Hearing from God this Fall

I am excited about reading through Luke and Acts together as a church.  7 weeks of one chapter a day Bible ready, meditation and prayer.  I have been reading personally in Leviticus and read this morning about God's plan for Sabbath and Jubilee.  A Sabbath rest every 7 days, a rest from farming every 7th year, and a restoration of all property on the 49th year.  Seven seemed to be a significant number, maybe it will be significant for us as we read and pray.

Broken

Relationships allows us to be broken.  Express our pain of loss.  Be genuine about our true emotions and feelings.
Religion tries to make us conform to an "I'm okay" group mentality.  God is good, so everything in my life must be good.
Visiting with someone who is facing the end of their lives, facing the great unknown of death- makes me take a real look at my life. Reminds me of sitting at the edge of my brother's bed- begging God for a miracle. Looking at the broken hearts of my niece and nephew, asking God, "How can this be what is right for these two kids?" Then when the moment came and my brothers earthly body took his last breathe, I felt incredible anger towards God and life.  I read from Psalm 68:5 in that moment: A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.  Julie thought I was being a pastor, but honestly I think I was an angry kid asking His father to take care of something I felt God has messed up.  Loss, before this was distant - something that I has watched others experience.  Then is was a reality for me.  There is not religious formula that will bring you through loss, but there is a God who has walked with me through every loss and every joy. We live in a world that is longing for something real and genuine, because so much of their lives are full of fake.  When they see us and our faith, do they see real people who are broken or fake people who act like everything is okay.

Well, I better text that nephew and niece of mine and see how they are!

Discussion or Dialogue

Another difference between religion is a relationship with Jesus is that we are people who are creating dialogue instead of discussion.  Lenard Sweet in his book, "Nudge" talks about how religion causes people to be in discussions or debates with others.  Our conversations with people who believe differently than we do are usually discussions about who is right and who is wrong.  We of course believe God is on our side, so and we are trying to convince others we are right and therefore they are wrong.  People who are living out a relationship with God can have dialogue with other people where we are able to hear another persons story and be in a mutual sharing mode.  Lenard Sweet suggest that our most effective evangelism comes from 9 parts listening and 1 part speaking.
I friend told me recently that he was going to start patterning his prayer life like a Muslim.  He was going to pray 5 times a day to Jesus like a Muslim prays 5 times a day to Allah.  I'm not sure that came from a conversation with a Muslim, but I am sure that has the attitude of a dialogue and not a discussion.
What about your approach to interacting with people who believe differently than you.  Are you in a dialogue with them or a debate?  Can you see the connection of religion and relationship?

Relationship vs Religion

There are many differences between a religion and a relationship with Jesus!  One difference is that religion uses fear to motivate.  Jesus uses love to motivate.  When was the last time you intimidated someone into being your friend.  I mean really put the fear of pain and suffering into them so they would chose to become your friend instead of becoming a friend to someone else.  Jesus calls people to friendship with God which can become a love relationship that drives out all fear of punishment.
Religion only has follow the rules, ceremonies, guidelines or you are not "in" the group.  And when you are not "in" there are consequences either here on earth or later in the after life.
God longs for us to motivate ourselves and other people by the love instead of fear.  If I once followed Jesus because of fear, I now follow Jesus because I am loved. If I once tried to get people to follow Jesus because I was afraid they would be punished; I am now motivated that they would miss being loved and accepted by God.
You might argue, Jesus has harsh with people and warned them of hell to come.  Yes, the religious people who thought they were with God when they were not, Jesus was harsh with.   We have to assume that was there only hope of seeing the truth.  But to sinners, tax collectors, prostitutes, and regular folks, Jesus had compassion on them and loved them.
Are you motivate today to follow Jesus out of love or fear?

Cross Country

Tuesday I attended a cross country race in Iola, KS.  It reminded me of a sermon I heard this summer by Dr. Graves.  He talked about the first time he attended a cross country meet and how he thought he would be sitting and watching the event.  He soon found out that to take in a cross country race, you really have to be on the move.  Running from one point to cheer on the runner, then cutting across the course to another point to cheer them on again.  He compared this to Jesus being an active part of our lives.  Not just a God who sits on His throne in heaven, but is anxiously waiting our very next move.  Cheering us on when we are doing well!  Telling us to keep going when we are hurting.  How do you picture Jesus interacting with you and your life?  Is he distant?  Close?  Engage?  Bored?
We sang that "Happy Song" this past week in worship and the songs says that one of the great joys of life is realizing that God is for us and not against us.  Remember as you run the race, God is cheering you on!

Many Working as One

There is amazing strength in working together.  Individuals may get credit for doing great things, but most major change comes from a group of people.  In Judges 20:11 we can read that the Israelites joined together as one person to defeat the enemy.
I so wish I had an amazing story of a sports team I was on that joined together - like in the movies - Remember the Titans - Glory Road - Friday Night Lights - where the team joined together to overcome barriers and play as a team to win.  Okay, in Friday Night Lights, they lost..... But all the teams I played on, through all the years I can remember, selfishness won over teamwork.  But I think that is more the normal than we want to admit.  And I believe it is too normal for the church.  God's team that he has put together to transform the world. God's team that is praying and working towards God's will being done on earth as it is in heaven... is to often derailed because we cannot work together as a team.
How great is your desire to be a part of something significant in your life?  How much to you want to leave a legacy of faith for your family, friends, and community?  Enough to put aside your selfishness and put the team ahead of your own life?
Seek first the Kingdom of God!

Holding Up Your Arms

In Exodus 17 we can read the account of the Amalekites attacking the Israelites as they were in the desert.  Moses went up to a ridge to overlook the battle and as long as his hands were raised, the Israelite army was winning the battle.  But as Moses became tired, his hands would drop.  When his hands were lowered the Amalekites began to win the battle.  Aaron and Hur where with Moses and so they began to help the Moses by holding his hands up.
Who in your spiritual journey is there for you like Aaron and Hur?  Who lift you up when you are too tired to do the what God wants you to do?  Jesus reminded his disciples when they kept falling asleep that the spirit is willing but the body is weak.  Our bodies are sometime too weak and so we need other people to help us overcome our weaknesses.  What are weaknesses you have that other people can help you to manage?
A recent worship song by Chris Tomlin says these words:
I lift my hands to believe again, You are my refuge, You are my strength, As I pour out my heart, these things I remember, You are faithful, God, forever.
What a great connection between lifting our hands in worship and Moses lifting his hands to bring power to the Israelite army.  When you are fighting your weaknesses - ask God for help and ask other people to help you!