmas!

12/11/11 - The Path to Bethlehem

“Joseph also went up...to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.”
(Luke 2: 4-5)

We tend to think of decisions as individual, disconnected events, but they aren’t that at all. Each decision we make is actually a step in a direction. If our spiritual eyes were opened right now, we’d see all sorts of pathways in front of us. We’d see our life not so much as a set of “problems” in need of a solution as a life that needs a new direction, a new path. The Lord shows us His path in the Word. As we learn about His Way, we discover that it’s the right path, the only Way to go. And as we become more confident in walking this Path we realize that His truth leads to a new set of loves - loves we’ve never experienced before. All of the main characters on the path to Bethlehem represent these loves, ones we adopt as we walk the same path: the humility of Joseph; the willingness of Mary; being teachers and leaders like the shepherds; evangelizing (spread the good news) like the angels; living with honor and respect like the wise men. Remember: our direction determines our destination.

12/4/11 - Forever

“He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

(Luke 1:33)

Forever. Always. Everlasting. These words are familiar enough, and we know what they mean. It is amazing to apply them to ourselves, or to some of our relationships. “I will live forever.” “I will always love you.” Equally amazing is to apply those same words to the Lord. We read that He has made an “everlasting covenant” with us (Isaiah 55:3), meaning that He will always provide a pathway to heaven. One of the amazing things about the Christmas story is that the eternal God came on earth to teach us about His eternal kingdom, and show us how to receive from Him eternal life. He calls us to live our daily lives with an eternal perspective. That means considering the lasting consequences of our choices. How can you keep an eternal perspective as you go about the many facets of your life? What can you do now to receive eternal life from the Lord?

11/27/11 - Hope & Trust

“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord.” (Jeremiah 17:7)

We may not always stop to think about it, but hope is the “driver” behind everything we do. Hope determines our direction in life, our happiness, our peace of mind, our attitude, and the health and quality of all our relationships. How do we know this is true? Well, take away hope and what do you have - nothing! This isn’t to say we don’t have moments of despair when it seems as if all is lost, but hope is restored once we realize our “despair” is only a temporary state of mind. When we suffer a serious setback the evil spirits torment us by making us think it’s going to be permanent but the “Lord preserves in us a sense of hope and trust, which are the fighting strengths from within that enable us to offer resistance” (AC 6097). The Scriptures repeatedly say our hope is the Lord! The two “strengths” of hope and trust come directly from the Lord Himself - they are His motivation in us for “those who allow themselves to be filled with hope remain steadfastly in an affirmative outlook…” (AC 2338).

11/24/11 - Thanksgiving

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…” (Psalm 23:6)

It’s easier to have faith and trust in the Lord when things are going well than it is when things are going badly because we feel more in control. So is it possible to have faith and trust in Lord in the midst of despair and sorrow? Is it possible to be grateful and thankful to the Lord in the midst of set-back and disappointment? The 23rd Psalm gives us an emphatic, yes! The Lord is with us no matter what the circumstances. He is with us in our peaceful times (green pastures, still waters), in our difficult times (valley of the shadow), and in our bountiful times (table, overflowing cup). The “peaceful” times have to do with our thoughts, we’re peaceful in what we know to be the truth. The “difficult” times have to do with our confusion, not getting it. The “bountiful” times have to do with feelings of love, goodness, and kindness. Let us be “confident in the Lord, that He directs all things and provides all things, and that He leads to a good end, no matter what the appearance may be at the time” (AC 8455).

11/20/11 - Choosing a Heavenly Identity

“Behold, I will bring [Jerusalem] health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.”  (Jeremiah 33.6)

The troublesome spirits in our lives can take us to some pretty dark places, driving us wild, making it so that we cannot even be bound with the “shackles” of appropriate behavior. When we find ourselves or a close friend hitting a bottom, desperate and lonely, we can cry out to the Lord. The Lord alone grants the power to remove these infestations. The Lord may initially seem “afar off” or distant. Part of us may even seem to oppose His presence, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.” Our job is to keep seeking Him, to run to Him, kneel before Him and surrender the feelings and thoughts in our minds which oppose His presence. And He can bring us to a new state of being – clothed and in our right mind – even if we are not immediately able to see that possibility.

11/13/11 - Q&A with God - What are you doing here?

