Click Here: Post for Parents
"By now you've probably realized that you have a distinct choice to make: Just let life happen, which is tantamount to serving God your leftovers, or actively running toward Christ..." with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength.
Worshiping, praising, glorifying, and serving God by sacrificial living is our Calling.
Christ told a woman, a Samaritan woman, who was NOT a Biblical Greek or Hebrew scholar, that she was to worship God in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:24). What did He mean? This message was not complicated or cloaked in mystery. It was an answer to "what place do we worship God" and the answer was....continually and everywhere!
Continually walk with Him (aletheia -the Truth, the Way, and the Life) breath by breath (pneuma-Spirit). As we take in a breath, we respond with praise and glory for God.
May my steps be worship
May my thoughts be praise
May my words bring honor to your Name
We cannot be pleasing to God if we think about worshiping only in a certain place. We worship God hand in hand, breath by breath, moment by moment and then come together (assemble) to remind each other to continue with our sacrificial living-wholesale surrender-- for the One who sacrificed for us (Hebrews 10:25; 1 Corinthians 11).
God doesn't call us to be comfortable or safe. He doesn't even call us to place family or friendship, entertainment or hobbies above His Cause. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we have to rely totally upon Him.
True joy comes from truly trusting in the One who never forsakes.
John clearly tells us that "whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did" (1 John 2:6).
But we barely understand just what that looks like in our American, cozy, safe, privileged rich culture. We are the "rich man" and Lazarus is lying in the street cold and naked, dirty and unhealthy, lost and alone.
Idolatry in American Culture
Independence, Consumerism, Materialism and Narcissism are the idols of the American Culture which are creeping into the church making many people "unfruitful" and taking them off-mission.
Some of our traditions for doing anything other than mission-minded service originated as early as the 4th Century AD.
Click Here for a Quick Review of Constantine's Influence: 8 Points that you should be aware of:
Click Here for video: Going Back to the Bible (Can we shake "traditions" of men?)
RESEARCH for Parents:
According to recent research completed by Dr. Cheryl Crawford, “Kids who cannot articulate their faith are most likely to walk away from it. “ She recommends that families hold discussions with deeper questions like, “So tell me about your relationship with God…”
Often as parents we have chatty time or what Dr Crawford calls, “non-relevant junk talk” with our kids. Parents not only need to take time to focus on faith talk, deep questions and listening to answers, but to talk to their children about “being on mission for Christ moment by moment.” Parents should learn to develop their own testimonies and faith talk to model for their children.
What we cannot easily talk about, we really do not know or own. The ease by which we can witness/testify for Christ is a good benchmark of our faith.
Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, 6 even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you,
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord
And the testimony is this; that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
Praying that our children are given opportunities to hone their testimonies while it is not too late.
VIDEO: Just 1 Phone Call - Phil Robertson
HOMEWORK
HOMEWORK
- Read Chapter 7 and finish Transcend
- Reflect on, pray about, and then generate responses to these assignments.
(1) How can we change our "small group" experiences to better reflect the Vision of God?
(2) Read Isaiah 58:2-14 and listen to what God is saying. Listen with your heart, mind, soul, and strength. Soooo much of this passage is what our God still asks of us. His nature has not changed. Bring some reflections to share with the group.
(3) Practice lifting someone's eyes upward. Hope you can share with us your experience of "stepping out in faith" this week.
Lifting-Eyes Example:
Jesus slowly lifted the Samaritan woman's cast-down eyes of shame to praising and evangelizing her city for Christ with joy!
First, He acknowledged her presence. He met her where she was. He engaged her in unexpected conversation. He offered her spiritual refreshment--living water. Her eyes lifted to the mountain top where the Samaritans worshiped. But He did not leave her on the mountain top. Christ lifted her eyes to Heaven and gave her the hope of having a true relationship with God.
Jesus slowly lifted the Samaritan woman's cast-down eyes of shame to praising and evangelizing her city for Christ with joy!
First, He acknowledged her presence. He met her where she was. He engaged her in unexpected conversation. He offered her spiritual refreshment--living water. Her eyes lifted to the mountain top where the Samaritans worshiped. But He did not leave her on the mountain top. Christ lifted her eyes to Heaven and gave her the hope of having a true relationship with God.
These are just some examples of opening an uplifting conversation. Build a relationship first of acknowledgment or trust. Remember to be as natural as you can be. Pray for God to give you the words that you need to use in reflecting His grace. It is not good enough to be benevolent (which may reflect on you). We need to be benevolent in His Name (to reflect on Him).
NOTE: If you don't like these....bring some of your own to share. Larry West's favorite opening line when someone was complaining was, "I know how you can commit suicide and be resurrected to a new life in the same day"
Remember: It is our Mission to Plant the Seeds. It is God that germinates the seeds that we plant. So begin praying for those you want to help see the Light.
Remember: It is our Mission to Plant the Seeds. It is God that germinates the seeds that we plant. So begin praying for those you want to help see the Light.
1. Recognize the marginalized. Open with unconventional conversation (remember it's about Him, not you):
- I thank God every day for my friendship with you.
- What's your story?
- Who are your heroes?
- Do you worship?
- To you, who is Jesus?
- Do you feel you are fulfilling your purpose in life?
2. Plant the seed that you are a loving servant because of Christ:
- I serve because He lives
- I want to help you because I have been so blessed by my Lord
- Hey, I'm here for you just as Christ is here for you.
3. Plant the seed that there is so much MORE than what we see, touch, taste or feel:
- There is so much more to life than what we see here (suffer here, put up with, observe)
- I'm so thankful that this is not all there is!
- When you are ready, God will lift you up.
- How do you find meaning or purpose?
- What is the biggest challenge you face?
- What do you hope for in the future?
4. Introduce the avenue of prayer:
- How can I pray for you?
- Could we pray about that?
- May I pray for you about that?
- Would you like to pray about that?
- Let's pray about that!
5. Introduce the need for grace:
- Hey, we all mess up. Thank God we can be forgiven.
- You know we can all start over again through Christ.
6. Introduce the need for faith in God
- So, what what are your spiritual beliefs?
- What do you teach your children about spirituality?
- If you died today, where do you think you would go?
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