“So, here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.”
Romans 12:1-2 (The Message)
Dear Friends,
I have been thinking about our spiritual lives. We can easily measure our success in life by our work history, savings and retirement accounts, the place we live, and the success of our children, just to name a few.
When I watch House Hunters International, it amazes me how people can just pick up and move to a foreign country or their ability to purchase a vacation home. For some of us, that is not far from our reach, and for others that is an impossible dream. Our financial security and ability to enjoy our life weigh on us, especially as we get older.
But what about our spiritual life? Do we ever wonder:
- “How far advanced am I?”
- “Have I matured since I started on the spiritual path?”
- “On what level am I and ow do I move to the next one?”
Our spiritual growth begins with praise and worship. We worship the Lord who created the world and breathed life into all creatures. During worship we remember who we are and whose we are.
When we come to worship, I believe that we want to be moved spiritually. We want assurance of God’s presence, and we want the Holy Spirit to encourage, empower, and challenge us throughout our faith journey. We are wounded people looking for healing.
Our goal in life should be to create a balance between our physical life and our spiritual life. But how do we do that?
In the book, “Shift 2.0”, Phil Maynard says that an important shift in our spiritual life is to shift from "worship to lifestyle." He writes: “What we do in corporate worship provides the opportunity to equip people to be better worshippers the rest of the week.” He continues to remind us that we are designed to worship, and that worship includes both the offering of our lips (praise) and the sacrifice of our lives (service). Intentional worship impacts other dimensions of ministry (discipleship, hospitality, service, and generosity). Effective worship is not measured by how many people are in attendance, but instead by how many people live differently because they came.
On a corporate level, worship is about giving honor and glory to God. On a personal level, worship is about living life in a way that honors God in all that we are and do. I think this understanding is important to our spiritual life. Someitmes, I think we get so caught up in the mechanics of worship, that we forget what the true purpose of worship is.
There is a Matt Redman song that describes worship in this way:
I’m coming back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus.
I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it.
When it’s all about You. It's all about You, Jesus.
What participating in great worship does for our worshipful life?
Paul Maynard believes It helps to define the answers to these lifestyle decisions:
· How I choose to use my time.
· How I choose to use the resources God has provided.
· The focus I place on loving my spouse and family.
· The way I interact with a difficult person.
· The priority I place on spending time with God.
· My faithfulness in following through on commitments.
· The excellence with which I perform the tasks of my job.
Your responses to our Worship survey will assist the Worship Committee to see how we can improve the worship experience for you. In the meantime, I urge you to go out this summer worshipping God wherever you find yourself. Give praise and honor to the way God is revealing himself to you in all your day-to-day activities.
I thank God for you,
Pastor Kathy Nealand
“ For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So, they have no excuse for not knowing God.” Romans 1:20
“So, if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:1-2
“I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2
“Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’?” Matthew 21:42
"Walk by the Spirit . . . led by the Spirit . . . live by the Spirit . . . keep in step with the Spirit." Galatians 5:16, 25
“[Paul Gives Thanks to God] I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge.” -1 Corinthians 1:4-5
“Honor the Lord with your substance and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” Proverbs 3:9-10
As we begin a new season in the church, it is good and right to think about what we mean when we pray “give us this day, our daily bread.” It is all about God’s provision. If we see God as a parent, we know that if we have a need, God will provide exactly what we need. The scripture verse above proves the case. Ask and it will be given to you. Knock and the door will be opened.
All children are precious to God. Psalm 139 speaks to God knowing us before we were born. At our conception we are “children of God.” We belong to God by way of grace. However, it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we know that we are children of God (John 1:12). To acknowledge that we are children of God is a sign that our rebirth from above has begun to take place in our lives. It says that we accept the fact that regardless of our age, we need and want to be parented by our heavenly Father.
“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:8-9, NIV)