"So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And suddenly a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”  (I Kings 19:13)

Elijah had been on the run, and after forty days and nights collapsed with exhaustion in a cave on Mount Horeb. The word of the Lord came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Elijah explained his situation, and said he had failed in his job as prophet. The Lord told Elijah to step outside the cave, and after witnessing a strong wind, earthquake, and fire heard the “still, small voice” of the Lord. Elijah was given the opportunity to (1). Stop, (2). Listen, and (3). Evaluate. When we’re burned out or exhausted we need to learn how to “stop” in order to hear the Divine Whisper. Once we truly stop, we’re ready to move closer and hear the Divine Whisper which manifests itself in the form of “hope, comfort, or some inward joy” (AC 2535). We lose our perspective when we’re burned out which is why we need to evaluate our situation from the Lord’s perspective, and not ours. The Lord gave Elijah a new perspective, and it turned out that Elijah had been quite off the mark!

11/6/11 - Q&A with God - What is that in your hand?

“Then Moses answered and said, ‘But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’ So the Lord said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’  (Exodus 4: 1-2)

Just as no two people are identical in looks or mannerisms, neither are the talents and abilities of two people ever the same. We’re taught that “all who allow themselves to be led to heaven are being prepared for their own place in heaven” (DP 67). Yet, like Moses, we tend to have a hard time believing we are cut out for anything special or that the Lord has a specific use, a specific job, just for us! And like Moses, we tend to make up excuses when it appears as if the Lord “might” be calling us to do something - I’m nobody; I don’t know enough about God; what happens if I fail?; I don’t have what it takes; someone else could do it better (Exodus 3 & 4). The Lord responds with a question: “What is that in your hand?” Moses had a staff in his hand - the Lord wanted to use this simple stick to liberate a nation! The “hand” and “staff” represent the Lord’s Divine power. When we make available to the Lord what we “hold” in our hands, we will be astounded by what the Lord can do with it.

10/30/11 - Q&A with God - Where are you going?

"And He said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, “Where have you come from and where are you going?”
(Genesis 16:8)

When the tension between Sarai and Hagar reached a breaking-point, Hagar, the maid, fled into the wilderness in a desperate attempt to escape the intolerable situation. Jehovah “finds” Hagar by a spring on the road to Shur and asks, “Where have you come from, and where are you going?” Hagar explains her situation, but is told by Jehovah to return to her mistress and submit herself to Sarai. This God-question gets us to recognize two things: the significance of our roots, and the importance of submitting ourselves to the truth. Hagar needed to make a U-Turn, a 180. When the going gets tough, our natural tendency is to look for an external solution (avoidance, food, T.V., alcohol, etc.) to our spiritual problem (anxiety, lack of trust, conflict in a relationship, etc.) which is why the Lord tells us to “return” to our roots (Sarai - spiritual upbringing). There’s more freedom in temptation, in “submitting” ourselves to the truth, than outside it. Returning to the truth will set you free.

10/23/11 - The Visible God

“That they may all be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us.” (John 17: 21)

This week, make a commitment to take a ten minute period each day to have a private time with the Lord - just you and He. Picture yourself with Him in the upper room. Feel the freedom to talk with Him about anything, or just have a time of silence in His presence. Know that He is the infinite God of heaven and earth and He knows and cares about you.

10/16/11 - Marriage: in it for the long haul

"Now Jacob loved Rachel; and he said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel your younger daughter...” So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed but a few days to him because of the love he had for her." (Genesis 29: 18, 20)

Jacob worked seven years to win the hand of Rachel in marriage and it seemed but a “few days” to him because of his love for her. The Scriptures give us a brief glimpse of the eternal nature of marriage since “eternity is inherent in this love” (ML 216). When a young man and woman get married they too experience the “eternal nature” of marriage and vow never to stop loving each other—and that vow becomes a reality when they commit to the long haul (“seven” years). The hells attack a marriage via the evil tendencies all couples are susceptible to like jealousy, anger, dishonesty, selfishness, lust, cruelty - all ugly feelings which no-one ever wanted in the first place! Marriage is hard because our “old self” doesn’t want to do what the “new self” (conscience) wants. In truth, we can’t experience the feelings of trust, love, honesty, kindness, and tenderness in marriage, unless we combat their opposite! But once we do “the closer we get to heaven, and the more we focus on good” (TC 330).

