Are You Afraid To Pray Big Prayers?
What kind of prayers do you pray? Do you go all out and pray those big prayers with boldness? Or, do you pray within the limits of what you think you are capable of? If so, you are limiting the God who is limitless! Think Bigger What kind of kid were you? Were you a dreamer, or were you confined by the limits of your mind? My oldest son had the opportunity at age 7 to have a Make a Wish. The hospital that we received treatment had set us up with representatives from Make a Wish, and we had a meeting with them, my son, myself and my husband. It was quite memorable. They approached my son and explained this idea in terms that he would understand at his age. “I remember the woman saying whatever you can possibly think of that you would want, think bigger. Think as big as you can!” My husband and I looked at each other with a knowing side eye. Clearly this woman does not know our son. He does not need any encouragement to dream big. We knew this conversation was about to get good, and it did not disappoint. Evan’s first wish was a limo driver for life. How did a 7-year-old who had a mother who drove him everywhere he needed to go think to wish for this, you ask? We were not sure either. I guess a limo was a huge step up from the Chevy Traverse I was ubering him around in, but the look on the woman’s face was priceless. She had to find a way to break the news to him that it was not a wish her organization was capable of granting. Keep Thinking She opened herself up again for a second attempt. He made a counteroffer that included an installation of an indoor outdoor pool in our yard. He went on to explain how cool it would be to get in the pool from the inside and swim under the wall, and then be instantly enjoying his outdoor pool as well. It was hard for my husband and I to keep a poker face as we watched intently on how she would gracefully let him down a second time. She was clearly experienced at dealing with children and set the stage for one more attempt at a wish that we could all agree on and would also make him happy. He was unfazed by his previous two rejected wishes and continued to dream big, just as he was originally instructed. I could tell in his voice that this request was indeed a third option, but would still satisfy. With all the confidence in the world, he decided to settle on an RV/motor home. We had a camper at the time, but it was a pull behind, and he could not ride in it, or most importantly, could not use the restroom while we were travelling. At this point, the woman realized that she was clearly underestimating this little person, and she gently referred to the written rules of Make A Wish, which only forbids a few things. They will not pay off mortgages, purchase vehicles, or purchase motor homes. My thought was that this clause was inserted for a reason. Evan wasn’t the biggest dreamer they had ever seen. Now We’re Getting Somewhere She suggested that maybe he wished for something like a trip to Disney World. He thought for a moment. It was definitely on his bucket list, but he was willing to follow her train of thought, and the two of them settled on a family vacation to a Beaches resort with a limo ride to the airport, since the promise of a limo driver for life was off the table. As I reflect on this story, I think of my own 7-year-old self. I do not think I would have been brave and confident enough to ask for something so big. I would have had many self limiting thoughts. Furthermore, I would not have wanted to put anyone out, even though they were offering. I would probably have wished for a bicycle and had the woman tell me to wish bigger. Don’t Hold Back As an adult, I find myself still holding back in so many ways. I am reluctant to wish big, to dream big and, most importantly, to pray big. I realized very recently that I pray small, sad little prayers. Not only that, but I have been through some hardships and I tend to assume the worst. So, I want to be prepared for hardship, pain, loss, and disappointment. If I pray tiny prayers, then I do not put myself in the position to be let down by God. It occurred to me that with this self-limiting mindset, I am often falling short of what God is willing to do. Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” Mark Batterson author of “Circle Maker” said “I would rather pray really big and get half of it than pray really tiny and get all of it.” So ask yourself, are you confident in the Lord? Pray big!! Pray boldly!! You may ask for a limo driver for life and end up with an unforgettable family vacation on the beach. That is definitely better than a bike! Do you need prayer? Submit Your Prayer Request and our Prayer Warriors will pray for and with you.
Is It Too Good To Be True?
We all love a good movie based on a real story, even if it seems too good to be true. They often inspire us to look more into the story they were based on, which can be dangerous. All of a sudden, we find the heart-warming story we just learned about for the past 2 hours wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. After all, some stories need to be cleaned up a bit for the big screen. A little embellishment here or there can keep the heart of the story intact while making it a better watch. Spoiler Alert If Rudy is your favorite movie, you might want to stop reading. I’m going to burst a bubble. If you’re unfamiliar with the movie, Rudy tells the story of a college student who desperately wanted to play football for his beloved Notre Dame team, but he didn’t quite have the skills to do so, especially for a program like Notre Dame. Rudy makes it on as a walk on and puts all of his efforts into practice, but never comes close to sniffing the field. He’s running out of time to play because he’s a senior and the season is coming to a close. Making the team as a walk on was one thing, but his real dream was to get on the field. There’s this iconic scene in the movie where one of the captains walks into the coach’s office to lay down his jersey. He wants Rudy to dress in his place. The coach doesn’t know what to think and tells the captain to snap out of it. Several more players flood into the office to do the same – lay their jersey down and say they want Rudy to dress in their place. It’s such a feel good moment. There’s only one problem – it never happened. It’s too good to be true. Several players from that 70s Notre Dame team gave interviews about their thoughts about the movie Rudy. Many of them mention that specific scene, probably because it’s so iconic and central to the movie. They all said it never happened. In fact, the real coach was quoted as saying, “If a player ever laid his jersey on my desk like that, he would never get it back.” How’s that for heart-warming? The Reality We’re drawn to these stories of sacrifice because they aren’t the norm. Most people are looking out for number one, or merely trying to survive. There’s no margin to sacrifice for another. The scene was beautiful for the movie, but it doesn’t reflect reality. It was too good to be true. Romans 5:6-8 says: For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person – though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die – but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. That scripture reflects a truth we all know – we’re unwilling to die for others. Outside our immediate family, I bet the list of people you would die for is pretty short. And I know it doesn’t include people you don’t know, or furthermore, people you do know and can’t stand. The passage also reflects something that sounds too good to be true, like a movie based on a true story that has to clean up the unseemly parts. God, became flesh, and came to this earth to die for those who were opposed to Him? There’s no way. No one would do that. We don’t even want to die for a good person – how could someone, especially God, die for the worst of the worst? That’s God’s love on full display. He didn’t wait for us to clean ourselves up. He died for us while we were still sinners. It’s not too good to be true. In fact, it can be true for you when you give your life to Him.
Mind Your Own Business
Mind your own business! Anyone ever tell you this? Or maybe it’s something you have said out loud, or thought in your head? Any way you slice it, it doesn’t come off very gracious. But sometimes when we get sidetracked from “what we are doing” because someone else has stepped in our way or questions our plan, this phrase could easily flow off our tongue. What’s complicated is when that someone is God. Although it should be tougher to tell Him to mind His own business, I bet there are times we all have. We create a plan for our life and chart a map of our future, or at least what we hope our future will look like. But when our plotted course sets sail in a direction never purposed by God and all our striving hits roadblock after roadblock, are we able to shift our mindset and be open to a path we didn’t expect to be on? What if we paused, laid it before God and asked for His wisdom? What keeps us from letting go of “our” way and more readily walk in His? Proverbs 3: 5-6 encourages us to lean on Him: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. (NIV) Submitting all our ways to Him, doesn’t mean we can’t have input. God allows us to try things, to enjoy new experiences, and even helps us endure hard seasons. But, if we keep going day by day, feeding our own desires, never asking God what He has for us—we are going to miss the best parts. We all have beautiful gifts and abilities from God. I don’t want to waste them, do you? As followers of Christ, He is the only navigator we need. We can trust His leading even when we can’t see the entire path ahead of us. In scripture, we learn that our ways and thoughts don’t always line up with His: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV) At your next planning meeting (with yourself), try a fresh approach. Invite the Lord to sit at your table and ask Him for wisdom as you formulate your thoughts. Seek His guidance for any perimeters He may set for you. And most importantly, allow Him full access to “your business.” It will mean putting God in the driver’s seat and you rejoicing as a passenger. As you release control you will gain so much more. You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3 (ESV)
Is Following God A Waste Of Time?
