Amazing Love by Pastor David Jones

Posted on February 15, 2016 by admin

³⁴So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.³⁵Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35 NLT

Jesus gives a new command. Love each other. It’s an interesting command as it’s not really a new command. In Leviticus we are reminded:

¹⁸“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:18 NLT

Jesus was surely aware of this direct command from the Pentateuch. The idea of loving your neighbor was radical in the time of Moses. It was something the religious leaders of the day had a hard time following. In fact it was hard for anyone to follow. But Jesus does not point us to the Old Covenant, he points us to an even more radical command.

Love each other, just as I have loved you.

Herein lies the radical command. It’s one thing to love your neighbor as yourself. It’s quite another to love like Jesus loved. If we uncover this truth we’ll be amazed at the kind of love Jesus demonstrated on Earth. Jesus touched the lepers, played with children, hung out with sinners, associated with the rich, poor and despised, he lived His life on earth as an offering. He poured out His life for those he came to save.

Jesus shocked his followers with love. Jesus wrapped himself in a towel, got on his knees and began to scrape the mud off the feet of his disciples. Then he washed their feet. It was a moment of amazing love. After finishing with this powerful demonstration of humble love Jesus looks as his friends and says, “Love each other, just as I have loved you.” Surely, His radical command to love blew their minds!

Yet, this is the kind of love Jesus calls us to embrace. We are not called to simply receive love we are called to dispense love. It’s a love that is hard to give and live. The new command of Jesus isn’t just how we would want to be treated. Most of us would not expect someone to go out of their way and extravagantly dispense love toward us. But Jesus says go beyond your pre-defined expectations and do the unthinkable–love willingly, love radically, love unexpectedly.

Let’s follow Jesus! I challenge you. Find someone today and do the unexpected. Pour out extravagant love in a unexpected moment. You’ll prove to the world that you are a disciple of Jesus.

Secret to a long lasting marriage by Pastor David

Posted on February 15, 2016 by admin

The official world record for the longest marriage for a living couple belongs to Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher, who were married for a total of 86 years and 290 days. In 2011, Herbert passed away at 105, and a few years later in 2013, Zelmyra followed at 105 years old as well.

herbert-and-zelmyra

I Corinthians 13:4-8 MSG

Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.

Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.

Love doesn’t strut,

Doesn’t have a swelled head,

Doesn’t force itself on others,

Isn’t always “me first,”

Doesn’t fly off the handle,

Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,

Doesn’t revel when others grovel,

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

Puts up with anything,

Trusts God always,

Always looks for the best,

Never looks back,

But keeps going to the end.

8-10 Love never dies.

Before their death, the Fishers were interviewed about their secrets to long lasting love…and their answers were astoundingly simple. Marry your best friend, be committed, work hard and remember marriage is not a contest, never keep score, God put you on the same team to win! Pretty good advice from a couple that remained happily married for over 86 years!

Here are three secrets to a lasting marriage:

#1 Love is not a fickle feeling

Once you’ve decided to go all in. Once you’ve said, “I DO” you move from feelings to commitment. The feelings may or may not remain but your decision to stick with your spouse is not based on emotion, it’s based on a commitment you made to your spouse and the Lord.

One pastor put it this way, “Love, by its very nature, isn’t a fairy tale feeling, but a commitment. Love isn’t a story with a happy ending; love is a story with no ending.”

“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” 1 Corinthians 13:7 NLT

#2 Never bring up mistakes of the past.

If they’re breathing, your mate will eventually offend you. Learn to forgive.
Stop criticizing others or it will come back on you. If you forgive others, you will be forgiven.

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. – (Luke 6:37 NLT).

#3 Sex should be a Priority:

Every Time we engage in sex we are renewing our covenant to each other.

Don’t allow your busy schedule, your kids, or your age keep you from the marriage bed! It is important to come together and express your love in a physical way to your spouse. Every time you engage in sex you communicate once more to your spouse that you are committed. Each time you come together you physically demonstrate that you are choosing them.

“The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.” 1 Corinthians 7:3-4 NLT

Knowing and Known by Pastor Andy

Posted on February 11, 2016 by admin

You just know.

Every parent knows this situation. No temperature has been taken; no doctor has been consulted; no website has been visited. You simply know that your child is sick. Something isn’t right.

Sometimes you just know. As a parent you know your child isn’t feeling well. As a dad you know she isn’t being honest. As a mom you know he had a bad day.

You read facial expressions. You detect body language. You notice voice inflection. You just know.

Creation vs Child

Sunday, Pastor David shared an important truth. We’re all God’s creation, but not everyone is a child of God. To be a child, I must be adopted through belief in Jesus as the Christ. If you accept Jesus as Lord, you are a child of God.