10/9/11 - A Worry-Free World

“This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat...and he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s need.” (Exodus 16: 15, 18)

It’s a remarkable fact that the ancient Israelites had a law which forbid them to worry about the future, although they may not have thought of it that way. In giving them their “daily bread” (Manna) the Lord’s instructions were clear: “let every man gather it according to each one’s need.” And it worked very well: “he who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little had no lack.” On a deeper level this law means that the Lord provides us “every moment” with what to think, and is present with us in the “smallest details” of our lives. Accepting this daily “provision” is a matter of trust. Do you believe the Lord operates at this level? What are these thoughts which the Lord gives us “every moment?” The thoughts which lead to a worry-free world are these: go the extra mile, turn the other cheek, pray, lay up your treasures in heaven, build your life on a rock, don’t be critical, don’t serve two masters. Seek first the kingdom of God and you won’t worry anymore!

10/2/11 - Q & A with God - What is Your Name?

And he said, “Jacob.” And Jehovah said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.” (Genesis 32: 27-28)

The Hebrew meaning of the name Jacob is “cheat” or “deceiver.” Quite literally, his name meant “to grab someone’s heel.” Jacob certainly lived up to his name; he deceived his father, his brother, and his father-in-law. He lived his life by trickery and deceit. The turning point in his journey began to take place only when he faced up to God’s question “What is your name?” and became honest about who he really was. When we meet Jacob in Genesis 32 we are told he was frightened and worried. His deceptive past had caught up with him. Alone, he went down to the Jabbok River. There he wrestled with a mysterious stranger all night. In the midst of the struggle Jacob received a new name, Israel. Israel means the one in whom God rules, the one whose life is now tied up with God’s purposes. When we face up to ourselves (self-examination) before God, we are given a new identity. This new identity tells us that no matter who we are or what we’ve done, God has a new future for us.

9/25/11 - Q & A with God - Where is Your Brother?

"Where Is Your Brother?" (Genesis 4:9)

God asked of Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" This question reverberates today. Where is our brother? Our sister? Who are they? What responsibility do we have to them? Tough questions. Members of a biological family are easily identified but God is asking for more, for a broader definition of "brother" and "sister." Competition, comparison, anger will all get in the way of the definitions God wants to draw us to. Where is your brother? Where is your sister?

9/18/11 - Q & A with God - Where Are You?

Then God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9)

A mistake was made - a serious one. It’s followed by embarrassment, shame and a desire to hide or run away. As this is not the most healthy response to a bad judgment or decision, God asks "Where are you?" The most productive response is to start by admitting the mistake, and 'come clean.' Be honest with yourself, and honest with God. There are other steps to follow, but the first step of repentance starts with self examination. Why is it so hard to admit a mistake? Why do we get the urge to “run” or “hide?” Are we afraid that God (or other people) will lose their respect for us? What is the real nature of the fear? There’s great value in exploring some of the feelings that are associated with an error, and some of the barriers we build to avoid facing our mistakes and problems. Deal with the feeling of wanting to “hide” (avoidance) and you are well on the way to changing an unhealthy behavior.

9/11/11 - Q&A with God - An Introduction

Jesus answered, “I will also ask you one question; then answer Me...” (Mark 11:29)

Teachers ask students questions because they want to help them see what they know, and don’t know. Teaching is about helping others learn something new. This is why the Lord asks us questions. He wants to help us think about what we know, and don’t know. Since a life in heaven is His goal, He wants us to think about our spiritual growth, and what we need to do next. “Where are you?” (Gen. 3:9); “Where are you going? (Gen. 16:8); “Do you want to be made well?” (Jn. 5:6). The Lord asks us these types of questions because He cares about us, He cares about our soul, our eternal happiness! The four steps of repentance: examining ourselves, recognizing and acknowledging our sins, praying to the Lord for help, and beginning a new life can be viewed as questions the Lord is asking us. He asks us to face the evils “inside” (anger, hatred) and “outside” (events of 9/11) because this is the way toward healing. When we face evil we make progress. The real benefit is the good (growth) that comes out of it.

9/4/11 - Labor Day Service - Moving On...