Have you ever invested time, money, or energy, or maybe all 3 into something, and then found out later it was a waste of time? Maybe you thought it was not worth what you put into it. How did that make you feel? Some Super Bowl commercials stick in your memory a long time. Over 20 years ago, E-Trade was a 5-year-old company that made a commercial with a monkey and two old guys all clapping off beat. During the last 5 seconds, they said, “Well, we just wasted 2 million dollars.” That was the cost of 30 seconds of air time during the big game that year. They urged their viewers to not waste their own money how they had. Looking a little deeper, you might find it wasn’t as much of a waste as they had let on. E-Trade was a newer company back then, providing a platform to buy stocks and options from the comfort of your own home, as the internet and personal computers were finding their way into more homes. They had a net profit of $671 million dollars the year of that “2 million dollar waste” commercial. They also added over 1 million new accounts – more than double the previous year. We might look at the commercial as a waste, but they were laughing all the way to the bank. They weren’t paying for a quality commercial or for 30 seconds of fame. They knew that money would go toward something of far greater value and return to them ten times over. How Do You Know Following God Is Worth It? In Matthew 13:45-46, Jesus says, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” In the short parable, Jesus tells of a man who found something that held such great value that it was worth trading in all he owned. I bet some of his merchant buddies thought, “what a waste” or “what are you thinking?!” He saw the greater value behind it and knew it was worth the cost up front of all he could offer. What would you do in that situation? Would you risk it all? Jesus says the Kingdom of Heaven is like that. It’s worth laying down everything, so we can take hold of it. Others may look at you and think, “what a waste.” All that time and money you put toward that God stuff – it isn’t worth it. But we have tasted and have seen that it is worth it. It’s worth everything we could offer and more. We’re getting the better end of the deal, if you could even call it that. Jim Elliot was a missionary who died doing his work and was famous for saying, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Let that sink in. No matter how you look at it, we’re all spending our lives on something. If we’re brutally honest, we see a lot of those things don’t hold their value for long. The memories fade. The clothes wear out. The things break. Spend your life on what matters and what holds value beyond this life. Jesus shows us the way in this parable, and was willing to give us His life so that we could grasp the greatest thing this world cannot offer – eternal life with our Heavenly Father. Where Do You Start? If you are looking for a place to start living a life with value, check out Rooted. Rooted is a 10-week life-changing experience where you will connect with God, the church, and your purpose. Learn and practice 7 rhythms essential to a healthy relationship with Jesus and build strong roots in the truth of God’s Word, the Bible. You were made for a purpose! Here are some Missions that are always looking for volunteers. Find one or more that break your heart and dive in! We encourage you to take that first step and just start. It will not be a waste of time. Following God is not a waste of time.
How To Improve Your Relationships
Taking The First Step To Improve Your Relationships As an adult, I took a step and began attending a bible teaching church. Now, I not only believe in God, but desire to know Him personally. He drew me to scripture, Bible study, and yes, even stirred an appetite to never miss church services. My relationship with Jesus continues to be more and more important to me. The more I learn, the more I want to learn. The empty place in my soul is now overflowing with His amazing grace! He put the offer on the table, and I seized it. Will you? I almost forgot the best part—it was free. Now, we know not every relationship lasts forever. Some end because of distance or a change in interests. There is a portion we lose because of arguments, betrayals, or misunderstandings. Even though some end, each shaped something in your life. Relationships are at the forefront of our lives and it takes work to improve your relationships. Whether it be our family, friend circle, church family, or a ministry in which we serve, each one of these relationships has meaning and purpose. We value these connections and, therefore, nurture them. We take time to grow closer and share in each other’s joys and sorrows. They aren’t always easy, but when watered with honesty, love, time, and commitment, they bloom into beautiful blessings. “and let’s consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds,” – Hebrews 10:24 You Were Created For Relationship Did you know you were created for relationship? Not just with other people, but with your Creator Himself. Wow! Talk about a valuable friendship. I can’t think of any other relationship that could top the one God offers. It might be difficult to believe He is interested in us, but He is. After all, God orchestrated a perfect plan, that we might know Him for eternity. We don’t always realize this offer is on the table, do we? Growing up, I thought going to church was a chore. I treated it as something I had to do because my parents told me to. I kept going week after week because of expectations or half-explained traditions. Furthermore, I never gave a thought to “who” might wait for my presence in that big brick building with stained-glass windows. It wasn’t a place of relationship for me, but a place of obligation. Sounds terribly sad, doesn’t it? So many years wasted when I could have had so much more. But God saw me. “For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” – Zephaniah 3:17 Ask yourself, is there something within you longing for something greater? Is your soul nearing empty? God places the same offer before you. Will you take it? Walk into a genuine relationship with Him. You will find what you’ve been seeking, receive all that you need, and begin a journey of a lifetime. He sees you too. “And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” – Jeremiah 29:13 Do You Need Encouragement? We all need encouragement. One way to experience encouragement is to connect with others. Weare here for you. You are not alone. Join a Lifegroup and surround yourself with people who will lift you up and encourage your relationship with God Let Us Pray For You Talk To A Pastor
3 Steps To Becoming Debt Free
Recently, our family became completely debt-free – no mortgage, no car payments, and no credit card bills. We’ve entered into a new arena of truly enjoying our income. Since we don’t have the weight of debt, we can share our resources in significant ways with others. There are plenty of resources out there that can assist you with the money side of this journey: budgeting, interest rates, refinancing, investing, etc. If this is a journey you are ready to take yourself and debt is controlling your joy and peace, then looking into those resources is worthwhile. We were able to find some great resources through The Village Christian Church. 1. Build a Community While the first Christians began to build their church in Acts, the Bible says: “all the believers were together and had everything in common.” -Acts 2:44 NIV This was not referring to having hobbies in common, but the pooling of resources. First, be open about your goals to becoming debt-free. And be honest with your community about what you need to move forward with your goals. You’d be amazed at how God’s people show up. Investing your time in a lifegroup is one way you can build such a community. I’ve participated in and heard of lifegroups helping with bills, childcare, meals, car rides, job opportunities, Christian counsel, and the list goes on. When you are a part of a community of believers, you do not have to do this alone. Utilize the help offered, especially if it could help you put more money down on your debt. Initially, we tried doing this all on our own because we felt guilty about accepting help from others. Don’t let yourself fall into that trap. The second you aren’t paying money to interest, you can certainly have the time and resources to significantly impact someone else’s life. So, you can help someone who was once in the same position as yourself. 2. Be Prepared for Emergencies Unfortunately, trials will come your way, especially when trying to get your finances under control. Scripture says: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sister, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” -James 1:2-3 So the year of our biggest financial trials is the year we started attending The Village Christian Church. We were feeling pretty broken from all the trials we had just been through. While we built on our faith, however, our spirits were brought back to life. And we found new perseverance to keep going on. Now we are prepared for emergencies, both financially and emotionally. Trusting in God allowed us to see the hope on the other side of things. It helped us lean into our chaos, and come out better for it in the end. 3. Find Contentment Lastly, I’d like to talk about some lifestyle changes our family made to achieve our goal. These mindset changes were crucial in having the perseverance needed to tackle such large sums of money. Contentment is the best tool to becoming debt-free. As believers in Christ, we are living for the eternal, not for the ways of this world. The world wants you worrying about what you wear, how flashy your house and car are, and the trends you are participating in. Do you have the latest electronics, are your kids in the “best” programs/schools? All of these things that the world deems important cost money. Plus, they can bring you farther from your goal of becoming debt-free, especially if you are using credit to achieve them. Yet Scripture tells us, “godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” -1 Timothy 6:6-8 Find contentment and enjoyment in your relationship with God – not in the things of this world. This takes practice and self-discipline. But this results in the ability to say no to frivolous spending, and focus on what matters. Print out a few months’ worth of your spending. I guarantee you can free up a couple of hundred dollars worth of spending right off the bat. You will find the things that don’t contribute to your contentment in life, things you can live without. In Philippians, Paul says: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation…I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” -Philippians 4:12-13 NIV Always… Lean on the Lord throughout this process, and ask that he give you the strength to find contentment in this situation – the situation of becoming debt-free.
