First week through John

Met with Adam today. He had a great insight on the first 7 chapters of John. Food and water, food and water - this seems to be a recurring theme. His insight was that Jesus continues to show us he can take care of the needs that we face. Man talk about relevant for today and something we all face.

I would not have gotten that insight without partnering up. Thanks Adam.

Day One: Partnering Up Through John

Had my first meeting with Adam yesterday. It was great. We read the first chapter of John together and answered the question on the study Guide. (available soon on the website if you did not pick one up) We are going to text each other each day on one thing gained from the day's chapter and then meet next week face to face. I know face to face is a little low tech but it is fun.

I encourage you to partner up with someone. Take a chance, we really do need each other.

Walking the Line

I want to encourage everyone to read Romans 6 with me. Paul expresses in a wonderful way the freedom that is found when we walk with Christ. Freedom - to live a life: Beyond the Limit!

Romans 6 (The Message)

When Death Becomes Life

So what do we do? Keep on sinning so God can keep on forgiving? I should hope not! If we've left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Or didn't you realize we packed up and left there for good? That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land!

That's what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we're going in our new grace-sovereign country.

Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer at sin's every beck and call! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ's sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word. When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us. From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That's what Jesus did.

That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don't give it the time of day. Don't even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time—remember, you've been raised from the dead!—into God's way of doing things. Sin can't tell you how to live. After all, you're not living under that old tyranny any longer. You're living in the freedom of God.

What Is True Freedom?

So, since we're out from under the old tyranny, does that mean we can live any old way we want? Since we're free in the freedom of God, can we do anything that comes to mind? Hardly. You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and it's your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you've let sin tell you what to do. But thank God you've started listening to a new master, one whose commands set you free to live openly in his freedom!

I'm using this freedom language because it's easy to picture. You can readily recall, can't you, how at one time the more you did just what you felt like doing—not caring about others, not caring about God—the worse your life became and the less freedom you had? And how much different is it now as you live in God's freedom, your lives healed and expansive in holiness?

As long as you did what you felt like doing, ignoring God, you didn't have to bother with right thinking or right living, or right anything for that matter. But do you call that a free life? What did you get out of it? Nothing you're proud of now. Where did it get you? A dead end.

But now that you've found you don't have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God's gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.

Holy Spirit in Action

Here are the verses I used this Sunday in my message. God, the Holy Spirit, is alive and active. Take a step with Him!


How He moved in the Old Testament.
(before Jesus came)

Came upon...
Gideon in Judges 6:34 (New International Version)
"Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him."

Samson in Judges 14:6 (New International Version)
"The Spirit of the LORD came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done."

David in 1 Samuel 16:13 (New International Version)
"So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.


Spirit came upon... (filled)

The Apostles and others
Acts 2:1-4 (New Century Version)
"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a noise like a strong, blowing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw something like flames of fire that were separated and stood over each person there. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak different languages by the power the Holy Spirit was giving them."

Paul's teaching to us
1 Corinthians 3:16 (New Century Version)
"Don't you know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?"

Spirit comes on you... proceeded by cleansing and forgiveness by Jesus
Acts 2:38-39 (The Message)
"Peter said, 'Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to you and your children, but also to all who are far away—whomever, in fact, our Master God invites.'"

Roles of the Holy Spirit

Spirit bears witness (testifies)
Romans 8:16 (New Century Version)
"And the Spirit himself joins with our spirits to say we are God's children."

1 John 3:24 (New Century Version)
"The people who obey God's commands live in God, and God lives in them. We know that God lives in us because of the Spirit God gave us."

Teaches you...
John 14:26 (New Century Version)
"But the Helper will teach you everything and will cause you to remember all that I told you. This Helper is the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name."

Luke 12:12 (New Century Version)
"At that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you must say."

Guides in truth...
John 16:13 (New Century Version)
"But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all truth. He will not speak his own words, but he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is to come."

Reveals Biblical truth...
1 Corinthians 2:10 (New International Version)
"...but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. 
 The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God."

Prays for us...
Romans 8:26 (New Century Version)
"Also, the Spirit helps us with our weakness. We do not know how to pray as we should. But the Spirit himself speaks to God for us, even begs God for us with deep feelings that words cannot explain."

Why did Jesus have to leave?

John 16:7-10 NCV
"I have told you these things now so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you these things at the beginning, because I was with you then. Now I am going back to the One who sent me. But none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' Your hearts are filled with sadness because I have told you these things.

"But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go away. When I go away, I will send the Helper to you. If I do not go away, the Helper will not come. When the Helper comes, he will prove to the people of the world the truth about sin, about being right with God, and about judgment. He will prove to them that sin is not believing in me. He will prove to them that being right with God comes from my going to the Father and not being seen anymore."

