Tag: church

#LifeIsMoreThanJustAHashtag

#LifeIsMoreThanJustAHashtag

i enjoy social media, probably too much. i like to scroll down and read stories, look at pictures, watch funny and thought provoking videos…oh and post some too.  i like Facebook for its functionality in seeing what my friends are up to…sometimes the posts break my heart, not always because a tragedy had taken place but because poor choices are being made. Twitter is another place i enjoy visiting. It is quick reads, with occasional links to longer stories. Snap shots into ones thoughts or experiences or views on life, love and laughter.

i can get so wrapped up in it that i spend time thinking of hashtags, you may know them as pound signs or the number symbol. Which ever way you remember them the hashtag is a line or words run together that makes a point and links your point to others making the same point.  For instance a popular hashtag is #MondayMotivation so if i were to write something like, “Monday’s are hard without my #coffee #MondayMotivation” i would be linking my tweet or FaceBook post with others talking about coffee or Monday Motivation. i say all that as if those reading this have no idea what a hashtag is having just woken from an 11 year coma.

Colossians 1:15-20 reads;

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God,
the one who is first over all creation,

16 Because all things were created by him:
both in the heavens and on the earth,
the things that are visible and the things that are invisible.
Whether they are thrones or powers,
or rulers or authorities,
all things were created through him and for him.

17 He existed before all things,
and all things are held together in him.

18 He is the head of the body, the church,
who is the beginning,
the one who is firstborn from among the dead
so that he might occupy the first place in everything.

19 Because all the fullness of God was pleased to live in him,
20         and he reconciled all things to himself through him—
whether things on earth or in the heavens.
He brought peace through the blood of his cross.

Let me put this into present day terms we might better understand, Jesus is our hashtag. When we live our lives in Christ, we live them linked together with Him and those that are linked with Him are also linked together by #Jesus. It is both and, not either or…we are linked if you are in Christ. Which means we are living each others lives, living the experiences, challenges, hopes, fears, triumphs, AND failures together. Our life joining hashtag is Jesus and with HIM comes community. The world says FaceBook or Twitter or by a half dozen other social networks we can share with others but the Word says, Jesus, and together, we are one, experiencing life together.  Let me close with this, life, is more than a hashtag, Jesus is more than a hashtag but if the language you speak is hashtag then #Jesus because #lifeismorethanjustahashtag.

You are loved,

cj

Nose Plugs

Nose Plugs

i want us to chew on this verse for a few days: Colossians 1:9-10

“9 Because of this, since the day we heard about you, we haven’t stopped praying for you and asking for you to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, with all wisdom and spiritual understanding. 10 We’re praying this so that you can live lives that are worthy of the Lord and pleasing to him in every way: by producing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God”

Let me add this from last week. i have been learning to breath with a snorkel. This has been a chore. By instinct, because i have been doing it my whole life, i try to breath through my nose. This is not a good idea when you are underwater! i have had to receive this new information and inform my brain…it hasn’t been easy. i sought help, received some advice, and bought a nose plug. That simple little purchase has changed my ability to breath through the snorkel. i am becoming more accustomed to breathing through the snorkel.

In much the same way, grace is new, we don’t always understand it and it is hard sometimes to rely on Jesus when for so long we have relied on ourselves. You might need a “nose plug” to help train your brain to rely on Jesus in everything. This is the prayer that Paul had for the people in Colossae. That they would grow in the knowledge of God’s will, with all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Learning to lean on Jesus more and more in everything. It’s about growing, about becoming productive, and about getting nearer to God.

Here are a few “nose plugs” that you can use to help you along the way, training yourself to lean on Jesus:
1. Read the Word
2. Youth Group
3. Life Group
4. Sunday Edition
5. Coffee with Jesus
6. Hang our with others that follow Jesus
7. Have a mentor or someone you can talk to about tough things or choices you have to make
8. An accountability partner…someone who asks you tough questions about choices you are making or about to make
9. Pray
10. Be an active part of the Body, the Church

You are loved,

cj

are you available?

are you available?

Have you availed yourself to the means of grace this week? This is the question that has stirred my heart and mind for the past several weeks, in fact i cannot let go of it.  It continues to be the focus of thought for me.  In so much as i am unable to set it aside i have decided to embrace it and make it a part of who i am.  The questions origin is from John Wesley who asked it of his house church leaders and congregants of those groups started by Wesley on his missionary journey’s.

i have broken it down like this; Have you made yourself available to God’s grace this week?  In the hurry of life even if we find time to go to a gathering of the church as in Sunday or a small group, it doesn’t mean that we have made ourselves available to God.  i do believe that at times in our lives there are stages or seasons in which we “go through the motions”.  It can become a habit and one not easily broken, if we don’t slow down and take time to ask the question, “Have you made yourself available to God’s grace this week?”