How To Be Thankful In The Challenging Times
Do you ever wonder how to be thankful when you’re going through some challenges? So many people are dealing with hard times. This blog will share ideas about being thankful. Count Your Blessings The picture was a drawing made by my son, but it has so much more significance than just colorful artwork done by a child. This particular Thanksgiving, my son Evan had been through 11 months of cancer treatment. After being home bound, he had just returned back to school and this was one of the first art projects he brought home. Now I remember that day, being so thankful for a child that was able to go to school. I was thankful that he finally had enough of an immune system to be around other kids. I was thankful that he was healthy enough to get through an entire day of school. In the previous year these were things I took for granted, and now I felt so thankful for them. As I look at this picture today I realize I could use a recalibration of my perspective on gratitude. Thanksgiving is a perfect day to hit the reset button! Choose Gratitude Over Complacency I think of the Israelites. Hungry in the desert. They had no idea what the future would hold but they were trusting God for provision. He sent down manna. Literal provision from the sky everyday. They lived with such awe and gratitude of such a simple thing provided by God. As the days piled up, they started to become complacent and even complained about the manna. The thing they were so thankful for had now become insignificant. They wanted more. They wanted meat. If you finish the story you see that God did eventually give them what they wanted, only to prove to them it would not make them happy, on the contrary, it caused misery. So I ask you, as I search my own heart today; where have you begun to take advantage of God’s blessings in your life? If we focus on “getting more” we will never feel fulfilled, but if we focus on God and thank Him for all He’s done, we will have indescribable joy. I can’t even explain it to you, but during Evan’s cancer treatment I experienced the most joy I’ve ever felt. Not because my circumstances were good. That’s for sure; but because I spent more time being aware of my need and dependency on God. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God.” – Philippians 4:6
How To Pray With Purpose
I don’t know about you, but when I pray, I pray with an expectation that something will happen. That can vary depending on the situation, but usually I’m hoping for something; an answer, wisdom, healing, opportunity, grace, mercy, favor, forgiveness…… Lately, the thing I’m wanting most from prayer is the peace, love, and serenity that comes from simply being in the presence of God. If we pray with the expectation that God, will in some way, bless us; isn’t it fair to assume that we all desire to pray with purpose? Sometimes it can feel like we are doing it all wrong. Have you ever felt like your prayers were jumbled or confusing; or maybe you trail off and get distracted or sleepy when you are praying? If you have ever felt like your prayer life could be better, stick with me! I have a few things I’d like to share with you! Have you ever asked yourself if God can and will do what He wants, why should I pray? The point of prayer is not to change God, it’s to change you. It’s about a relationship, and there is no shortcut to a relationship. It just takes time! God gave us free will, which means a relationship is up to us, and no one can do it for us. Prayer is not an activity, it’s a relationship! It is within our relationship with God that we will discover His will. When you are praying God’s will, that’s when you are really praying effective prayers. Do you ever feel like you are mumbling or are at a loss for words when you pray? There is no right or wrong way to pray, and even crying out the name “Jesus” is a prayer. There aren’t certain words that you need to use to have your prayer heard by God. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Holy Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” Romans 8:26 If God knows what you need before you ask, then why pray? “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10 God already has a great plan for your future, as promised in Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” There are blessings predestined for you in the realm of heaven. Jennifer Kennedy Dean worded it well, “The intent of prayer is to release the power of God to accomplish the purpose of God.” God’s desire is to release the best possible solution in every situation, but he requires your participation. He will let you miss it sometimes. God puts blessings in our path all day, like little wrapped presents, but if we do not open them, we do not get the joy of experiencing what is inside. Do you ever feel like you are begging God, or trying to change His mind? The secret to purposeful prayers is not how to change God, but how to be changed by Him. We can sometimes get caught up praying for a certain desired outcome that we have decided would be best. The huge problem with that is if we do not get that outcome, we believe the lie that God did not answer our prayer. A better way to pray is to work backward and ask yourself, “What is the desire of my heart?” Does it align with the will of God and His promises? Then scripture shows us, He would love nothing better than to answer our prayer. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you.” Psalm 37:4 “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Matthew 7:7 Prayer has an instant impact on the spiritual realm of heaven, no matter how unformed it may be. No need to worry or beg after you pray! Praying Perfectly As my final thought, I want to take a look at the one person who prayed perfectly, Jesus. Jesus would often sneak away to a quiet place and pray. He knew to turn down the noise of the world around him in order to hear the still small voice of his Father who loved him. Jesus was in the world and felt all the feelings you and I feel today. He dealt with sadness, betrayal, and the pain of being misunderstood, just like we do. He did not always get the “answer” to prayer that he was hoping for. It says in Matthew 26:36 “My Father, if possible, let this cup pass over me, nevertheless, not as I will but as you will.” Jesus could see the cross coming, and He did not want to suffer, but He wanted what God wanted more than what He wanted. That’s exactly what that prayer is saying. He’s being honest with God and telling him he does not want to suffer, but He wants God’s will to override His own. If he lived in 2019 he might say “Father download your will into my heart so that it overrides mine.” God is looking for an intercessor. Someone who, through prayer, is willing to stand in that gap between heaven and earth. A person willing to be a conduit through which the power of heaven can be brought to earth. Prayer is a process. God initiates it by His love for you. He will bring you into submission over the thing you want. You start by desiring something and end only desiring Him. That’s when you know your prayers are powerful. That’s when you are praying like Jesus!
How Do You Experience God’s Redemption?
How often do we feel overwhelmed, forgotten, scared, guilty, hurt, or disappointed, and yet, by the grace of God, we have been redeemed, but how do you experience God’s redemption? All we have to do is participate. Redemption, defined by dictionary.com, is an act of redeeming, rescue, or deliverance from sin. For followers of Christ, we know He is our Rescuer. Ephesians 1:7 states, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” It Hit Me The other night I was wiping down my kitchen counters for the evening, reflecting on some of the different aspects of faith and being a follower of Christ. Simple moments can bring such clarity. The idea came to me (no doubt from the Holy Spirit) that you cannot fully know the power of God’s redemption until you allow yourself to fully participate in the process of God’s redemption. Jesus is Our Rescuer. He died on the cross, bearing the world’s sins. There’s not a pain you’ve felt that He didn’t also experience. So when we find ourselves lost for one reason or another, we need only to look to Him. What If I Don’t Believe? If you are not a Christian, if you had a bad experience, if you’re not sure what to believe, if you don’t believe in any God, or whatever else, I ask you to try participating in the process of His rescue. God wants a relationship with you. No. Matter. What. Much like if you shut out a close friend trying to help you, Jesus cannot rescue you unless you participate in a relationship with Him. Actively so. I ask you to try. Try walking alongside Him, allowing Him into your heart, and letting Him guide your path. Unless you participate, you may not experience the greatest joy possible. This looks like reaching out to someone who does believe for help and mentorship. It looks like praying. A lot. It looks like reading the Bible, joining a church community, and even a church Lifegroup. How Can I Help? If you are a Christian, I encourage you to remember that those who haven’t experienced the power of redemption, cannot walk in and live from this understanding. Grace, grace, grace. Remember our call to lovingly help restore the hurt by bringing them to the One who can help, the only One who can. This looks like inviting people to church or Lifegroup. It looks like praying for them. A lot. It looks like sacrificing your comfort to show them God’s love. It looks like doing what you can to bring them to God.