Paul tells us this in Galatians –

But when the time arrived that was set by God the Father, God sent his Son, born among us of a woman, born under the conditions of the law so that he might redeem those of us who have been kidnapped by the law. Thus we have been set free to experience our rightful heritage. You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, “Papa! Father!” Doesn’t that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you’re also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance. -Galatians 4:4-7 (MSG)

I am known

Paul goes on to say that as Father, God knows us.

But now that you know the real God—or rather since God knows you… –Galatians 4:9 (MSG)

I love the way the English Standard Version translates this,

But now that you have come to know God, or rather be known by God…

We are known. God reads our facial expressions, body language and voice inflection. We are known. God looks past our exterior and interprets our inward person. We are known.

It’s a beautiful part of being God’s child.

Tuesday, Pastor Chris shared a quote from A.W. Tozer –

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important aspect about us.

Being known by God means we understand He sees all the dark places of our heart, yet He still loves us. More over, God accepts us in spite of our short comings. It confirms our hope – we belong.

Be encouraged! You are known! You belong!

Depth Perception by Pastor Matt

Posted on February 10, 2016 by admin

MERCY

In our GROW group this week, we read Psalm 123. The writer talks about looking to God as a servant looks to his master. Other masters, it seems, are contemptuous, proud, and oppressive. But when this psalmist looks to God, he finds…mercy.

Mercy.

Yesterday, Pastor Chris took us to Lamentations and invited us to reflect on God as a merciful Father. Another passage of Scripture that brings together these truths of God’s character – His mercy and His fatherly love – is Psalm 103:

8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. 9 He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. 10 He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. 11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. 12 He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. 13 The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.14 For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust.

Ps 103:8-14

Like Ps 123, this psalm invites me to look to God. And when my eyes land on Him, they find…mercy.

As our GROW group started chatting a bit about God’s mercy the other night, we found our way to Romans 12:1-2. You probably know the verses. Offer your bodies as living sacrifices…don’t conform to this world…be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

One of the guys in our group drew our attention to a little phrase in these verses. Honestly, it was like I was reading them for the first time. I mean, I know I’ve read them before, but I’m not sure I’ve ever really heard them. All of this chat from Paul about service and worship and sacrifice and transformation…and where does it all start?

In view of God’s mercy (Rom 12:1).

God’s mercy changes everything.

DEPTH

Last week was a big week for our family. Penelope, our three year old daughter, got glasses. Adorable, right?! (Minus the bit about not being able to see, of course).

Pen was a champ. It was a big deal for her – and her parents! (And her sister, who’s having a hard time learning we don’t always get two of everything!) We picked up her glasses, had them fitted, and then started to make our way out of the doctor’s office.

Pen, apparently, has a pretty significant astigmatism. When the eye doctors first picked up on it, they told us glasses would be a pretty big adjustment for her, something about her cognitive processes and her brain taking some time to put it all together.

Well, as we were leaving, this happened. You can see the struggle as she tries to adjust to seeing differently. And in case you missed it, she says, “It’s deep when I wear these.” These glasses are rocking her depth perception.

This passage in Psalm 103 – for me, it’s a bit like Pen and those glasses. It’s like seeing clearly for the first time. It’s a perspective that changes everything. It rocks my depth perception.

His mercy is deep – and I’m not used to that. I’m used to contempt and pride and oppression. Sin is a terrible master. Works and law are relentless drivers. But God? He is compassionate, unfailing in His love, merciful. Like a father to his children.

In view of God’s mercy.

Take some time today. Sit with Psalm 103, put on those glasses, and reflect on God’s mercy in your life.

Start Over by Pastor Andy

Posted on February 5, 2016 by admin

Like a Child

1About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”
2Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. -Matthew 18:1-4

I love verse three.

Unless you turn…

To become like a child in God’s eyes, we must turn. The Message version uses the phrase,

…unless you return to square one and start over…

To become like a child we must start over, begin anew, become a child again.

Born Again

I’m reminded of the conversation Nicodemus has with Jesus in John 3. Jesus says,

I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven. -John 3:3

Nicodemus is confused. What does it mean to become born again? Return to my mother’s womb? I like you Jesus, but that’s a little weird! To be honest, Jesus phrase, “become like little children,” is a little weird too. How do I become like a child? Do I really want to be a child?

In Nicodemus’ case, Jesus kindly explains “born again” means to be born of the Spirit. The same is true of becoming like a child.

In our encouragement to GROW Young, we talked about,

Be Carefree
Belong
Be Joyful
Anticipate
Discipline
Dependence

All are great encouragements, but we can’t do it on our own. We are helpless to have enough child-like faith to enter the Kingdom of Heaven in our own strength. We need the Spirit.

To GROW Young, we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. It’s how we become carefree, belong, full of joy, anticipatory, disciplined and dependent. We need to start over, and be filled with the Spirit.

Here’s a simple prayer to start your day,

Jesus fill me with your Spirit. Help me to turn – turn toward You and away from sin. Fill me with your Spirit so I can be like a child in my faith. Thank you for giving me a good thing. Thank you for your Spirit. Amen.

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