Trusted WITH SEASONS OF LIFE

I'm a sucker for design shows. Or at least I used to be before every cable channel known to man had one. Whether it be homes, landscaping, meals or motorcycles- I enjoy watching a designer incarnate their vision. In the process I've learned some key principles of design. Repetition for example. A good designer subtly repeats certain elements like colors, shapes, textures or images. The right amount of repetition helps a design to feel cohesive. Too much makes it feel like a mess. Where does this principle of repetition come from? Creation. As the original designer, God like to scatter recurring elements throughout our existence. Take the concept of seasons for example.

We experience the cycle of natural seasons each year. We live through varying seasons of spiritual growth and development. And we walk through various stages and seasons of life. Last week we explored the idea that God trusts us with time and the gift of life. Let's take that a step further and acknowledge that God gives us different seasons of life. Whether we define it chronolgically, economically or in terms of our health or relational status- God is trusting us all with a certain season of life today. What would it mean to honor God with this season?

ARE WE LIVING IN THE MOMENT?
Humans seem intent on wishing they were somewhere else. Instead of enjoying where we're at, we often find ourselves looking ahead or behind us. Unemployed people want to get jobs. Working people want to retire. People with young kids want them to grow up and leave the nest. Empty nesters want their kids back home. Maybe a great way to start honoring God's trust with our current season of life is simply to be present in it. 2600 years ago the nation of Israel was swept into captivity by the Babylonians. God allowed this to happen after patiently pleading with Israel to turn their hearts back to Him for centuries. After the dust settled and the reality of the situation set in, the Jewish people cried out to God and asked to be set free from their season of captivity. Check out God's response. God encouraged them to be present in the present. To settle into this season. Not to wish for the past or the future. Sounds like good advice. We won't get these days back. We probably ought to live them now.

WHAT CAN THIS SEASON TEACH US?
Last weekend my family went to the farmer's market. It was fun to see what each vendor brought to sell. As we walked and sampled, I noticed something. The farmer's market is markedly different from the produce department in a grocery store because it only sells food that is in season. Grocers might pay a high premium (and pass it on to the customer) to acquire foods that are out of season in our area, but growing elsewhere. The farmer's market focuses on what this season has to offer. Doesn't life work the same way? Each phase has unique growth opportunities and lessons to teach us. God uses the Babylonian captivity to help his people learn discernment, faith and trust. What lessons are we being presented with right now?

HOW IS GOD SHOWING UP IN THIS SEASON?
Most of the time we think that God is with us when things go smoothly and has abandoned us when the bumps come. (Fickle aren't we?) I'm guessing the people the prophet Jeremiah wrote to felt the same way. They had lost everything- homes, property, familiarity and freedom. Yet, even in the midst of these (self-induced) challenges, God intended to bless them. Even if life was different for a season, they'd still have homes, food, kids and grandkids. If we keep our eyes open I'm guessing that we'll be able to see God's goodness leaking through no matter how tough this phase of life is for us.

HOW CAN THIS SEASON BLESS OTHERS?
Sometimes God tells us something that makes our heads spin. Like these words spoken to the Jewish captives who had been deported far from home:

Work for the good of the city where I've taken you as captives, and pray to the LORD for that city. When it prospers, you will also prosper.

God asked His people not to get so locked into their own season of life, but to look outward and see how this time in their lives might bless others. Even their captors. In a way, I think many of us can relate to these folks who were living in a strange land. In an increasingly mobile society, a good number of us have moved away from home and left our support networks behind. A "raise your hand" survey in our church community this past Sunday found that about 2% of us had grown up in the Raleigh area. WOW! No wonder God puts us together in communities. We need help and support- esp. from those who are in a different season of life than us. It's amazing how the overly familiar circumstances of our life can be helpful, reassuring and even inspiring to someone else. So who can you bless in this phase of life?

REFLECT:
Q: How would you describe your current season of life? What is good about it? What is challenging?

Q: How hard/easy is it for you to live in the moment? Do you tend to look back? Look ahead? Why do you think that is?

Q: What is your current season of life giving you the chance to learn? Are you embracing this opportunity? How or why not?

Q: How is God showing up in your current situation? Can you see His goodness in the midst of the challenges or uncertainty?

Q: What might you have to offer someone in another season of life? Are you connected to people in other phases? What might they have to share with you?

Trusted WITH TIME

Time was a major focus at the Beijing Olympics. Sprinter Usain Bolt shocked the sports world when the clock read 9.69 at the end of his 100m race. Especially since he coasted the last 15-20 meters. Fans of the US Swim team cheered and groaned when differentials of .01 seconds meant a gold medal for Michael Phelps and a silver for Darra Torres. As fans, we lived and died by the clock. Sounds familiar, huh? Do you ever stop to think about how much we rely on the gift of time?