How To Identify And Overcome Pride
Let’s talk about blind spots, but not the ones on the road. Today we’re talking about the blind spot of pride. Pride is easy to see in other people, and we can all think of an example of an arrogant or prideful person who crossed our path in the past. You may have heard someone glorifying their abilities and accomplishments with their own words. Or you may have witnessed a very wealthy person speak about their material possessions as the result of their hard work and success. Seeing our own pride is near impossible without some help. Where Are Your Blind Spots? It’s usually a turn-off when you encounter a bold and prideful person, but have you ever considered the idea that you too may suffer from a pride problem? If you are shaking your head as you read this, saying to yourself, I am definitely not full of pride. I actually lean more toward insecurity than pride. You may be just like me. I was sitting in church one day listening to a message on pride, tuning most of it out because it did not seem to pertain to me. Then I was struck with the convincing truth that I too had a pride problem. You can check out the Message Here. It snuck into my life as a “blind spot.” A blind spot, by definition, is just as it sounds. It’s an area where a person’s view is obstructed. In the area of pride, this simply means that you are unaware of your own sin of pride. For the arrogant professional athlete boasting to the media about his skill, the problem of pride is obvious. But have you ever failed to seek advice because you thought you already knew the answers? Have you ever sought out the advice that the world offers rather than seeking God’s truth because you place a higher value on what others think? Then you may have a pride problem. How To Identify Pride Some may call them problems or blind spots, but as Rachelle Ferguson pointed out in her message, How To Change When The Hits Keep Coming, it’s really called pride. Pride shows up in two ways We think we know when we really don’t. We take credit for God’s work in our lives. I have been guilty of seeking the advice and approval of my friends and family before God when I have had a big problem. I believe the lie that the problem is mine to solve, and seeking God’s wisdom is, sadly, sometimes the last thing I do. If I’m being really honest, when I am upset, confused, worried, or offended I will even seek the comfort and advice of the people in my life that I know will agree with me rather than the advice of those I respect, because it is easier. Joyce Meyer has a really cheesy saying, but it is so true that it has stuck in my brain for many years. She says, “before you go to the phone, go to the throne.” I know! Silly, but oh so true. When I am tempted to call a friend for some unhealthy conversation, I think of how true this statement is. Have I gone to God with this problem? If not, why? Is it because I don’t really want wisdom, I just want someone to agree with me that I am right? Ouch, that’s pride. It says in Proverbs 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” If you are truly seeking wisdom, then seek God.” Proverbs 16:5 says “The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: they will not go unpunished.” I know that sounds aggressive, but here is the point that must not be missed! God does not hate the sin of pride just because it’s unbecoming or arrogant. He detests pride because PRIDE IS A HINDRANCE TO SEEKING GOD. Where Do You Look? If you are acting in pride, you are looking inward or outward but not upward. God wants you to lean on and trust in Him in all things. This does not mean trust Him with the big things and micromanage the small things yourself. I was guilty of this myself. When my son was very sick, I found it easy to turn everything over to God. Cancer seemed so much bigger than me. I couldn’t figure it out, plan through it, or fix it. I instantly surrendered it to God. However, the smaller things seemed to cause me more stress and heartache, if you can imagine that. I believe the reason is that I decided I could be in control of the smaller things. God wants to be on the throne of your life. Pride wants to put you on the throne of your life. So spend some time reflecting, and if you find you spend your days constantly striving to make your own life better rather than focusing on the hope God has for you, you may have a blind spot, better known as pride. If you find yourself in this place, there is hope. God will help you reveal your blind spots. James 4:6-7 says “But he gives us more GRACE. That is why scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
Why You Should Say No To Busy
Do you ever feel overwhelmed with the busyness of life? Do you know why you should say no to busy? What does that even look like? Memories Of Being Carefree It’s summer, and I love everything that comes with it. I love the smell of hamburgers cooking on the grill, the tingle of sun-kissed skin after a long day of swimming, gardens filled with the hope of fresh vegetables soon, and the memories of being a carefree kid during summer. This week I saw two of my little neighbor girls sitting on a blanket, giggling and eating a popsicle. They were so carefree. So simple. So happy. It brought me back to being a kid myself in the 80s. The highlight of my summers were Disney popsicles and summer reading at the library. I was pulled from my daydream and jerked back into reality as my phone began to chime over and over. It was text messages and email reminders for everything my kids either needed to do or needed to sign up to do soon. I don’t know when we got to this place, but this summer my daughter had 3 open gym times for 3 separate sports, all in one day, and that was just school-related sports. On To The Next Activity It seems that being busy has become the new norm. Whether you are single, married, have children, or are an empty nester, you need to have a full schedule. You need to have picture-worthy date nights, vacations your friends envy, and hobbies to post about. Your kids need to be scouted by a reputable college at their little league game, and one sport or activity must now overlap the previous one. There is no room for downtime, and the busy days leave little time for more than a frozen pizza or drive-through dinner at the end of a long night. We are subconsciously fed the message that we need to do more, be more, and accomplish more. The “world” has figured out how to make us believe this lie. Algorithms are designed specifically to know what we want, what we think, what we fear, and what we desire in a matter of clicks. It’s so subtle we don’t even realize it’s happening. We are all on one big lazy river! Have you ever been on a lazy river? I will say it’s relaxing for a while. You lay back on a raft, and the current takes you. No effort is necessary on your part. You can even close your eyes and get some sun. Everyone is moving in the same direction, at the same speed, and at the same time. Then comes the moment you are ready to get out. You see the stairs coming, and you hop off your raft, but you miss it. You now have to walk against the current, pushing against other rafts, to make it to the steps to get out of this lazy river. Turn Off The Autopilot That is how I see this current season of life. Everything from audible books, to razors, to pre-packaged meals, has an “autopilot” option. Vendors want you to lock into something, so you don’t need to give it a second thought. It’s all taken care of. It’s very passive, and can be very dangerous in our spiritual life. If we are not alert to what we are passively saying yes to, then we become another floater on the lazy river. Being a follower of Christ, especially during this time in history, takes action on our part. If you are going to be a person who follows Jesus, you WILL look different from those around you. Even more difficult, if you are raising a family who follows Jesus, you will look different from those around you and that is rarely going to be easy. Jesus said in Matthew 7:13: “Enter the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Distractions Lead To Destruction The enemy knows he cannot steal our salvation, but he can distract us. He can avert our eye from God and put it on the things of the world. Many times the things that distract us are not bad per se, the problem lies when those things get priority over God. The world makes it so easy to just enter the wide gate that leads to destruction. Heck, the world will even install a lazy river, so you can float right through the gate. I challenge you to hop off your raft! Climb out of the lazy river and make an active decision to participate in the life God wants you to have, not the busy life that the world says will bring you peace, satisfaction, and success. Say no to busy. Clear up your calendar. Dare to have enough time to be bored, rest, and listen to God’s still small voice. “Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10
When It’s Hard To Trust God’s Plan
