Yesterday we discussed the posture of Jesus and the importance of walking in humility so we can accept the kings invitation, so if we want to be able to practice this kind of lifestyle effectively we will need to lean into Gods invitation to "Sabbath Rest". As our lives get busier and the world's pressures continue to increase, so does the need for us to be diligent in practicing the spiritual discipline of rest. The Discipline of Rest God knew from the very beginning of crea

Are You Free? Freedom is a gift from almighty God. Any gift that is offered has to be accepted and opened before it can be enjoyed to the fullest. A major hindrance to people experiencing the freedom that Christ paid for is not allowing God to take the weight of guilt and shame off your shoulders. Guilt and shame can be such a heavy chain, and keeping yourself attached to that chain only eliminates your ability to enjoy the life that God intended you to have. "does that re

What's Stewardship? When we are Frugal (responsible) with our resources, we create opportunity for us to be generous to other people. Frugal does not mean stingy…. Frugal means that we are wise about where and how we use our resources. Be Frugal…. Then be generous. What Does Jesus Say? There is a very interesting passage of scripture that addresses this topic. In this passage of Luke 14 Jesus has been invited to a meal by some of the leaders in the village he is in an

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Why Serve Someone? Yesterday we discussed how being Father Focused has a transformative nature and we begin to see other the way he does as we participate in the Love and Mission of Christ our Lord. Have you ever been in a tough place and wished someone would have lend you a helping hand?..... of course you have! It is in that spirit that we offer to someone that we know an opportunity for one less thing to worry about. What Can I Do? The EMPOWERING practice that we are work

Why Examine? Yesterday we discussed "Being Present" with God and others and "Repenting" from our failures to "love someone" the way God loves us. this is not new to the human condition, To illustrate how Israel had failed to measure up to his standard, God gives Amos a vision: This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. And the LORD asked me, “What do you see, Amos?” “A plumb line,” I replied.

Yesterday we discussed "Recognizing The Truth" that Jesus is trying to reveal in our lives, but maybe you are struggling to see that the truth of the "good news" is actually an active reality in your own life. This week's practice is one that is relatively straight forward but if done correctly it can really help you focus. Start this practice by thinking about letters to people in your life and what you might say to them. Consider what the purpose of a letter is and why you

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What is Psalm 23? We can see and feel the difference between our God and what is happening in this world, Psalm 23 is one of the most beautiful expressions of the God we serve and His kingdom found in scripture. It shows God caring for us, providing for us, blessing us, and leading us even in trying circumstances. The God of psalm 23 is generous. Because of Gods generous provision, protection and care we have nothing that we lack. God invites us to find rest, to be refreshed

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God." Psalm 42:1 You may ask yourself, why is it important for Christians to participate in regular devotions? I have found, when we are committed to the pursuit of something and want to be steadfast and faithful to it, we must be devoted to it. The most important thing we have to be devoted to is our relationship with God. Maybe you need to start living your live "Devoted to God" or maybe you are tying to

There is a spiritual gift that comes from the Spirit called hospitality, maybe you can think of someone who is exceptionally gifted in that area, someone who sets the example for you. One of the realities of spiritual gifts is that in some way each of us carries each of the gifts they just may not be as dominant as the others in our lives. So for me personally I am gifted with teaching, preaching, and prayer as my dominant gifts and hospitality is most certainly not in my t

Why Examine? To illustrate how Israel had failed to measure up to his standard, God gives Amos a vision: This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb line in his hand. And the LORD asked me, “What do you see, Amos?” “A plumb line,” I replied. Then the Lord said, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer. ( Amos 7:7-8 ) The Decisions We Make Every day we are required to mak

What Is Invitation? There is a spiritual gift that comes from the Spirit called hospitality, maybe you can think of someone who is exceptionally gifted in that area, someone who sets the example for you. One of the realities of spiritual gifts is that in some way each of us carries each of the gifts they just may not be as dominant as the others in our lives. So for me personally I am gifted with teaching, preaching, and prayer as my dominant gifts and hospitality is most cer

The focus of advent season is centered on story, specifically the story of God moving and working and the importance of it. This week's practice is a culmination of what advent is all about, giving people the story of God by sharing our faith..... specifically without embarrassment. It should come as no surprise that the goal of this week's practice is to....share your faith .....with someone ....without embarrassment. All that is left is to discern Why? How? When? What D

“Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me all that I ever did.’” —John 4:39 “ And [the angel] said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples . . .’” —Mark 16:6–7a A Good Story The Holidays are a great time for storytelling. Ever since I was a child, I have loved hearing a good story. Stories univers

Yesterday we discussed listening to our heavenly father as He speaks calling over our life. Our noisy, distraction-filled world makes discerning the voice of God incredibly difficult. We are very quick to fill any moment of silence with music, podcasts, social media, etc. There's a time and a place for these things, but they often overrun every spare moment. This week, I want to challenge us to the discipline of silence and listening. This is exactly what it sounds like; it’s

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Spiritual Celebration? Prayer. Fasting. Meditation. Bible reading. These are the sorts of spiritual practices that tend to be explored most frequently when thinking about the ways in which we worship God. But, celebration? Celebration often gets left in the realm of “the world” because it’s not exclusively a spiritual discipline. And, other than a few big guys each year (hello Easter and Christmas), we tend to follow the rhythm of celebration for the culture we find ourselves

Why then, since we are watched from above by such a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of all that weighs us down, of the sinful habit that clings so closely, and run, with all endurance, the race for which we are entered. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the origin and the crown of all faith, who, to win his prize of blessedness, endured the cross and made light of its shame, Jesus, who now sits on the right of God’s throne. (Hebrews 12:1-2) Striving To The Goal When you