NUMBERING OUR DAYS
There's a great prayer about time in Psalm 90:12: "Teach us to number each of our days so that we may grow in wisdom." While it is true that our days are numbered, most of us don't live with that truth daily. What would happen if we began to see and use our days like they were a sacred trust from God?

A GIFT - NOT A GIVEN
Last Sunday I asked our church community how many of them were planning on waking up on Monday. Every single hand went up. Most of us live like the future is a given. Even though we know it is a reality, most of act surprised when we hear that someone (ex. Tim Russert, Bernie Mac) has died. The Bible is very honest about our relationship with time. The bottom line is that we're powerless to grant ourselves any more time. Yes- all the self-help and productivity articles are lying. God is the giver of time. Numbering our days might mean approaching each one as if it is a gift from God, instead of a given.

SPENDING OUR DAYS WISELY
Thinking about our time differently should eventually lead us to use it in a new, better way. Think about the way we refer to time. We SPEND time, SAVE time and BUY time. We talk about time like a commodity. What makes our days so valuable? We don't know how many we have left. Tomorrow isn't promised. So, we'd better make the most of today. What does it mean to spend our time wisely? Although there are tons of valid answers, let me suggest a few. Spending our days wisely might mean enjoying the gift of life. Often when we talk about time management we think about work and productivity. And while work is an important part of the life that God is giving us, it isn't the only thing. In the Old Testament, God taught His people a holisitic rhythm of life that included work, rest, celebration and relationships. Using our days well might also mean enjoying the Giver of time. We don't have to wait until we meet our Maker to get to know Him. Every day offers us opportunities for gratitude and communion. One more idea here. Numbering our days can also mean doing the work of the Giver of time. Why has God given us this day? Perhaps He has something for us to do on His behalf? People to be served or love. Hope to be dispensed. Mercy to be shared. Justice to be sought.

REFLECT:

Q: What is your relationship like with time? Are you perpetually early or late? Do you over or underschedule?

Q: Look at Psalm 90:1-6 again. How do these verses contrast God's relationship with time vs. our relationship with time?

Q: When was the last time you thought about the short and unpredictible nature of life? What happened to trigger that? Do you like to think about this kind of stuff?

Q: Look at James 4:13-15 again. What does God take exception to in this passage? Is this an admonition against future planning? What role should prayer play in our time management?

Q: Do you have a sense of why God is giving you this time on earth? What purposes/missions has He given you to fulfill during your days here?

Try It: Pray Psalm 90:12 every day this week.

God Trusts Us (Series Intro)

Fall is here. Although the weather doesn't feel like it yet, many of us are shifting gears into a new season. Labor Day has passed. Summer vacations are over. The kids are back in school. And over the next few weeks we'll settle into the changes that come with a new season. We'll change wardrobes- trading shorts for pants and flip flops for shoes. We'll shift schedules- shuttling kids to their activities and devoting weekends to football and tailgating. We'll transition meals- from summer fare to fall veggies and soups. Since fall seems like a natural time to make some changes, we're jumping into a new teaching series that centers around making a simple (but HUGE) perspective shift: Seeing ourselves as people whom God trusts.

TRUSTED










Last week we wrapped up the Lord's prayer with a phrase that acknowledges that everything is God's (For THINE is the Kingdom...). But do we really live that way? I may say that everything is God's, but I often live like my stuff is mine. And I'm pretty sure I'm not alone. To challenge this perspective Jesus told a simple story about a guy who was a bit like us. After sitting with the story for a while I found myself coming back to a few key questions.

WHOSE LIFE IS THIS?
The man in Jesus' story was incredibly comfortable with the idea of possession. Read it again and notice the number of times that he talks about HIS stuff. Or for that matter, listen to the people around you today. We talk all the time about what is "ours". But does anything really belong to us? The Bible seems pretty clear that everything belongs to God. If we believe that God made the world then it makes sense that He's got ultimate ownership. There's nothing we can give God that isn't His already. But even if we believe that, many of us constantly fight the illusion that we are responsible for all the blessings in our lives. Luckily for us, God sees our struggle and isn't afraid to challenge us on this. (Check out Moses' words to the nation of Israel as they're getting ready to enter the promised land that God was giving them.) Maybe the ultimate test of ownership comes at the end of the story Jesus tells. To clarify the issue of ownership, God tells the man that He is taking back everything that belongs to Him. The man can keep anything that is really "his". What if God did the same with us- and took back everything in our lives that He has blessed us with or had a hand in bringing our way. What would we have left? Not much. Not even our own lives.

SO WHY DO WE HAVE IT?
Which led me to another question. If my life- and all the goodness in it- really isn't mine, what am I doing with it? This really hit me a couple months back on a trip to the grocery store. When I walked in I stopped and stared at all that was available to me. I could have anything I wanted in the store. I could choose from hundreds of kinds of fresh produce, dozens of cuts of meat, 100 flavors of ice cream. Why? Why was all this available to me- any time I want it- when so many have little to eat and no choices in the matter. I concluded that it must be the blessing of God. I don't deserve all the good things in my life. But for some reason, God has seen fit to give them to me. The same was true in the story Jesus told. The man had lots of crops because he had a good, fertile piece of land. And who should get credit for that?