Trusting God’s Plan Whether you are the type of person who goes through life with a solid plan (and backup plan) or you fly by the seat of your pants, most of us would agree that sometimes life throws you a curveball. You have probably encountered something unexpected that seemingly tossed you off course. Perhaps it was a shifting relationship, a job loss, a health scare, or something else that left you feeling lost and uncertain. Have you found it hard to trust God’s plan? Do you find yourself questioning God? What if I told you that God welcomes your questions. When we encounter the unexpected, we often perceive it as a barrier. But in that, we are forgetting the greatness of God and His plans. Fortunately, nothing can disrupt God’s plan for us! If He establishes a barrier, He wants us to pivot. He is not keeping us from our purpose, He is ensuring it. Romans 8:28 reminds us, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” But in the pridefulness of life, we forget to trust Him wholly. Fortunately, God is not afraid of you or your questions. He welcomes them when we allow them to bring us into a closer relationship with Him. His desire is for a close and personal relationship with every one of us. He knows that through our questions we can seek Him, find Him, and discover His plans for us. Purpose of Waiting Sometimes we grow anxious and weary as we await His great reveal. However, this waiting season is purposeful. It is preparation and, as followers, we benefit from using it wisely by growing our relationship with Christ and remaining obedient. Scripture promises us that. He is growing, pushing, and preparing you because Psalm 139:14 tells us we are, “fearfully and wonderfully made.” His plan for you is a special journey meant only for you. You will be called upon to carry out tasks that others are not equipped to do. He Understands While our journeys will be unique to each of us, we know they will be filled with triumphs and hardships alike. Changes to our plans can leave us feeling devastated and lost. But we can find rest and comfort in knowing our Christ the Lord lived as a man. He understands our struggles and not once has said this would be easy. What He wants are our obedience and trust. He is asking us to submit to His plan and carry out his work. We are truly doing the Lord’s work in obeying and trusting His plan. If you find yourself struggling, remember to seek a relationship with Him daily, especially when you are questioning Him. Remember that He isn’t afraid of your questions. He knows His plan for you is a great one. Spend time with Him in prayer. Read the Word. And take time to listen and look at what He is saying to you. Psalm 40:1 says: “I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.” If you invest in your relationship with him, you are certain to see His faithfulness. The Village also offers opportunities to help you in your walk with Christ. In addition to Sunday messages, we encourage you to Serve Experience Rooted Join a Lifegroup
Life Change When God Is On The Move
Watching God on the move has been my favorite thing ever. Looking back at how life used to look, it is so encouraging knowing that life change was possible. I was such an angry person inside. Every little bother or inconvenience usually instigated a slew of curse words in my head about how lacking someone else was. I walked around my own house, which should have been a safe and welcoming place, picking apart the mistakes of my family while resentment brewed. Alcohol was a huge part of my social life. It was something I desperately clung to while interacting with others. Even when my kids would comment about how many empty white claw cans were on our counter, I didn’t care. I was selfish and living for myself, and everyone around me just fell into second place. Then Jesus Happened You can roll your eyes or think Jesus is made up and silly. You can think He isn’t here with us to show that 100% of the Bible is accurate. There is no way to produce Him physically to tell and show the miracles He is capable of doing. I get it. If you’ve ever loved someone, clung to that love, and were willing to die over that love, then you’re not too far from putting all of your eggs into the basket of faith, yourself. You can’t prove love, touch love, or produce a physical entity of love. But you sure can believe in it with all of your heart, body, and soul. God was on the move and Jesus came into my life. Slowly but surely, so many negative things were stripped out of my life: Anger was peeled back, giving way to thankfulness. Bitterness was quietly replaced with forgiveness behind the scenes. My attitude that things were never good enough changed to humbling, unbelievable gratitude to our God for the people and blessings He’s placed in my life. From there, the rest was history. God Moves And Change Takes Place Once you experience the weight being lifted off your shoulders, you are eager for more. I dove into reading His Word (I highly recommend the New Living Translation for new readers) and immersed myself in studying the Bible. I watched relationships renew, gratefulness emerge, and my own life transform into something better. My quiet scorn was replaced with a smile, and I didn’t realize it, but I hadn’t rolled my eyes in months. A year ago, I was focused on material objects, partying, having what appears to be a perfect life, jealousy, and so many selfish desires and goals. Today, I have faith that God directly intervened in my life to save me. The happiness I have experienced from having a relationship with Jesus is just as valid as the love a parent has for their kids. It’s tangible, unbreakable, and without a doubt – REAL! Is There More To Life? The answer is yes – there is. Pick up a copy of the Bible and read it, search for it online, or download the YouVersion Bible App on your phone. I was told by a few incredible Christian friends to start with the New Testament and see where God leads you. Read it. It is filled with a literal blueprint of how to live your life and how to find a better way, a better place, a better purpose. In doing so, I have full faith that you will be able to: “throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception.” Ephesians 4:22 and instead, find yourself with a: “…new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” Ephesians 4:24 I know I did. I would love for everyone to know what a better life they would have if they just read it. After all, you can’t knock something you don’t know anything about, right? I challenge you to get to know the Bible and Jesus’s love and make your decision only after that. God is there, patiently waiting on the other side. He is ready and willing to change your life, just as He so lovingly did to mine. All you have to do is open a book. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17
Prayer Tips
Do you ever feel like you’re just coasting in your spiritual life or not feeling connected to God? Do you struggle to be intentional with Him during life’s busy seasons and let your time for prayer fall through the cracks? Most of us struggle with being too short on time and being too busy to notice. But this is a reminder that your prayer life shouldn’t wait. What if I told you planning time for prayer daily could change your life for the better? With the new year, I know many of us are feeling the need to “get back on track.” In our spiritual lives, prayer is an area we should never neglect, but sometimes it’s the first to be delayed. It’s an area I’ve struggled with greatly but am determined to change this year. Between advice from mentors and friends to my discipleship study, I’ve got a list of ideas below on how to help you. Remember: You don’t have to try and use them all (or any). These are just ideas! Take What Works And Leave The Rest If you are struggling with the motivation to pray, don’t let that stop you! Not praying doesn’t hide our excuses from God. If you feel overwhelmed, bored, or distracted, bring THAT to your Father. (Hint: He already knows!) He loves you and wants to help you. You can pray about this struggle and because it aligns with His will to be in relationship with you, He will help you! Consider when you can schedule daily prayer time, even if it’s only for 5 minutes. Schedule it and stick to it. Figure out the excuses you tell yourself and start to recognize when you’re using them. Start with a time you’ll be successful in using. Set an alarm on your phone for halfway through your lunch break. Put a post-it note on your bathroom mirror. Whatever it takes, schedule your time and get creative in reminding yourself. Plan your prayers. This concept was foreign to me when I first heard about it. Pray scripture? Pray a prayer I pre-wrote? Take down bulleted points so I don’t forget? It didn’t feel “right” at first. It felt like…cheating or taking the easy route. Until I realized that prayer is so much about intentionality. You can even find prayer planners to help with this if that’s your style; that’s what I’m trying this year! Track your progress. This one might sound strange, but if you write out your prayers, you can also write down when and how they are answered. Or you could write down other ways God is working in your life. Talk about a motivator! Pick a designated place to pray. This can help build a habit of prayer, making consistency easier. Ask an accountability partner to check in with you weekly. Choose wisely: a fellow believer who will take it seriously. This can help keep you on track, serve as a reminder, and encourage you. This includes calling upon the Holy Spirit. Ask the Spirit to build excitement in your heart for prayer! Keep Your Prayers Simple Don’t feel like you need a whole bunch of right words or fancy words. Keep your prayers simple if you need that. Matthew 6: 5-8 outlines a life of prayer, and verse 8 specifically reminds us that: “your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” Most important: Remember, you don’t have to be perfect in your prayer life! You don’t have to use all of these tips…or any. It’s about building a prayer life that keeps YOU connecting with your Father. As you build towards a better prayer life and relationship with God, any steps you take towards improving this will bring about good change.