Worshipping Together - Apart

The world seems so quiet blanketed in a white layer of snow and ice. No cars, no place to go, no deadlines. I have a pause in my life today. What will I do with it? I will be honest with you, I sat in bed and was making a list of all the things that I am behind on. Time to get caught up! But I don't want to miss out on what God has for me!

Today God has given me the opportunity to rest and worship. During this advent season we want to worship Christ fully. Today we worship together even as we are scattered all over. For me, worship has taken the form of quietness before God. A heart of thankfulness for all I have and not a concern for all I need.


Today we can worship as a real church together - apart - much like the first century church.


I want to give you a word to contemplate: Hope.


Our God is a God of Hope.


Stay warm, stay safe, and lets worship Christ fully together - apart.

Facebook

So Ric wanted me to be his friend on facebook... well to do that I had to open an account. (check it out here) So they want a picture and info about who you are and all that kind of stuff. So I did it. Next thing I know I get about 20 emails saying all these people want to be my friend. HEY I am popular- who new? Weird how an email saying someone wants to be your friend in cyberspace can make you feel good.

Do you know what it REVEALED to me? We all hunger for connection, for community. That is God's design for all of us to be in connection with Him and with each other. I want Real Life to be a face to face not cyberspace facebook. (Wow, there's a lot of "face" in that sentence but you get it right?).

I love reading the devotionals and the blogs from people. I feel connected- face to face- if you know what I mean. When we share in the fast next week (whether you fast food of something else) we will be doing it together in community- face to face. We really are living out the "Acts Church" life- all out for God and each other.

Just real 24/7/365

Walking a new road - GRACE

I was reflecting today on Paul's encounter with God on the road that changed his life. We can have a wrong image of God and that can lead us down a wrong road. I so hunger for God to continue to reveal himself to me. It seems that I need that continually or I find myself inserting my made up reflection of God and that can lead me down a wrong road.

I am so glad that we are doing this together. I can't wait for next week when we will have devotions written by many of you. And the fast is coming YEAH!!! No, really.

Plan on coming to Neewollah for some fun this Friday (and candy) --- the fast is coming.

see you then
J

Getting connected in community

Part of the goal of the Reveal series is to allow God to reveal himself in our lives in community. We want to do this together. On Sunday night, the 19th, we are have a gathering called "Talk about it". If you feel a little disconnected, looking to get to know some people better or desire to hear what God is doing at Real Life and in the lives of people; man, let me tell ya, don't miss out on this!

I can feel disconnected. I want to get to know some people better- soooo I really need you! So come on help a brother out, ok? I don't want to go through life alone. I want to share this amazing crazy journey. I NEED YOU! No guilt though, ok? I don't want to whine! I am just passionate about what God is doing. Can't wait to get together.

P.S. I am bringing some killer Chili. (mild, I have a delicate palette)

See you there

P.S.S. The picture doesn't really match what I'm talking about, but I think it's cute- My baby girl is growing up.

Reveal

This week as a community of Christ followers, we are looking to God to reveal himself to each of us in remarkable ways. Here are some suggested readings in God's word to help us along the way.

Reveal

Explore John’s portrayal of some of the special aspects of the character or work of Jesus.

1. Son of God 1:1-14
2. Son of Man 2:1-10
3. Divine Teacher 3:2-21
4. Soul Winner 4:7-29
5. Great Physician 5:1-9
6. Bread of Life 6: 32-58
7. Water of Life 7:37
8. Defender of the Weak 8:3-11
9. Light of the World 9:1-39
10. Good Shepherd 10:1-16
11. Prince of Life 11:1-44
12. King 2:12-15
13. Servant 13:1-10
14. Councilor 14:1-3
15. True Vine 15:1-16
16. Giver of the Holy Spirit 16:1-15
17. Prays on our Behalf 17:1-26
18. Model in Suffering 18:1-11
19. Uplifted Savior 19:16-19
20. Conqueror of Death 20:1-31
21. Restorer 21:1-17

Lessons from the trail

WOW! Hells canyon was awesome. That was the toughest trip I have ever been on.

You can learn a lot through difficulty. When you are in unknown territory, you have to follow a trail. Water- it seems so simple but run out of it and it becomes the biggest thing on your mind. I am so glad I was not alone, the truth is I would not of made it home by myself! Life is meant to be shared, our faith journey is meant to be shared.

In the coming weeks I invite you to join me in community as we ask God to reveal Himself to us. When God reveals Himself, He also reveals things about ourselves- unknown territory.

What do you want God to reveal to you about Himself?
What do you want God to reveal to you about youself?

Are you ready to experience something great? Then lets head into unknown territory and allow God to REVEAL.