So, why does God bring good things in our lives? Why do we have the benefit of education, healthy bodies, good medical care, long lives, tasty food, friends and families, a loving church community, freedom, job opportunities, comfortable homes, physical safety, etc, etc,??? A few verses in 1st Timothy provide some insight. The blessings in our lives are there for our enjoyment. They are there for us to savor. They should point us back to the One who loans them to us. But that's not all. Everything that I've been given isn't just for there for me- but to help others too. Look at the passage again and notice that there's 1 admonition to enjoy "our stuff" and 4 promptings to use it to help others. Think that ratio is intentional? =) If everything in my life is God's, why do I have it? Because God is trusting me with it. He's trusting me to use these blessings well- both for my benefit and to help others.

HOW WOULD IT CHANGE ME TO LIVE LIKE I'M TRUSTED?
I tend to think that anytime Jesus tells us a story, He's trying to make a point. What does Jesus want us to get out of this one? Hopefully a new way of living. What would happen if we abandoned our position as owners of our lives an saw ourselves as managers of the things God is trusting us with? First, we'd feel honored. Our sense of importance would skyrocket in a God honoring way. After all doesn't trust build a relationship? God must think a lot of us to make us responsible for so many blessings. Second, we'd feel responsible. If everything in my life belongs to God, then I need to use it wisely.

REFLECT:
Q: Do you believe that everything really belongs to God? Do you live that way consistently?

Q: Which parts of your life are easy to give to God? Which do you try to keep ownership over?

Q: Have you had any experiences that opened your eyes to just how blessed you are? What happened? How did it change you?

Q: Do you usually think of yourself as a person that God places a lot of trust in? Grab a piece of paper and make a list of every good thing in your life (material and otherwise). What does it say to you that God trusts you with so much?

Q: Do you have any ways, ideas or practices that help you keep a healthy perspective on the ownership issue?

Try It: Adjust your next vocabulary for the next day. Instead of talking about things in the first person possessive (ex. my job), use a phrase that acknowledges God's ownership and your stewardship (ex. the job that God is trusting me with).

Prayer- For Thine Is The Kindom and the Power....

How do you typically end conversations? If you aren’t sure, listen to how others do it for the next few days. You’ll probably hear things like “Have a nice day”, “Bye now”, “Later”, “Take Care”, “Be Good” and maybe the occasional “Peace Out”. Listen to the same folks offer salutations long enough and you’ll notice that most of us have one or two catch phrases we recycle. How should we end conversations with God? Those of us who are familiar with the Lord’s Prayer probably learned to say this:

“For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, forever and ever, Amen.”

BENEDICTION
You might be surprised to know that the above phrase probably isn’t exactly what Jesus taught His followers. The earliest copies of Matthew 6 that have been unearthed don’t include this ending. Most likely it was added by a well meaning copyist at some point. So why is it so common? Because the ancient manuscripts available in 1611 to translate the King James Version included it. And since many Americans learned scripture using the KJV, this benediction is the one many of us were taught.

So is this a big deal? Should we stop ending our prayers with “for Thine is the Kingdom…..”? Probably not. Here are a few reasons why: 1. The ending that most of us learned for the Lord’s prayer is very similar to the way devout Jews ended their prayers in Jesus’ day. Jesus probably used words like these on numerous occasions Himself. 2. The common benediction to the Lord’s prayer agrees with what is said about God in other parts of the scriptures. Here are examples from both the OT and the NT. 3. The wording in this phrase captures ideas in the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus told us to focus on. This makes it a great summary.

Not that we need to be rote in our prayers, but regularly ending our conversations by reminding ourselves that God has all the power to accomplish whatever we’ve asked about, and that He’s in control no matter how things look is probably a good thing. But what if we used this phrase as a way to start and order our days as well?

INVOCATION
Look through your email inbox. You’ll probably find that some of your friends and colleagues have inspirational quotes- or maybe even scriptures- as a part of their auto signatures. Why include this kind of thing? Seems like we’re trying to make a statement about what is important to us, or our philosophy of life. Wouldn’t the final phrase of the Lord’s Prayer make a nice mantra? Specifically, it reminds us that God has ownership. It’s HIS Kingdom, Power and Glory. He’s in charge. And He’s responsible. Maybe one of the reasons that we stress so much is that we think we have to make things happen. Surprise, God cares more about this world- and about us- than we do. Let’s put the burden on Him to do the heavy lifting of the Kingdom work.