Sharing The Hope Of Jesus
I have a friend I’ve known for over 20 years who asked me why I was always in a good mood. He said I always come to work with a smile. No matter what life threw at me, I always seemed to take it in stride. I responded with, “I don’t know. I guess I’m just getting older and discovering things aren’t always as bad as they appear. No matter how upset I get, the problem is still there to deal with, so what’s the point in getting all worked up?” Now that wasn’t a terrible response, but I failed to see the sharing opportunity that God presented. I didn’t take time to explain that the change in me is the work of Jesus. I didn’t explain that despite my best efforts at a young age to screw my life up, God had forgiven me of all my shortcomings and helped put my life back together. Simply put, I wasn’t prepared to answer the question. Prepare How do you respond when someone asks you about the hope you have? What do you tell someone when they are picking up the pieces to their broken marriage? How do you encourage that friend that just lost a loved one? Sharing the hope of Jesus starts with being prepared. Our key text today is found in 1 Peter 3:15, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” The first question to ask yourself is, do I have hope? This is important because it determines your next step. The Next Step If you don’t know what it is to have hope in Jesus, then your next step is to start by building your life on a solid foundation by placing your faith and trust in Jesus. If you do have hope in Jesus, then your next step is to share that hope. The final commandment that Jesus gave before He ascended into Heaven is found in Matthew 28:19, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” What Holds You Back From Sharing Fear… of what will others think? Rejection…What if others don’t like me? What if I’m laughed at or called a Jesus freak? You’re afraid you will lose friends or business opportunities. I know that’s scary, but look at what Jesus had to say about this… “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven,” – Matthew 5:11-12 Lack of Knowledge…None of us feel like we are equipped to answer the tough questions. But, if you’re a Christian, you’ve probably heard the gospel many times. Yet, many of us still struggle to articulate it in a memorable and understandable way. Apathy…Some of us just don’t care much for lost people. We wouldn’t ever say it out loud, but our priorities and lives reveal it. Our schedules are too busy to interact and engage with those who don’t know Christ. We rarely pray for lost people in our neighborhoods and workplaces. Lost people are a low priority. We have been commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ, who sits at the right hand of God Almighty, to go and make disciples. So why would we allow these things to keep us from doing what Jesus has commissioned, empowered, and commanded us to do? How Do I Share? The best way to share the gospel is to ensure you are living a Godly life. Non-Christians often view Christians as hypocritical because we say one thing and do another. It’s important that we live a life above reproach and one that is honoring and pleasing to God. At the same time, we must do more than live Godly lives. People need to hear about a God that loves them, they need to know that Christ died for them. Oftentimes, when I ask someone about sharing the gospel, they immediately want to charge in with, “Christ died for your sins. You need to accept Him as your Lord and Savior,” and you wouldn’t be wrong if this is your approach. People certainly need to place their faith and trust in the Lord. But if they don’t understand the need for it or the value of it, they may tend to procrastinate or not do it at all. If I came up to you and said, “Hi, I’m Charlie and I want to tell you about this awesome doctor I know. He has one degree from the University of Washington and another from Harvard Medical School and you should go see him right away.” You’d probably look at me like I have two heads and think, that’s great, but why do I need a doctor? My point here is that when sharing the hope of Jesus, we should start at the beginning, so people will see the full picture. This will help them to better understand their need for a Savior. Four Simple Steps To Sharing The first step is to start with the story of creation found in Genesis… Perfect Creation – God created a perfect paradise and at the center of this perfect creation, He made humans. God’s plan from the beginning was for us to live in perfect harmony with Him, with each other, and with the Earth. So what happened?! Terrible Fall – Instead of living happily ever after, in the perfect garden God created, Adam and Eve decided to break the one boundary God had given them. He told them they could eat from any tree but one. He wanted them to have a choice in their obedience so they could freely choose to follow. But instead, they chose to rebel against God’s commands. The real rebellion was not that they ate a
Top Ten Ways You Can Serve
Serve others – that is at the core of who we are as a church. In fact, it’s so important that it’s part of our church mission – to be a catalyst for Life Change, Life Growth and Life Purpose! Life Purpose is all about doing what God created you to do, which is to serve and help others! Reach people in need, love the world around you, support others and provide a sense of hope in a world that’s sometimes hard to handle. “But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and truth.” 1 John 3:17 Top Ten Ways You Can Serve Today: 1. Help your family. (Romans 12:10) Make dinner, vacuum, do laundry, …there are lots of opportunities! It’s easy to forget that the ones we need to serve the most are often the ones closest to us. Try it today by asking, “How can I help you?” 2. Volunteer at church. (Peter 4:10-11) Everybody gets to participate, and we all get to be part of what God is doing! How great is that? There are many serving teams at The Village to give you an opportunity to serve where you’re interested and gifted. Use what God has uniquely given to you to serve Him and the needs of others. So many ministries come together to make The Village a great experience, and our church would not be possible without the help of MANY volunteers. Where can you jump in? 3. Donate stuff. (Matthew 25:46) Most of us have more than we need, so take an inventory and clear out the clutter. Then donate to someone that needs help! 4. Send a note to thank or encourage someone. (1 Thessalonians 5:11) Take a minute to think about someone you can thank or someone that may be going through a difficult time. Then write a short email, text or send a card because you can make a huge difference! 5. Provide A Meal . (Acts 20:35) People go through difficult times due to a birth, surgery, illness, etc. Because of this, they may need help. This is a way to show compassion and provide help by cooking or purchasing a meal for them. 6. Feed families at our mobile food pantries (John 12:26) We host these mobile food pantries starting in the spring through the fall in Minooka, Seneca and Braidwood / Coal City. These trucks provide food, bread, dairy, meats, veggies and more for families in need in the communities. Examples of what you can do include unpacking the food from the truck and setting it on tables, handing out food, carrying baskets, and breaking down boxes. There is a lot to do and for all ages. It’s a great way to serve with the family! 7. Give a compliment. (1 Timothy 6:18) Most people like to be recognized for their accomplishments. Be generous with your words and give a compliment. Look for opportunities every day. 8. Listen. (James 1:19) Take time to sit with your kids, a friend, your spouse, or a neighbor and just listen to them. Really listen without distraction and show them they are important. Spending time with someone can be such a great gift. 9. Babysit for free. (Hebrews 13:16) Do you know a single mom that could use some time for herself or to get errands done? Or maybe a young couple that could use a date night? If you do, this is an easy way to serve that can provide a much needed break. 10. Commit a random act of kindness. (Proverbs 11:24-25) Be on the lookout throughout your day for something nice you can do for someone. It doesn’t have to be something big. For example, help a mom unload her groceries into her car and return her shopping cart, or pay for someone’s meal at the drive through, shovel snow, cut grass, pump gas, buy someone flowers…think creatively. To summarize, the thing is to just ask God to show you opportunities. Next, keep your eyes, ears and heart open. Then, be ready to jump in whenever He whispers to you on a way that you can serve!
A Life Changing Invite
In The Beginning… “I hate going to church.” That is what I told myself for the majority of my life. I grew up on the south side of Chicago in an Italian/Irish neighborhood. Firemen, policeman, mechanics and all sorts of blue collar workers. I grew up in a traditional Catholic community and I went to Catholic grade school, Queen of the Universe. Before my parents got divorced I was set to go to Marist Catholic High School. I did the CCD classes, the first communion classes and went to church every Sunday. For the life of me, I can’t remember one thing I learned about Jesus during that time. The only thing I remember about those days is the kneeling. I didn’t like the kneeling. Now this isn’t a blog about how bad the Catholic Church is, this is just my recollections on my childhood and these memories are probably fuzzy. When I got to college, I stopped going to church. I “didn’t have time” and I had “better things to do”. Also, I remembered how I didn’t like the kneeling. I stopped going to church from age 18 to age 40. Twenty two years of not having a relationship with Jesus. When I was going thru the darkest times in my life, I didn’t have Jesus. Let me correct that, looking back at that time Jesus was with me, I just ignored him. Then Came The Invite… Then one day, Jesus showed up in the form of an invite to The Village Christian Church. At first, I didn’t want to go (see above reasons/excuses) but my ex-wife insisted we try the church. She had already visited after an invite from a neighbor and she begged me to go with her. To say I was hesitant is an understatement. I agreed to go and she gave me a few “warnings”. She said it is loud like a rock concert and it is in a gym in a junior high school. None of these comments did anything to sell me on going. But I went. And my life was changed. I walked into that school and was immediately greeted by numerous people. Everyone was welcoming. I was shocked because at my old church, everyone just walked in and out without really talking. I went into the gym and was immediately hit with worship music. For me, that was all I needed. I immediately connected. I remember looking around and seeing people in shorts, wearing baseball hats. Again, not something you see in my old church. I remember Nate’s message to this day. It was about Jesus knocking at your door and how he is trying to form a relationship with you. I felt like Nate, the Lead Pastor, was speaking to me directly. From that moment on I was hooked. I learned more about Jesus on that Sunday than my entire childhood. Life-Changing Experience The music, the message and the people. All of these things I never experienced before. I got baptized, joined lifegroups and volunteered as much as I could. I don’t know what my life would be like if I didn’t get that invite or if my wife didn’t get her invite. Today I say “I love going to church”. I look forward to going on Sunday. Playing in the worship band is life giving to me. I even organize vacations and social events around Sundays. I don’t want to miss a single Sunday. So, I urge each and every one of you, please go out and invite people. You may end up changing someone’s life. You have choices when it comes to how to experience church – The Village LIVE, the Online Campus or in-person at the Minooka Campus or the Seneca Campus opening February 21, 2021. Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep. – Luke 15 3-7
What Is Discipleship?
