I am preaching this weekend in Wisconsin, and the title of my sermon is "Listening for God." As I reflect back over the last 6-8 months this is spiritual discipline that has been drawing me closer into an intimate relationship with the creator God of the universe. What an wonderful thing.
As I began to think about this topic I was drawn to the story of Elijah as Jezebel was moving to have him killed (the story can be found in 1 Kings 18,19). As I read and pondered I came up with three questions: Why should listen to God?, How do we hear God's voice?, and How should we respond to what we hear? As I began "preaching" the sermon in my head, a lot of the thoughts that were forming sounded familiar. I then looked back through my blog and found that I have been reflection on answers to these questions in a number of my postings. I hope to record the message and get it posted so if you are interested you can listen to the sermon. I would post my sermon notes, but they wouldn't do you much good, I don't preach with more than a outline on paper and my Bible. I then just share what God has placed on my heart. How do I know what that is? As I prepare I am "Listening for God."
27 June 2008
24 June 2008
Waiting on God
What I'm going to describe next my sound like an oxymoron, but such is the way this posting goes. Over the last couple of days I have had opportunities to talk about work, life, and my new educational adventure. As I reflect back on the content and nature of these conversations I find myself actively waiting on God. Did you catch the oxymoron, "actively waiting"?
So what do I mean by the phrase "actively waiting"? I have know Christians who sit, almost paralyzed, as they wait for direction or guidance from God. They are afraid to step in one direction fearing that God really wanted them to go another. There are those who live a stagnant, seemingly meaningless life because they are unable, unwilling, or simply afraid to step out actively wait on God. Take a look back at my posting about The Barbarian Sheep. This group of people I would refer to as passively waiting on God. Is this good or bad, I don't know, I would have to ask about their degree of passiveness. So what is "actively waiting?"
As I actively wait on God, I engage the world in a way the servers others and honors God. I am beginning my 3rd post-graduate degree this summer, do I know where it will lead, no, but I am actively waiting on God for the answer. God has stirred in my heart a variety of questions that I relate to on a personal growth level as well as in my current job. I am not going to wait around waiting on God for all the answers, but I am going to engage the world with what I know and actively wait on God for my future adventure(s).
The key to actively waiting is to simple take a look around you and see where God is at work and join Him (Henry Blackaby). Don't get caught on the sidelines sitting on your hand, get in the game of life, serve others and honor God by what you do.
So what do I mean by the phrase "actively waiting"? I have know Christians who sit, almost paralyzed, as they wait for direction or guidance from God. They are afraid to step in one direction fearing that God really wanted them to go another. There are those who live a stagnant, seemingly meaningless life because they are unable, unwilling, or simply afraid to step out actively wait on God. Take a look back at my posting about The Barbarian Sheep. This group of people I would refer to as passively waiting on God. Is this good or bad, I don't know, I would have to ask about their degree of passiveness. So what is "actively waiting?"
As I actively wait on God, I engage the world in a way the servers others and honors God. I am beginning my 3rd post-graduate degree this summer, do I know where it will lead, no, but I am actively waiting on God for the answer. God has stirred in my heart a variety of questions that I relate to on a personal growth level as well as in my current job. I am not going to wait around waiting on God for all the answers, but I am going to engage the world with what I know and actively wait on God for my future adventure(s).
The key to actively waiting is to simple take a look around you and see where God is at work and join Him (Henry Blackaby). Don't get caught on the sidelines sitting on your hand, get in the game of life, serve others and honor God by what you do.
16 June 2008
Oops, I did it again
No, I am not a Brittney fan, but the reality is that I did do it again. What did I do? Well, actually it's what I haven't been doing. I have been doing a lot, reading through Genesis, reading for my up coming classes, working on the house, working at work, coaching, etc.. What I haven't been doing is listening. More specifically, I haven't been listening to/for God.
The first four months of this year were great times of intimate connection with God. I was taking the time, sometimes a lot of time simply to listening to God. Letting Him drift through my thoughts, guiding my studies, showing me direction. Once I got my marching orders off I ran, forgetting to stay in communication with my God. Its not that I feel lost, I know the direction God wants me to move, the shape my new course of study, and my current ministry. What I miss is the close relationship, my connection with the God of the universe. This all seeing, all knowing, all everything God who cares about me, who knows me, who wants to connect with me. What an awesome God we serve.