That doesn’t mean that we don’t matter. For some reason (probably that love thing again) God has seen fit to involve us in all sorts of things. He makes them possible, but then asks us to play a part to help them happen. God offers us a relationship with Him- but asks us to choose it. Jesus dies to forgive us- but invites us to confess to receive mercy. God welcomes us into community- but we have to take the chance to engage others. The Holy Spirit offers us the opportunity to bring hope, mercy and justice to our neighbors- but we have to be willing to love, serve and speak. Maybe a simple prayer each day could help us to acknowledge both God's ownership/power and our involvement and live out those concepts.

REFLECT:
Q: What phrases do you usually use to end verbal conversations? To sign emails? Why do you use those specific phrases? Are they meaningful or intentional?

Q: How were you taught to end your prayers? What do you usually say to finish a conversation with God?

Q: Which phrase or word in the common benediction to the Lord's Prayer is most comforting to you? Most challenging? Why?

Q: Which is harder for you- to acknowledge/believe in God's ownership and power or to take action and do your part of His work? Why?

Try It: Take some time and pray through each phrase of the Lord's Prayer by yourself or in a group. Say the words you are familiar with and then add your own thoughts, requests, etc. to them.

Prayer- Lead Us Away From Temptation & Evil

Temptation reminds me of stress. A little bit of both can have ancillary benefits- like helping us to refocus. Too much of either can crush us, and both temptation and stress come from multiple directions. There's the external temptation that comes at us from "out there". But there's also an internal stream as well. As Jesus teaches us to pray, "Lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil", He offers us some help in dealing with both sources temptation.

"OUT THERE"
The other day our daughter asked what a furnace is. My wife explained that our furnace heats our house in the winter. Clear dissatisfied with that answer, my daughter explained that she wanted to know what the furnace was in the story about Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego. (Actually she referenced the Veggie Tales version, but isn't that the same thing?). My wife replied that that was a story. Out of the daughter's hearing, I added that it was a true story. Then my wife confessed, "I'm having a hard time finding stories in the Bible I can tell her at 4." Why? Because so many stories deal with pain, disobedience, evil and suffering. We do live in a fallen world, and it's no wonder that Jesus would encourage us to pray about avoiding as much of this darkness as we can.

So where does temptation come from? Not from God. Why would God want us to move away from Him? Instead, God is on our side, monitoring the seduction of our souls to make sure that we won't be overwhelmed. Our external allurements come from another source. The enemy of God works to separate us from Him. (In fact, the "evil" in Jesus' prayer can also be translated "the evil one".) Check out what 1 Peter 5:7-11 has to say. We don't have to be afraid of the tempter and all he throws our way. We do have God on our side after all! Instead, we should be clear minded, alert and firm in our faith. Maybe praying regularly about temptation would help us to get there.

"IN HERE"
This week I read a study about one of the germiest places we're likely to encounter- not the public toilet, or the greasy restaurant, or the hospital ER- but the kitchen sink. After just one day the sponges in our sink can foster e. coli or staph bacteria. We worry about sanitation "out there", but face a greater danger "in here". Works the same with temptation, doesn't it? Yes, I need to worry about the traps that are being thrown my way. But I also need to pay attention to the trouble I'll seek out on my own.

And perhaps this little prayer of Jesus can help me do just that. When I think about the internal temptations I face I'm reminded of Proverbs 22:3:

"Sensible people foresee trouble and hide from it, but gullible people go ahead and suffer the consequence."

How much grief could I save myself (and others) if I asked God to give me self awareness? Do I recognize which temptations I naturally run towards? What triggers them? What they are really about? If so, then I'd be in a better position to see trouble coming- even from within. And what if I prayed that God would give me shelter from my internal struggles? Maybe I'd get wisdom about how to put firewalls between myself and that which seeks to move me away from God. I could also ask God to send me some folks who I could be honest with and accountable to, and I wouldn't have to hide on my own.

REFLECT:
Q: How often do you pray to ask God for forgiveness? How about help in avoiding temptation? Does the ration between the two say anything to you?

Q: Do you think much about the devil or spiritual evil? Do you believe they exist? How should Christians feel about/respond to them? (Check 1 Peter 5:7-11 for insight.)

Q: Does most of your temptation come form external or internal sources?

Q: How self aware are you when it comes to your struggles? Can you see them coming? Identify the expressions? Triggers? Root issues?

Q: Have you found any ways to hide from temptation? What has helped or worked for you before?

Prayer- Forgive Us, Help Us Forgive Others

I hate tangles. I know hate is a strong word, but I'm using it. Tangles complicate my life, raise my stress level and take valuable time (and sometimes money) to fix. Case in point: Christmas lights. Every year we take the time to wrap them up neatly and somehow in the 11 months they sit in storage they congeal into one huge mass of a mess. I think this passive aggressive behavior is a sign that they don't like being ignored, but that's another conversation.