Are You A Spectator? I am passionate about Discipleship, but there was a time I didn’t know what discipleship was, what it meant or what it had to do with me. Unfortunately, I spent a lot of my life as a fan in the stands of Christianity. I thought Christianity was a spectator sport. I showed up to the game, followed the program, and then left and went about my business. What exactly is Discipleship? A Disciple is a follower of Jesus, who helps others to find and follow Jesus. And the whole process keeps repeating. We want to populate the world with Disciples of Jesus! In one of Nate’s recent messages he asked, “What are we in the business of?” and “How is business?” I am now in the Discipleship business! At The Village, we want to provide opportunities for you to grow, be equipped and encouraged and learn to operate in your gifts and strengths to disciple others well. Our heart is to create Disciples of Jesus as opposed to converts. A convert to Christianity has made a change to their religious belief but a disciple has a changed heart, a relationship with Jesus and participates personally in advancing the Kingdom of God. A disciple understands that Christianity isn’t a spectator sport. Jesus said “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.” Matthew 28:18-20. Follow Jesus With A Changed Heart As followers, we show people Jesus with our love, words, and actions, and we must make sure that we take the time to teach them how to follow Him. Jesus walked with His disciples most of the day, each day for years. Now, most of us don’t have this opportunity outside of our home relationships (which are the perfect place to start) but He provided us with a great model. “(1) Jesus did it and the disciples watched; (2) Jesus did it and the disciples helped; (3) The disciples did it and Jesus coached and encouraged; (4)The disciples did it and Jesus left.” [1] Jesus was super intentional with the time He spent with His disciples. It was loving, it was purposeful, and it was exponential. Then, He released them to go and do the same. To learn more about discipleship email Sarah O’Sullivan. [1] A Discipleship Journey by David Buehring, pg. 256
A Great Story About Baptism
It’s All About The Opportunity In this blog I’ll talk about baptism and the opportunity for life change. Did you like playing in puddles of water when you were a kid? It was an opportunity to have fun and splash around, but most likely, you didn’t have dry clothes to change into. Did that stop you? My guess is the answer is no because you were focused on the goal of having fun so it didn’t matter. The opportunity presented itself, and you grabbed it. You didn’t wait, you didn’t make excuses…you just took action. Opportunities don’t often present themselves at the perfect time. In fact, they may come up when you’re not prepared or when it’s not convenient. Easily one of the best parts about what I do is getting to watch people respond to the opportunity of a life-changing call of God and make the decision for baptism. And guess what…it usually doesn’t happen during a Sunday morning service. One Day This Happened One day I drove into church and my friend Tim drove in right behind me. I got out of the car and said hello. Tim replied and said he wanted to be baptized, RIGHT NOW! He’d been out on a walk that morning and felt this strong leading to commit his life to Christ and make the decision for baptism. Tim felt a sense of urgency and wanted to take action that day. So, he drove directly to church and was ready to be baptized right then and there. By the way…he’d been thinking about it for a very long time. He would think about baptism, but then life and distractions would happen. This time he wasn’t going to wait until Sunday or even another hour once he made up his mind. He didn’t bring clothes to change into and our baptistery wasn’t set up. It would have taken at least an hour to set it up and fill it with water. Tim was not going to wait. So…we drove to my house and I baptized him in our pool! It was amazing! Afterwards he drove home in soaking wet clothes, but it didn’t matter to him. He was so focused on the opportunity to commit his life to Christ that the wet clothes didn’t matter. Baptism is Open To You Did you know baptism is open to you? It doesn’t matter what your past is, it only matters that you are ready to move forward into a relationship with Christ. You can experience life change. It’s what God wants for you. Has God been tugging at your heart to make the decision of baptism? Why wait? God has your best interests at heart and He has a plan for you, but you have to take the first step of baptism. Make the decision right now. Make a commitment to Christ, no more excuses, no more putting this off. Say yes today. Learn more about Baptism, or if you’re ready email nate@thevillagechristianchurch.com. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. – Proverbs 3:5-6
Stuck In A Rut
Have you ever felt stuck in a rut? If you’ve had that feeling when your life has become boring, stale, and monotonous, you’re stuck in a rut. This happens when we do the same thing over and over again, which some may call a habit. In fact, the definition of a habit is an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary. Habits become lifestyle. Have you ever heard of the 21/90 rule as it relates to our habits? The 21/90 rule states that it takes 21 days to form a habit and 90 days to make it a permanent lifestyle change. This is a true for good habits and bad habits! Most people want to develop good habits. Habits like getting enough sleep, getting up to get to work on time, exercising and eating healthy. In March our country was locked down due to Covid-19 and life changed. There were feeling of depression, anxiety, and fear. Many of our good habits were thrown out the window and replaced by not so good habits. Some people have become stuck in a rut and are having difficulty getting back to their good habits. Can you relate? What Is Essential? May I press in a little here? Did you go to the grocery story this week? Did you go to a Big Box store (Walmart/Target/Home Depot/Menards) this week? If you answered yes to the questions above, may I ask one more? Did you connect at church this week, online or in person? Are you going to connect in a Lifegroup this fall, online or in person? Those are habits – good habits. Being with other people, safely of course, is good for your mental health. God wants you to be with people. Connecting in a Lifegroup provides the opportunity for you to connect with Godly people, which will encourage and support you. This is critical especially in challenging times. Your relationship with God IS “ESSENTIAL” You need to make sure you are in the habit of giving priority to your relationship with God. Much the same way you are in the habit of making sure you have the food and supplies you need for each week. We are honored to provide online and in person opportunities for you to connect and give that priority to God. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25) Please make your habits of connecting with other believers a lifestyle for the next 21/90 days. You won’t regret making this decision to go from habit to lifestyle.
Choices Create A Ripple Effect
The choices we make in this life have a ripple effect. Each drop creates an initial little wave in the lives of those closest to us. If you choose to go on a diet, how does it affect your family? Are their eating habits changed because you are preparing the food? Is all the junk food still in the fridge and cabinet, or did it get thrown out to make it easier to resist temptation? A second ripple…. So, now that you are eating healthier, what if you begin to exercise? Will that change anything at home? What about with your friends? When someone close to me makes positive changes with health and diet, I start paying attention. I want the same results that they are getting! I want to look better and feel better also. They have a boost in appearance and confidence that I want to experience as well. The First Drop What if the 1st drop was choosing to lead a Lifegroup or to join one? What would the ripples of that choice look like? How far reaching could it be? If you were to start or attend group and meet weekly, studying the Word together, speaking truth in each other’s lives, sharing joy and pain, triumphs and setbacks, would you see the glow of growth on the faces of those around you? Would people begin to wonder what has changed in your life? Would they want to experience what you have? If positive life change is taking place in the lives of your Lifegroup, it will be noticed and it should be. Luke 11:33 says, “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. The following ripples take place as we go about our everyday lives. Each member of the group will encounter countless others on a regular basis and shine the light of the Lord working in them. Let your words and actions reflect the One Who Saved You. Let the ripples of His love work in you, through you and be endless. Your choices matter. Find a group that works for you…
5 Reasons To Invest In Your Marriage
Do you invest in your marriage? When you hear the word invest, most people think about money. Investing money for the future is a good idea, but what do you invest in your marriage? Where do you see your marriage going 20 years from now? Are you going to have a partner for life, or a roommate you barely know? I think most people agree that when you get married, you hope to stay that way, but have you asked yourself why? Here are some reasons to think about. It’s Biblical First and foremost, God created everything, including marriage. Genesis 2:24 says: That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. God also tells us how we are supposed to treat each other as husband and wife in Ephesians 5:33: However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. There are many more examples related to marriage that you can find in the Bible, but the point is, God literally tells us how to make marriage work. He wants you to invest in your marriage. He created marriage for us to have companionship and joy in our spouse’s company. Read Song of Songs if you don’t believe me. Till Death Do We Part When you get married you make a promise to your spouse before God. It’s a long-term commitment. Kids, jobs, houses, busyness. Through all of it, the goal is to stay married because you promised to grow old together. You want to know and like the person you marry. Your spouse will be there when the kids grow up and move out, when you retire, and when you move into a smaller home for just the two of you to slow down and enjoy life. Be the Example If you have kids, you know they are sponges. They see and hear more than you think. Show them what a marriage is supposed to look like. Give them the benefit of a good example for their future. Set boundaries. While you make sure your kids know they are loved, make sure they also know your spouse is who you will be with after they grow up and move out and find spouses of their own. Same Team If you’ve ever played sports, you have heard the saying, “There’s no I in TEAM.” In order for any team to be successful the players need to participate, work together and encourage each other. You have each other’s back and stand up for each other. You each have a part to play and a responsibility to each other and you can rely on each other. In Good Times and Bad Life is hard sometimes. There will be disappointments, sickness, hardship and curve balls. You have each other to lean on for support. Don’t forget you have someone to celebrate the good times with too. Through the good times and the bad, your relationship can grow and mature right along with you. Investing in your marriage means that you will always have someone to honor God with, grow old with, teach your children with, do life with and laugh and cry with. Marriage is a blessing from God, so treat it like a gift that you cherish.