Take some time this week, put down your papers, your books (yes even your Bible), set aside the business of life and as the psalmist wrote "Be still and know the I am God." Take the time and reconnect.
The first four months of this year were great times of intimate connection with God. I was taking the time, sometimes a lot of time simply to listening to God. Letting Him drift through my thoughts, guiding my studies, showing me direction. Once I got my marching orders off I ran, forgetting to stay in communication with my God. Its not that I feel lost, I know the direction God wants me to move, the shape my new course of study, and my current ministry. What I miss is the close relationship, my connection with the God of the universe. This all seeing, all knowing, all everything God who cares about me, who knows me, who wants to connect with me. What an awesome God we serve.
Take some time this week, put down your papers, your books (yes even your Bible), set aside the business of life and as the psalmist wrote "Be still and know the I am God." Take the time and reconnect.
05 June 2008
Why do I do what I do?
On Wednesdays I work with a group of men and was asked the question last night, "Why do I do what I do (with regards to working with them)?" Why do I get involved in the lives of others? It is in community where faith is strengthened, passions deepened, gifts used, and blessings received.
I love to hear the stories of others, their life's journey, their ah-ha moments, their struggles. You see as we all share we all are blessed, we all can grow, we all can experience those ah-ha moments. Look at the Bible, it is now a dull dry list of do this, don't do that. No, rather it is a collection of stories meant to draw us into a closer relationship with God, to shape and mold us, to make us the person God wants us to be.
Why do I do what I do, because I am called to love God and love others so that is what I do.
I love to hear the stories of others, their life's journey, their ah-ha moments, their struggles. You see as we all share we all are blessed, we all can grow, we all can experience those ah-ha moments. Look at the Bible, it is now a dull dry list of do this, don't do that. No, rather it is a collection of stories meant to draw us into a closer relationship with God, to shape and mold us, to make us the person God wants us to be.
Why do I do what I do, because I am called to love God and love others so that is what I do.
02 June 2008
Randomness
Is God in control of all things? Yes! Does God control all things? I don’t know. What is the difference in these two questions? The first states that God is in control, but the second asks whether God chooses to control everything. When a tornado strikes a community did God control its movements for what ever reason or was the path the tornado took simply a random path. Stepping back one step was the storm itself ordained by God or was it the result of the random mixing of the proper atmospheric conditions.
Randomness or God’s will? Wrong place, wrong time or trials and testing?
The world it seems is seeing its share of disasters, typhoons in Southeast Asia, earthquakes in China, wild fires in the Western US, drought, floods, tornados, tsunamis. The list goes on and on and on. Are these disasters a result of the randomness of various climatic, tectonic, or human factors? The question that arises is where is God in this? Maybe a better question is what are we as Christ-followers doing to relieve the suffering that is going on around us? Perhaps the reason “why” is not as important as the question “How are we (am I) going to respond.
It’s all right to say I don’t know why, but it’s not all right to say I don’t care or I don’t want to be bothered with it.
Remember also that when disaster strikes it may take a long time to get back to ”normal.“ So after the initial trauma is over don’t forget about the people affected by the disaster.
Randomness or God’s will? Wrong place, wrong time or trials and testing?
The world it seems is seeing its share of disasters, typhoons in Southeast Asia, earthquakes in China, wild fires in the Western US, drought, floods, tornados, tsunamis. The list goes on and on and on. Are these disasters a result of the randomness of various climatic, tectonic, or human factors? The question that arises is where is God in this? Maybe a better question is what are we as Christ-followers doing to relieve the suffering that is going on around us? Perhaps the reason “why” is not as important as the question “How are we (am I) going to respond.
It’s all right to say I don’t know why, but it’s not all right to say I don’t care or I don’t want to be bothered with it.
Remember also that when disaster strikes it may take a long time to get back to ”normal.“ So after the initial trauma is over don’t forget about the people affected by the disaster.
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