Now what was I saying? Oh yes, tangles are a hassle and a given. Whether it's Christmas lights, fishing line, hair, the dog leash, shoe laces, a business deal, a relationship, or our souls- snags will find us. Jesus knows this of course, and offers us this simple prayer to help us do some detangling:

"Forgive us as we forgive others"

DIVINE TANGLES
The Scriptures are clear that no person is perfect. All of us have failed to live up to our own good intentions, much less the image of God in us. We're all rebels and outlaws, and not the cool kind in the movies that ladies seem to dig. But do we really need the Bible to tell us this? An honest look into each of our hearts reveals snags and twists in our connection with God. So how do we fix it? We don't. Tangles of the soul are beyond our clumsy fingers. They require the spiritual dexterity and sacrificial love of Jesus. Keep in mind this gift of mercy isn't simply to offset our guilt and send us on our way, or to clean our slate once and burden us with the pursuit of moral perfection. God invites us to love and live with Him- tangles and all.

CROSSED LINES
Some tangles happen as different lines intersect with and wrap around each other. But when it comes to detangling our souls, God does some intentional braiding. Most of the time I want to be forgiven and be done with it. But Jesus doesn't end his prayer there. God seems bent on the idea that we give others the freedom that He has granted us. In fact, this is the only part of the prayer that Jesus bothers to footnote. Wonder why? Maybe because we'd rather not connect our ability to be forgiven with our ability to forgive? But in God's mind, this is a given- if we want to love Him, we've got to learn to love each other.

HUMAN TANGLES
Our relationships with each other get kinked and snagged in any number of ways: miscommunication, misunderstanding, unmet expectations, selfish actions, betrayal, etc. And when things get messy, many of us would rather ignore it or cut and run. Jesus' words are very clear, but not very easy. Forgiving others is hard, especially when they don't cooperate. How can we pardon someone who doesn't seek it or won't own up to their part of the problem? We start by focusing on our end, on the things that we can control. Does setting others free mean that we act like the wrongs never happened? Ignore our emotions? Jump back into unstable, hurtful situations? I don't think so. Instead we, as William Young put it, forgiving means we "take our hands off of the other person's throat". We release our claims of vengeance and resentment in the eyes of God.

How can we possibly do that when we've been deeply hurt? I'm not sure we can on our own. And this is why Jesus has us praying about this. What God asks us to do, He will help us to do. We ask for the courage to let the mercy of God flow through us to another.

DETANGLING
Q: Where does your relationship with God feel snagged or knotted up right now? Are these new struggles, or the same things you've dealt with for sometime now?

Q: Look back at 1 John 1:9. Read the verse a few times. What words stand out to you? Why?

Q: What do you think "confessing our sins" entails? What look do you imagine on the face of God when you confess and ask for mercy?

Q: Which is easier for you: to ask God for forgiveness, to forgive others, or to forgive yourself? Which is most difficult? Why?

Q: Which is more grevious in your mind: the ways you've wronged God, or the ways others have wrong you? Is this just a mental concept, or do you feel the weight of each? Check out this story Jesus told. What does it say to you about the size and scope of our divine and human tangles?

Q: Who is their in your life (past or present) that you feel tangled up about? What can you do about it this week?

Prayer- Give Us Our Daily Bread

"This is how you should pray: Our Father in Heaven....Give us this day our daily bread."


How do you feel about that line?

Comforted that the God of all people would take time to listen to our needs?

Humbled to have to ask for help?

Challenged at the thought of separating your "wants" and "needs"?

Something else?

What does "daily bread" look like for you right now?

How could we join you in praying for the things you really need?

Hit the comments button and tell us what's on your mind.

Prayer- Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done

Ever dream about "the perfect job"? Not the one that will make you rich or famous. I'm talking about the gig that is the polar opposite of what you do everyday. As someone who sits at a computer and does a lot of work with his head and his mouth- I dream about a job that involves physical labor and no take home stress. Like cutting grass or working construction. Then a few weeks ago I did demolition for 3 hours in a space our church is renovating. I was sore for 5 days. My perspective of a life of manual labor changed dramatically. I had this romanticized vision of working with my hands, but learned that it can also be really tough.

Jesus tells us to pray "Your Kingdom Come, Your Will Be Done, On Earth As In Heaven". We probably have some pictures in our heads about what these words and concepts mean. But do our perspectives about God's Kingdom and God's Will match His? My guess is no. In fact, our ideas probably differ in a bunch of ways from what God has in mind. Let me throw out a few to get you thinking:

SEPARATE VS. SYNONYMOUS
We read Jesus' instructions and instantly add two distinct items to our prayer list. But what if God's Kingdom coming and God's Will being done are one and the same? If we define "God's Kingdom coming" as God setting things right again and reconciling all Creation to Himself, then isn't that also His ultimate, over-arching Will? Jesus came to usher in the Kingdom of Heaven. All time and history are moving towards seeing God's Kingdom fully and finally re-established. So, why does this really matter? Those of use who follow Jesus ARE a Kingdom to God. Are we asking God to use us to help establish His Kingdom? Or praying that whatever needs to happen in us will happen so that we and others can get in on the Kingdom?