“No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

(Luke 9:62)

The dawn of a new day provides the opportunity to “move on.” If yesterday wasn’t a good day, today will be...or so we like to think. But “moving on” is easier said than done. This is because the past and future often turn up like an uninvited guest. Past habits and memories often gate crash our efforts to do something different, and if our past experiences don’t ruin our new resolve, future worries and concerns will. “Moving on” becomes easier when we understand who the players are on the field: the evil spirits from hell (in black) lock us into the past or future. They don’t care which we choose because worry about either accomplishes the same thing - inaction. The angels from heaven (in white) dwell in the present. The evil spirits hate their opponent because they can’t control the present. They have no power over our “now.” That is why the Lord tells us to put “hand to plow” and not “look back.” The “not looking back” part means letting the POWER of the present (now) move us forward.

8/28/11 - Summer Worship Series - Traveling

Climbing

“So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him...” (Luke 19: 4)

Zacchaeus was despised by the locals because he was a tax collector and rich, but our attention is drawn to something else: his short stature. When the Lord arrived in Jericho, Zacchaeus climbed a sycamore tree to get a better view. The Lord saw him in the tree, invited him to come down, and the story ends with Zacchaeus confessing his sins, and receiving the Lord’s forgiveness - “today salvation has come to this house” (v. 9). Zacchaeus overcame his limitation (short stature) by climbing a tree. “Climbing” corresponds to our desire for greater understanding, greater clarity about the Lord and the life of religion. Moses climbed Mount Sinai to receive the 10 Commandments; Jacob saw in a dream angels climb a ladder that stretched up into heaven. Let us “climb” to the Source (Lord) for comfort and direction. Let us enter the sheepfold (heaven) by the door, and not “climb up” another way. Let your mind be lifted up “rung by rung” by the angelic influence (sphere) of truth and love found in the Lord’s Word.

8/21/11 - Summer Worship Series - Traveling

Flying

“You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.” (Exodus 19:4-5)

In today’s world, flying is such a familiar form of human travel that many of us have long since left behind the majesty and miracle of human flight. For today’s purposes, we cast our minds back to the time when flying held mystery and excitement, and even further back to the time when human beings regarded the flight of birds with dreams of one day being able to soar through the clouds.

The Word of the Lord picks up on this fascination with flight by using birds, and the wings of birds, to describe some of the Lord’s blessings. “Those who wait on the Lord…shall mount up with wings like eagles…” (Isaiah 40:31). “The woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness” (Revelation 12:14). Whenever flying is mentioned in the Word, it symbolizes the kind of insight that the Lord can give us. Flying means to perceive and to understand. It stands for the clear vision that the Lord can give us when we “rise up” as it were, and see things from a higher perspective. One way to bring home the message for today is to carve out time to reflect on an issue that is before you, with the specific mental image of rising up with wings of an eagle in an attempt to gain wise perspective. It may help to consider specific teachings from the Lord’s Word that might apply, and also to include a prayer for enlightenment, so that the actions which spring from this time of contemplation are more likely to be ones that the Lord can bless.

8/14/11 - Summer Worship Series - Traveling

Falling

And [they] fell down and worshipped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!”

(Revelation 19:4)

7/31/11 - Summer Worship Series - Traveling

Riding

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True.” (Revelation 19:11)

Horses feature strongly in the Word. Think of the “fiery” horses which pulled Elijah’s chariot up into heaven or Pharaoh’s “war” horses which chased after the Israelites or the four horsemen of the Apocalypse who rode on white, red, black, and pale horses. Or consider the vision of the Lord Himself riding on a white horse Whose name was “Faithful and True.” Implicit in each reference is the strength, beauty, and majesty of the animal itself! “Horses” correspond to the power of the human intellect. Our mind, our intellect, has the ability to rise above our emotions into the light of heaven itself. We can do this whenever we want, regardless of how we might be feeling at the time. By means of the “light” (truth) gained from heaven, we can look down at our situation and train our body, our emotions, our feelings, to act differently. To ride a horse, symbolically, is to put your mind on something and not let up! An enlightened understanding makes all the difference in the world - it changes lives.