Have you allowed yourself to enter into worship freely?  Have you read the Word?  Have you prayed?  Have you gathered on purpose with the Body of Christ?  Have you partaken in the Lord’s Supper?  Have you given yourself to be baptized?  Have you made yourself available to Christian Charity or Hospitality?  These are not works, these are ways in which we make ourselves available to God’s grace for us…it flows freely from the thrown of grace, freely receive it, by making yourself available.

Let me encourage you, if you find yourself going through the motions in which you haven’t made yourself available to God’s grace this week, with this from Colossians 1:9-14. i will let this read us out.

9 Because of this, since the day we heard about you, we haven’t stopped praying for you and asking for you to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, with all wisdom and spiritual understanding. 10 We’re praying this so that you can live lives that are worthy of the Lord and pleasing to him in every way: by producing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God; 11 by being strengthened through his glorious might so that you endure everything and have patience;12 and by giving thanks with joy to the Father. He made it so you could take part in the inheritance, in light granted to God’s holy people. 13 He rescued us from the control of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. 14 He set us free through the Son and forgave our sins.

You are Loved,

cj

A bit of advice

A bit of advice

i have spent the better part of my life seeking Jesus. Raised in a Church going home, spent a lot of time traveling to Churches to sing with the family. Went to summer camps, retreats, youth events. Although i gave my “heart” to Jesus at a young age; i didn’t truly understand what that meant until i was 19 when i rededicated my life to Him and was baptized. From that moment on i have continued to serve Him, prior like i stated i served with my family singing, after as a pastor in various roles. Jesus is all i know. i have dedicated my life to Him.

It hasn’t always been easy, i haven’t always given my best, i haven’t always felt as though i had the greatest relationship with Him. In fact i have found in my estimated 34 years of service that high’s and lows, ebbs and flows, strength and weakness, are a normal part of life. Faith is at times all i feel i have had, routine saw me through, going through the motions kept me afloat. When i have found myself just bobbing up and down in stormy seas its been the name of Jesus that has saved me.

Here are just a few bits of advice, things i have found that have helped me weather the storms. When i found myself in ruts, apathy, or sin.

< Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God ~ Micah 6:8
< Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” ~ Genesis 3:9
< But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.
< Love the Lord…Love your neighbor ~ Mark 12:30-31
< Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. ~ James 1:27
< Repent of your sin ~ Revelation 2:5, 16, 22; 3:3, 20
< I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting the past…I press on… ~ Philippians 3:12-14
< For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God ~ Ephesians 2:8

> Sometimes Faith is all you have
> Routine isn’t always bad but if you find yourself in a rut its time to change the routine
> Going through the motions isn’t always bad either, it can be a squeaky wheel, it will eventually draw attention to the needs, its when you give up the motions you dull the voice of God.
> Don’t put your faith in any “person” except the “Person of Jesus, God in flesh”
> Always choose Jesus, only always Jesus
> When all else fails, Jesus Jesus Jesus is all you need to remember

 

You are Loved,

cj

Frustration

Frustration

Frustration, we all deal with it. It is mostly those moments that we allow things outside of our control affect our emotions. For example, one Sunday i walked into the Church Youth Room (we call it “Not the Choir Room) and found the corner over taken by Christmas decorations, a broken pew (previously repaired) and the chairs i had previously set up, back in stacks. Frustrating? Yes. i muscled through. Fast forward to Thursday night…i walked into “not the choir room”, still Christmas, still a broken pew, chairs again stacked…frustrating? You bet!

Thursday night i was less able to muscle through and found myself struggling through the entire evening as my thoughts just went back to my frustration. i allowed, absolutely those outside influences to affect my emotional being and in turn it had an effect on the entire evening. i had to remind myself of the actions being taken by others to move and change…the processes are in motion to make the “Not the Choir Room” into the “Journey Student Ministry Room” for lack of a better name. We will have our stamp on it as the children’s ministry has done with theirs. Yet…

You know when you know something and yet it doesn’t matter how many times you remind yourself of the facts you still are frustrated? This was my state of mind, frustrated. That night i went home frustrated, sat frustratingly on the couch, and stewed frustratingly until…

We all have choices to make. Choices that will have influence on our lives emotionally and physically. i sat at a moment of choice. i could continue to sit in a frustrated sense of “woe is me” OR rise above the frustration, see the big picture and find a solution. i chose the solution.

Read Philippians 1:12-26 (below) This passage, i believe, is Paul choosing to not sit in a state of “woe is me” but rather find the good, find the solution and choosing to see the bigger picture. May we all in our moments of frustration, stop and look at the big picture and choose solution over frustration.

Philippians 1:12-26

12 And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters,[a] that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. 13 For everyone here, including the whole palace guard,[b] knows that I am in chains because of Christ. 14 And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers[c] here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message[d] without fear.

15 It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. 16 They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News. 17 Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. 18 But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice. 19 For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.

20 For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. 21 For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better.23 I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. 24 But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.

25 Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith. 26 And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me.

You are Loved,

cj