EASY VS. GOOD
My idea of God's will for my life can be summed up this way: God wants me to be happy, healthy and never struggle. Yes, I know this isn't what the Bible says- but it is what I really want. Not just for myself, but for my kids. The other day I was with my daughter in Wal-Mart. She wanted to buy a toy and my wife and I told her she'd have to spend her own money. She had about 7 bucks. Time and again she picked out toys that were too expensive. After a while it hurt my heart to tell her, "Honey, you don't have enough money." As her dad I wanted her to have what she wanted. The thought of her "going without" made me want to step in and fix it. Then I wondered, "What is it I want to do for my daughter?" Do I want her life to be easy? If so, I need to shelter her and not allow her to encounter any difficulty. Do I want her to become a mature, well-adjusted, responsible adult? If that's my goal then I might allow her to struggle and learn life's lessons. What is God's ultimate goal for us? If it is to be reconciled to Him, be spiritually healthy and whole, then He may allow us to experience things that aren't always easy- but will eventually lead us towards goodness. Not sure? Search for the phrases "God's of The Lord's Will" in the New Testament. You'll find that about 1/2 the verses deal with God's will and suffering. Ouch.

NOW VS. LATER
I believe that in our best (read non-selfish) moments we have much the same vision as God. Evil gets vanquished, suffering and oppression stop, people are healed (God's Kingdom). The difference in what we want and what God wants (His Will) is simply a matter of timing. We want things to be made right here and now. Although God is working on this now, it won't fully happen until later.

SELECTIVE VS. COMPLETE
Do we ask for God's will to be done every time we pray? Probably not. Why? Because we'd like to maintain some ownership of our lives as well. Jesus tells us to pray that God's Will would be done "on earth as it is in heaven". How do you think God's Will is done in heaven? Fully? Completely? Instantly? Without exception? Sounds right to me. Is that what we have in mind when we pray? Are we ready to go there?

REFLECT:
Q: When was the last time you prayed (either directly or indirectly) for God's Will to be done or made known? How about the last time you prayed for God's Kingdom to come? Do you pray more for one of these things than the other? If so, why?

Q: Do you believe that "God's Will" is that life would always be easy? How do you feel about the idea that God's Will might involve suffering? Does it make a difference for you if God makes something tough happen or just allows it to happen to us?

Q: If Jesus is our ultimate example, what does His life (and death) tell us about God's Kingdom and His Will?

Q: How do you think God's will gets done in heaven? How would our lives and prayers look differently if we started praying and wanting this?

Prayer- Hallowed Be Your Name

"Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your name."

Over the last couple of thousands years, this phrase has been repeated by millions of people. I've said it a bunch myself. Maybe you have too. But have we really understood what it means to pray that God's name would be hallowed? And should we really be asking God to do something that we don't understand?

HALLOW DEFINED
Here's Mr. Webster's take on this semi-obscure word:

Main Entry: hal·low
Pronunciation: 'ha-(")lO
Function: transitive verb
Etymology: Middle English halowen, from Old English hAlgian, from hAlig holy -- more at HOLY
1 : to make holy or set apart for holy use
2 : to respect greatly : VENERATE
synonym see DEVOTE

WHY PRAY ABOUT "GOD'S NAME"?
God seems pretty bent on protecting the honor of His name. So much so that one of the ten commandments speaks about this- and offers a warning to those who would dishonor God's name. Does that seem a little extreme? Maybe. But keep in mind that God's name is pretty much all His people had to relate to. They weren't supposed to make idols or create images to represent Him. Apparently, the Jewish people understood what God was shooting for here, because they used "the name of the Lord" and "the Lord" interchangeably.

So for our purposes, asking that God's name would be hallowed means praying that God would be honored, respected or worshiped. But how do we pray that way? Remember, our goal isn't to recite one line over and over, but to allow these concepts to shape our conversations with God.

ONE IDEA - THREE APPROACHES
Let me suggest a few different directions we might go with the admonition to hallow God's name.

GENERALLY- Our Father In Heaven, May You Be Given The Honor You Are Due
As the Creator of all that we see (and all that we don't), God deserves to be worshiped and respected by every creature, every object, every molecule. We can pray that this would happen. That God would make Himself known and that people would respond to the work of the Spirit in and around them. Essentially we're saying- God you deserve this, make it happen.

PERSONALLY- Our Father In Heaven, May You Be Honored In Every Part of My Life
Most Americans are looking for purpose. We want to live for something. We want to make our lives count. A recent survey found that 77% of the people polled said that having a clear purpose for their lives was really important to them. This number rose to 90% among people who identified themselves as Christians. Although we might want something more specific (like, I was meant to be a fireman, or a teacher, or a rock star) living with a core purpose of honoring God is a good place to start. What if we stared praying each day that every part of our lives would honor God and be pleasing to Him? Maybe our work, sex lives, finances, relationships, care for creation, use of our talents, etc. would all improve if our overarching goal was to steward each of these areas so that we put a smile on God's face.

