Have begun a discussion on the Book of James last Sunday as a church family.  The first section was a reminder about the trials we face and how we respond to them.  Amongst other things that section of scripture encourages us to endure.  The call is to “joyfully approach these trials, because they teach us to endure…which builds maturity in us.”   But with joy…now that is hard.  Yet have a look back a couple pages in your Bible from James to Hebrews 12:1-3 and see how Jesus chose to suffer.  The same adjective…with joy. We talked about that a bit. Jesus loved to obey His Father, he knew the benefit for us.  These aspects helped build the joy in the journey. So here is a question?  Someone answer…do you think we can choose joy when we face trials as believers, and if so how?  I await you the readers response? 

On Sunday we had a retreat sunday like we have 4 times a year…a chance to stop and as church encourage each other in a different way.  We met in groups of three or so and used the below questions to answer and therefore use to share our lives.  Perhaps they can be a challenge/encouragement for you.  Find a couple of friends and share your thoughts on what is below…

Scripture thoughts

Romans 12;1 ,2 (The Message)

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life-your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life-and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.  Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God.  You’ll be changed from the inside out.

Psalm 86:11 (NIV)

Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

Hebrews 10:24,25 (NIV)

…And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Questions for sharing and reflection

1. Above are scriptures we have reflected on in the last few weeks; share aspects that grab you from the Word of God.
2. We read from Phil 3 today about the heart to know Jesus, share on your inner relationship and journey with Jesus.  How is it going?
3. On the recent DVD Peter Fitch said the journey is, from the image of God to the likeness of Christ. What area of character growth is God stirring right now in you?
4. How would your spouse/children say you are doing in the home?
5. Why has God placed you in the work you are in? 
6. Where could you connect in more than you are now within the church?  Where could the church support you more?
7. Did you have a Sabbath in the last week to play and rest?  When did you last spend time in nature?
8. Where can you see God at work that you are involved in or could be involved in?

Prayer in groups

On Sunday I shared with our church family some thoughts on Psalm 86:11. That scripture says; “Teach me your way, O Lord and I will walk in your truth, give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name.” Phrase one reminds us that if we want to walk Gods way we need Gods help to do it. Phrase two reminds us that at times our hearts get divided and when they do we are not respecting God as He deserves.  The meaning of the word undivided is the idea of being joined.  In other words your heart is not splintered between things but joined together-all towards God. We reflected on how easy it is for the heart to become divided and what areas of life God calls us to be undivided in or using a different word with slightly different meaning being wholehearted in. What a great prayer Psalm 86:11 is.  I want to walk your way Lord, so please help me.  Help my heart be undivided towards you so I give you all the respect you deserve.  There is a prayer the Lord will answer.  

What image or thought comes to mind when you read that phrase?  Somewhere in the midst of that there is the idea of being a whole hearted, passionate, fully committed lover of Jesus.  As Jesus called us to Love God; with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength.  With our entirety, with all that is within us. The phrase White Hot Faith is one of the descriptions my friend Steve uses to describe the marks of a Jesus movement.  I look forward to this book coming knowing the years he has been living in this conversation. And wouldn’t it be great if the church all over the world began to discover itself again as a missionary movement and not a denomination or religious institution.  What if we began to focus more on God establishing His Kingdom rather then building a church.  

As a church gathering together each Sunday at 10am we have recently been watching a dvd on worship called What is Worship put together by Vineyard Worship Resources.  Great to expand our view of worship and as a community we have enjoyed the input and the discussions in response.The message version of the Bible has this for Romans 12:1,2; a key text on worship…”So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you.  Take your everyday, ordinary life-your sleeping, eating, going -to-work, and walking-around life-and place it before God as an offering.  Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.  Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.  Instead, fix your attention God.  You’ll be changed from the inside out.   

I lived to tell the tale.  My walk of 50 klm of the last blog went fairly well.  Lets just say…I walked well to start with, hobbled around the next day hardly able to walk.  Unfortunatly an “old war wound” surfaced and made it increasingly hard to put one foot before the other, but I managed 38klm which is not bad for one day.And talking about when you do not mind technology not working; part way through the day I realized that the pedometer that I had been training with had not been working well.  In my training I had seemingly walked further then I had thought I had.  So glad it had not been the other way.   Still some great money raised for such a good cause.  Worth the pain.  

It is early morning and I am preparing to walk 50 klm today to raise money for a big need.  Start walking at 5 am, be done by midnight.  Been training for 4 months.  The jokes about what condition I will be in have been running hot.  I will update later. 

Christ is risen…He is risen indeed.

The other day I went to a presentation on some research done recently on the state of the church in Melbourne.  One statistic stood out.  In Melbourne there is 1 church for every 2070 people.  Considering the size of many churches and the amount outside the church, there is plenty of room for church plants like ours and many more.  Many people still need to hear about Jesus. 

Reading through Dallas Willard’s book Renovation of the Heart and he made the following comment about feelings.

I quote…”Feelings are, with a few exceptions, good servants. But they are disastrous masters.” Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart, pg 122

In our feeling oriented world something to ponder.