7/24/11 - Summer Worship Series - Traveling

Carrying

“Then behold, men carried on a bed a man who was paralyzed...” (Luke 5:18)

If it wasn’t for his friends, the man with paralysis wouldn’t have gained access to the Lord—and wouldn’t have been healed. The Lord “saw” their faith and acknowledged the role they played in getting their friend help. Since he was paralyzed, they had to carry him in his make-shift bed. Even though most of us don’t remember it, we began life being “carried” around by our parents. We put our complete trust in them. As adults, we continue to be “carried” around, not physically, but as to our spirit. Good thoughts and feelings carry our spirit “upward,” and negative thoughts and feelings drag us “downward.” In fact, negative thoughts and feelings cause spiritual paralysis making it impossible for us to get out of “bed” (our mindset) and be a useful contributor to society. Our friends and community play a special role in encouraging us to fight the good fight. Their sphere and influence “carries” us to the true source of our spiritual healing and happiness - our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

7/17/2011 - Summer Worship Series - Traveling

Driving

“He took off their chariot wheels, so that they drove them with difficulty…” (Exodus 14:25)

Even though the command to “go forward” seemed like certain doom, the Israelites did it and the Red Sea was miraculously parted. As the people crossed over on dry ground, they looked back to discover Pharaoh’s army driving towards them in chariots, but then the wheels of the chariots fell off! Trapped in the middle, Pharaoh’s army was wiped out as the sea returned to its full depth. “Wheels” symbolize the power to go forward. The wheels falling off Pharaoh’s chariots symbolizes how the Lord’s presence (His goodness and truth) causes evil and falsity to lose its momentum. Fear, worry, anger, resentment all ride in Pharaoh’s chariots: they carry a lot of negative energy and the wrong kind of momentum which can be stopped in its tracks (wheels fall off) when we turn to the Lord for help. We’re taught, “once fear is removed hope is at hand” (AC 2694). The “small” step of not complaining or being overly negative and critical carries with it huge momentum, more than we can possibly imagine!

7/10/2011 - Summer Worship Series - Traveling

Boating

Peter said, “I am going fishing.” They said, “We are going too.” They immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. (John 21:3)

The Lord’s Word contains many references to ships and boats. Since these are used for trade and commerce, for the transportation of “goods,” we can see how boats convey the idea of teaching and communication. The Lord taught from a boat. He called His disciples from boats while they fished. He walked on the sea to a boat. Boats represent the ideas we are comfortable with, that carry our doctrine of life. But these ideas need to be challenged. They need to grow. Like the disciples who fished all night and caught nothing, we need a new approach and it’s the Lord who provides the solution: fish from the right side of the boat. Fishing from the left side represents an intellectual approach, the belief that ideas are all that matter, that we can talk our way through life. Fishing from the right side represents love, compassion, and kindness. To fish from the right side is to value people more than winning an argument or getting them to see things our way. The right side works better every time.

7/3/2011 - Summer Worship Series - Traveling

Running

"Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him." (Mark 9:15)

The Scriptures tell of individuals “running.” Abraham’s servant ran to meet Rebekah. She, in turn, ran to tell her mother the joyful news of her betrothal to Abraham. After years of separation, Esau ran to meet his brother Jacob. Peter and John ran to the tomb on Easter morning. “Running” carries with it the idea of urgency, of doing something from set-purpose. We don’t run unless we’re intent on doing something important. The individuals in Scripture ran to tell the other person something which signifies “wanting to make something known” (AC 3804). As to our spirit, we’re all runners. We’re running to communicate our intent, our desires. The goal is to run toward all that is wholesome and true (marriage, family, a life of service to others) which means we must run away from all that’s unwholesome and false (infidelity, abandonment, a life of serving self). Let our prayer be this: “I will run in the way of Your commandments, for you shall enlarge my heart” (Psalm 119:32).

6/26/2011 - Summer Worship Series - Traveling

Walking

“What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk?” (Luke 24:7)

We’re taught that “roads, walking [and traveling] in the Word represent, in the spiritual sense, realizations and advances in spiritual life” (LJ 48). Physically travelling from one location to another literally changes your state of mind; it gives you a different perspective as well as the opportunity to change or do something different, depending on the insight. Traveling is vital because it helps us “see” things or come to realizations (“aha” moments) that normally don’t occur unless we’re on the move, and “in motion.” Two of the Lord’s disciples were asked what “kind of conversation” they had as they walked the road to Emmaus. “Walking” is a form of travel that awakens our spirit. It gives us a chance to assess our life, plan the next move. When we “walk with the Lord,” like those two disciples, we open ourselves up to accepting the life He offers and living it. Simply put, walking is living. What new truth, new reality, do you wish to live as you walk with the Lord?