Our Most Influential Thoughts

Maybe you've read or heard the quote, "An idle brain is the devil's workshop." This quote has been around a long time. It comes from H.G. Bohn's A Handbook of Proverbs, published in 1855. Often, the word "brain" is substituted by the word "mind" and "workshop" is sometimes changed to "playground" in the modern daily use of the expression. Its meaning is, simply put, if a mind is not kept busy with good things, wicked or evil thoughts and ideas are likely to enter.

So what has filled your mind? Consider all the experiences, images, songs, words and phrases, thoughts, memories, prayers, and other stuff that has been absorbed or dumped into your mind. Our quick fix is to ask God to erase all the bad stuff and allow only the good stuff to remain. But, that doesn't work. It seems like the bad stuff comes to mind far too often and quickly. It's so tempting to get weighed down, feel guilty or get mired in past failures and mistakes. The Apostle Paul suggests a different approach.  

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. Philippians 4:8-9 The Message

We wrap up our series this weekend with a challenge to put into practice what we've learned. There are times when we need to press on, endure and persevere even when we're not feeling it. We need other Christ followers who really know us and our story to help us through challenging times. Christians serve and suffer with one another. We live life together because we know our faith will be challenged and we are tempted to do all the wrong things daily. There will be times when we're just not feeling it. We believe a Christian small group is crucial for developing spiritual maturity and can be our only defense against the spiritual forces of darkness that own this world. Imagine the infiltration God's Kingdom not by force but through the gradual transformation of individuals working in groups to change the world. Sounds like God's perfect plan to save the world, doesn't it?

Ordinary things with Extraordinary Grace

Drudgery. It's the touchstone of our Christian character. Drudgery is removed from the mountain top or the isolated valley. It is far removed from the ideal and surreal. It's the grubby things of our daily life that when we come into contact with them we know we are authentic and spiritually real. It takes the inspiration of God to live out the day to day routine. Some people do a certain thing like drive the kids in carpool or walk away from a juicy piece of office gossip in a way that is utterly transformational. They do a common thing with uncommon grace.

The Lord starts in our drudgery. It may be the most common thing we do, but when we do it with a sense of divine initiative we are transfigured. Imagine the Lord of lords and King of kings becoming human. Read the passages of the gospels and find the ordinary things Jesus does with extraordinary grace. We have a tendency to believe the Christian life is supposed to be lived out in the extremes. But in all honesty, the Christian life is lived with integrity in the drudgery of life - when we're just not feeling it.  I found an inspired cartoon that demonstrates this point in a funny wayhere.

The Apostle Paul doesn't give an inspiring speech to the Philippians like the blue-faced Mel Gibson in Braveheart or a battle-ready Russel Crow in Gladiator. He simply tells it like it is by saying,

"Not that I've already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize  for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:12-14 NIV

Blessed self-forgetfulness can be a definition of humility and something we are learning about during this sermons series. We will experience something new this weekend at Wheatland. We are celebrating with our congregation at both sites! Five Preacher Weekend is an opportunity to share the incredible talent we have and give new leaders an opportunity to preach at each location. We will consecrate our Congregational Care Team members and welcome new members into our community. I wouldn't miss this if I were you! See you Sunday.

-Pastor Jen

Dying Every Day

There's nothing quite like the first days. The first days of a new job or relationship captivate us with anticipation and excitement. We rise with the dawn and cannot wait to get to work! We constantly check our phone for any hint of communication from our new person of interest. Our expectations skyrocket. Creativity seems to ooze from the very fiber of our being! We over look little things that normally drive us crazy. We ride the intense whitewater of our emotional rapids that carries us into a what we may begin to believe is a whole new way of being!

And then it happens. Reality.

The first days reflect a lot about us. The white knuckle ride through the first days reflects a lot about our character and what may be guiding us or missing in our lives. Someone or something fills a void in us. Sometimes we didn't know it was there. The initial burst of emotions from first days can be exhilarating but it can take a huge emotional toll on people we care about unless we develop a Christ-like character and think about the long-term effects of our actions.

I hope you check out the second chapter of Philippians this week. I am sure it sounded as radical to them as it does to us today. Paul challenged the Christians of Philippi to look not to their own interests but to the interests of others. In other words, put your interests aside and think before you act. He reminds them of Jesus who didn't take being God for granted but humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death-even death on a cross!

 And there it is. Reality.

The most incredible Christ-like followers I know die on a daily basis. They reflect the character of Jesus. They are humble and obedient. They make the hearts and minds of others a priority. They recognize their own selfish desires that often parade as needs. It takes incredible self-control to step back, make a personal assessment in any situation and die to personal interests. Philippians chapter two helps us understand why the name of Jesus is above every name and why every knee shall bow. I challenge you to check it out.

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4 ESV

I'm Just Not Feeling It

The holidays are over. Maybe you made a resolution to get into shape, go gluten-free, reduce your debt load or get back to church. All of these are excellent areas of focus for 2014. But, secretly have you wondered why you may be tempted to wander away from church or give up on your relationship with Jesus altogether? Did the good feelings of connection you once had fade with time? Has reading your Bible become dull? Is your prayer life reduced to simply going through the motions?

Almost everyone I know has experienced a disconnect from church, the Bible, prayer and even Jesus at some point of their spiritual journey. If you haven't felt it yet, trust me, be prepared to experience a spiritual separation at some point during your faith walk. I found an interesting post I think may be helpful here.

Maybe you've thought about ending your relationship with Jesus. You are not alone. Throughout our next Sunday morning series we will explore some of the reasons Christ followers may experience a faith disconnect.  You've probably heard the popular phrase, "I'm just not feeling it." This phrase happens to be our series title and one of the most popular break-up lines used when ending a relationship. It's like saying, "it's not you, it's me" or "we're just growing apart" or "we're just different people today than we were back then."

One sure-fire remedy to the spiritual disconnect is being connected to a trusted group of dedicated Christ followers. The New Testament is full of great stories about how regular people develop a long-lasting relationship with Jesus. The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to a small group of Christians in Philippi. The letter, also called an epistle, includes four chapters we will study together. We're even going to challenge you to memorize Philippians 3:12 and add it to your spiritual repertoire! Faith in Jesus lived out in community becomes a powerful catalyst to experiencing God in our everyday lives. Check out what small groups are currently available or connect with other people and create your very own group. You could be a vehicle of eternal hope and reconciliation Jesus works through to change the world!

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Philippians 3:12 NIV