ACTIVELY- Our Father In Heaven, I want to honor and worship right now.
We constantly need to be stretching our idea of "worship". By default many of Jesus' people equate worship with the gatherings at church or the music we sing/play during those gatherings. Prayer gives us an opportunity to actively worship- especially if we take time to adore God for who He is and thank Him for what He has done. This can be as easy as talking about the parts of God's character/identity that we are reminded of in the moment (Ex: God, I look at that sunset and know that you are the Great Artist) or thanking Him for all of the good He has brought into our lives on a given day. (Thank you that the car was fixable, the kids are over their colds and that I can go to the grocery store whenever we run out of food.)

REFLECTING
Q: Last week we were invited to pursue intimacy with God as we prayed "Our Father". This week we focused more on reverence as we "Hallow His Name". Which one comes more naturally for you? Why? Which do you need to do more right now?

Q: Do you "hallow God's name" regularly when you pray? If so, how do you go about that?

Q: Devout Jews in the Old Testament refused to write or pronounce God's formal name (Yahweh) out of respect. Similarly, some Jewish people today write "G-d" instead of "God". What do you think of their attempts to honor the name of God? Do you do anything similar out of respect for God? (Ex. Capitalizing His Name)

Action: Practice a bit of adoration. Thank God for some part of His nature or character that you were reminded of this week. (Ex. You are patient)

Action: Practice thanksgiving. Hallow God's Name for the blessings of the past day or week.

Action: Read Psalm 148 out loud as a way to pray that God would be worshiped by all of His Creation.

Prayer- Our Father In Heaven

A few weeks back my wife and I received a new tv as a housewarming gift. After we got over the shock, we started to unpack it. Our new set is a little more advanced than our last, so I looked for the manual to learn about setting it up. I was greeted by 74 pages of instructions. "Really?", I thought, "It takes 74 pages to learn how to plug in a tv?" Just as I was about call it quits I found the "quick-start" guide. 11 pages with big pictures. Just my speed. Had the tv set up in 5 minutes.

Looking back, I was frustrated because I didn't want to learn about my tv. I wanted to watch my tv. And I've been wondering if a lot of us have the same disappointing experience when it comes to God. We don't want to just acquire information about Him- we want to know Him. Thus our latest teaching series was born.

For the next 7 weeks we'll be using the Lord's Prayer as a quick-start guide to help us have meaningful conversations with God. Although many are familiar with the words of the Lord's prayer, I wonder if we really appreciate what they represent. God (if you believe Jesus is God) is teaching us how to talk to Him. In a clear and concise way. As tired as we can get of listening to people's opinions about God or of having to dig for direct, simple answers to our questions about faith- you'd think we'd grab hold of Jesus' words here and wear them out. That's our goal over the next couple of months anyway. We won't simply be reciting the Lord's prayer over and over. Instead, we'll talk through each phrase and ask ourselves why Jesus taught it to us.

OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN
For example, why does Jesus tell us to start this way? Is this just a formality? Is this Jesus' version of our own pat greetings (Hey man, buddy, dude, girlfriend, playa, etc.)? Or is the choice of wording important to this process? One way to think through this question is to ask why Jesus made prayer a regular part of His life. He had no sin to confess, and seemed much better positioned than we are to make it through life on His own. Probably something about being God in the flesh. Yet Jesus prayed more than most/all of us. Why? He wanted to continue His relationship with His Father. As Jesus teaches us to pray, He urges us to ground our prayer in relationship

VENDING MACHINES
Lately our 4 year old has discovered vending machines. The old fashioned kind where you pop in a quarter, turn the nob and get some gum that peters out in 30 seconds, a tacky temporary tattoo or a toy that will be lost before days end. In fact, our daughter is so intrigued by this exchange that she's started suggesting that we drop by stores and restaurants that have them. Ah, the power of commerce and greed. But am I so different? Don't I treat God like a spiritual vending machine? Isn't prayer just the currency I insert into the slot so I can turn the handle and expect God to spit out whatever I am asking for? No? Ok, when was the last time I prayed just because I was thinking of God and wanted to check in- without needing something. Hmmmmm? You too? Maybe this is why Jesus tells us to start praying with an acknowledgment that God is our Parent. Yes, He'll encourage us to ask for what we and others need later. But, without a relational focus, prayer might become just another business transaction.

REFLECT

• Do I really want a relationship with God? Or something else?
  
• Does the way I pray reflect that?
• If not, why not?
  
• Why do you think Jesus tells us to think of God as a spiritual Parent?
• Check out Matthew 6:1-8 and note the things Jesus says about "your Father" (ex. "your Father sees what you do in private"- God pays attn to us). Which statement speaks most strongly to you today?