Manual For Life, The Bible
The Myth I saw a quote that said “There is no manual for life. We all muddle on and hope for the best. So always follow your heart. It is your best guide.” I won’t cite the person who stated this, but when I read it I thought what terrible, untrue advice. However, I do feel like much of the world operates from a place of this belief. This disregard for God as the Creator and Ruler of all of creation is very evident in 2020. I want to start by debunking this idea and pointing out, there absolutely is a manual for life, the Bible. It is actual written words, inspired by God, to help guide us in every area of life. There is literally nothing He left out, parenting, marriage, sin, forgiveness, grace, sex, family, money, giving, humility, pride, self-control…..I could go on but if you haven’t already, you should read it for yourself. It is, by definition, literally, a manual for life. Now to address the second falsehood, “muddle through, hope for the best, and trust your heart because it is your best guide?” That is the opposite of what the Gospel stands for. Jesus died to give us forgiveness, hope, and eternal life. We don’t have to hope and guess. Our salvation is secure in Him. The Bible clearly states in Acts 1:5 and John 14:16 that Jesus died and left the Holy Spirit within us to lead, comfort and guide us. We don’t have to “muddle” through on our own and thank goodness we don’t have to rely on our weary heart to be our guide. The Challenge My husband and my best friend both set out to read the entire bible through in a year. I didn’t want to be left out, so I jumped on the bible reading bandwagon with them. In the past, I have attempted to read through the bible, starting in Genesis, several times and I always get stuck and fizzle out somewhere near Numbers or Deuteronomy. I have read most books of the bible at some point, just not in a succinct, chronological order. Now, I’m happy to say I am currently ⅓ of the way through the bible, and loving my time reading. The difference this time is I’m using a good reading plan called The Bible Recap. There’s also a podcast to go with the reading where the host explains what you read for the day. This has been extremely helpful because, we can all agree the old testament can be very confusing. What I like the most about this podcast host is, at the end of each podcast she says, “Where is your God shot today?” She is asking where do you see God’s character in this scripture? This has been monumental in growing my relationship with God. I’m not just reading the bible as a story, I’m reading as a way to spend time with God, to know who He is, and how He works. And I’m applying what I read as a manual for life. This type of connection has bent my heart in the best way possible. True Joy I find myself excited to wake up every morning to read and see what happens next and find out why God did what He did in the stories I have grown up hearing. When I first started, I really needed the host to point things out for me. I needed her to explain why God would or would not accept certain behaviors or attitudes. But now I’ve found myself seeing it for myself as I read. It made me so happy, true joy, the other day when I realized the reason I could understand this on my own was because my relationship with God was growing and getting stronger. I usually wake up early, before the kids, and sit quietly in my front room to read and pray. One morning as I was getting settled in with a hot cup of fresh coffee, I paused. I had a vision and I had this warmth, comfort, peace, and joy about me. I realized it came because I knew I was about to enter into a space with God. The Vision My vision was of me, in the ocean. I pictured my life in the past, and I was sitting in a small boat on the big beautiful ocean. The bible would represent the ocean. If I just sat quietly and watched and waited, I would see things in the water. Maybe a school of fish would swim by, a dolphin would jump, or maybe even the dorsal fin of a shark. What wonders lie beneath would catch my attention. I would then drop a fishing pole in the water and pull out an amazing looking fish. Maybe a bluefin tuna, or a marlin. It would remind me of the many times I would open my bible to a specific verse or story to study or find comfort, or direction. Now, as I sit in the stillness or the early morning, I know WHO God is not just what He has done. I feel that I am scuba diving now, under the water and I can see everything in its entirety. I see everything working and living together to create one big community, one big story and it makes me love God even more. He created me with intention and He wants to know me. I am moved by such a truth. My favorite part about this vision was that when I was below the water, looking at all of the beautiful things that were living below the surface, it was silent. When you are underwater or scuba diving you cannot hear the sounds above the surface. God Is In Control I don’t know about you but I am exhausted by the noise and opinions of everyone in 2020. You don’t have to go far to be inundated with information. Between social media, the news
How To Study The Bible
Why Do I Need To Study the Bible? I find that it is important to have a goal for new endeavors. I find it helpful to understand the “why”. The goal for studying the Bible is to develop a close relationship with Jesus. To learn about God, His character, His will for our lives and His ways. We want to hear from God and understand how He made us, what His plan for our life is and what He wants us to know. We need to understand God’s heart so we can respond from our heart. The Bible is the story of God with us. It is 66 books by 40 authors and focuses on God’s plan to reconcile us, in our brokenness, back to Himself through Jesus. The Old Testament points toward the coming of Jesus. The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) provide us with accounts of Jesus’s life from 4 unique perspectives. Acts shows us how the Christian church began. The Epistles (letters written to the new churches) are instructions containing necessary insights to living a life that honors God, following Jesus and potential pitfalls to watch out for. Where Do I Start? I definitely recommend starting in the gospels (the first 4 books of the New Testament). If we want to develop a close relationship with Jesus and model our life after His, we need to know what His life looked like. We should know what was important to Him, who He spent time with, how He responded to the world and people around Him and what He taught. The Gospels all tell the story of Jesus’s life. Just like you and I, the authors were different and experienced interactions with Jesus with different perspectives. Some stories are recounted by all of them, some stories were only told by 1 or 2 of them. Reading them all, gives you a bigger, broader picture of Jesus’s life. Next, I would read the Epistles. These are letters written by apostles and siblings of Jesus to the churches that were forming all over. They are filled with truth and encouragement for the churches in areas that were living and loving well. There was also valuable personal testimony of what God was doing in various places and how the message of Jesus was expanding. The letters gave advice for avoiding painful consequences and discipline when necessary for redirection, growth and living a life that glorified God. These letters are so applicable to life today! A great tool for studying the Bible is the YouVersion Bible App. You can download it free to your smart device and have the Bible with you wherever you go. What Do I Do With What I Read? As we begin to study the Bible, we want to understand what we are reading so we can apply it to our life, exactly where we are today. For the word of God (the Bible) is alive and active. – Hebrews 4:12 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. – 2 Timothy 3:16-17 We don’t want to just know what the Bible says, we want to live it! Grab a journal and as you read, answer these questions (taken from the Rooted study) about the scripture you are reading, What does it say? (Paraphrase it, using your own words) What does it mean? (How does this impact you today?) What am I going to do? (What specific application will you make today?) This is a super simple but highly effective method to making the most out of your Bible study time! Again, a close relationship with Jesus is the goal, and worth the time investment. Life Change occurs when we encounter Jesus in a meaningful way and live our lives for Him.