PRAY

• Have a conversation with God about your desire or lack of desire for a relationship with Him. Celebrate, confess, ask for help, etc.
• Start each prayer this week with some words that acknowledge the relationship between you and God.
• Rewrite the first line of Jesus’ prayer- putting your own words around the idea that God is your Parent.

Our Turning Points

For the last couple of months we've looked at and talked about the stories of people in the scriptures who changed direction after meeting with Jesus. Now, it's time to shift gears and talk about OUR stories. Are you approaching, in the middle of, or just coming through a turning point with God? If so, we'd love to hear about it. Just use the comments feature.

If you need a little inspiration, here are some questions to jump start your thinking:

• How is your relationship with God changing direction?
• What has God been up to in your life?
• How have you been trying to respond to what God is doing?
• Have you come to some new realizations about faith and life and acted on them?
• Have you tried anything new to help you be a better follower of Jesus?
• Are you leaving something behind for Jesus' sake?
• Picking something else up?
• Making commitments to God or others?
• Surrendering an area of your life that you've been holding back from God?

Turning Points: RECAP

This weekend we took a look back at the different ways people changed direction when they encountered Jesus. (You can find detailed notes for each teaching conversation in the previous posts on this blog.) We also spent some time talking about what we learned and/or found ourselves wondering about on this 7 week journey. Below is a list of the questions we provided our discussion groups. Feel free to use these on your own or with some friends. And, as always, feel free to use the comments feature to share your perspective.

REFLECT:

• Of the people whose stories we’ve heard in the last 7 weeks, whom do you relate the most to and why?

• Whose journey do you relate the least to and why?

• Whose story is most inspiring to you? Comforting to you?

• What common threads or themes did you notice in these stories about how people change direction with God?

• Each of the turning points we’ve studied involved not just a good moment or experience with God- but the invitation to keep on living in a new way. Which do you think is harder- making a decision to seek after God or choosing to continue on afterwards?

• What part(s) does God seem to play in our Turning Points?

• What part(s) do we play in our own Turning Points?

• What (if anything) have the last 7 weeks taught us about the role we might be asked to play in the lives of other people as they approach and move through Turning Points?

• What questions did this series of teaching conversations raise for you? What have you wondered or thought more about over the last 7 weeks?

• What questions did this series answer for you? What are you taking with you from these teachings?

• Describe a turning point in your relationship with God.

• Talk about your most recent turning point.

• Where are you at now? Approaching a turning point? In the middle of one? Recently though one? Something else?

Turning Points: WHEN WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN

I've waited tables a time or two in my life. The most frustrating part of the job for me wasn't the hard-to-please customers, or the constant multi-tasking. It was the feeling that I had too many people to really serve well. Waiting tables taught me that it really bugs me when I can't give my best effort at a job. If only the same thing carried over in my life with God. It did for a man named Cornelius. He was doing his best to honor God- cultivating a devout and respectful attitude and backing it up with his actions of generosity and prayer.

THE GOD WHO NOTICES
The idea that God is always watching us can feel a bit creepy to some of us. But what if God is watching because He is hoping to catch us doing good? God notices that Cornelius is doing his best and sends a messenger to invite him to take another step of faith.

FILLING IN THE GAPS
Doing our best may show God our hearts, but it doesn't completely close the distance between us and a Holy, Awesome God. That's where our Maker steps in and closes the distance between us. Knowing better than we do that our goodness will only get us so far- He closes the gap for us. Read through Acts 10 and notice what happens for Peter. Peter is one of the most famous followers and servants of Jesus. Yet, he needs help. God uses a trip to Cornelius' house to expand Peter's understanding of God's heart and plan. And then there's Cornelius. He's done his best to honor God. Then God sends Peter to fill in Cornelius' gaps- inviting him to experience the peace, forgiveness and relationship that Jesus came to bring.

REFLECT:
Q: Cornelius' desire to honor God was obvious (even to other people) by his actions. Is the same thing true about us? How does our relationship with God get lived out?

Q: In this story God challenges some of Peter's religious traditions and asks him to leave them behind. What have you been taught about God that you might need to leave behind to know/love/serve Him more?

Q: God teaches Peter by giving him a vision, allowing him to meet some people who were very different from him- and allowing Peter to figure things out for himself. Cornelius is also asked to take steps of faith to send for Peter, but then is given a clear message and a powerful spiritual experience. Whose interaction with God describes the kind you are hoping for? Which do you think would help you reach your next Turning Point with Jesus?

Q: What happens in this story that describes some of the challenges you are facing? Pursuing God consistently? Taking steps of faith when God doesn't tell you what will happen next? Having your understanding of God stretched? Being sent to places and people you've never expected to go? Something else

Q: Peter gets prepped for his new mission (of interacting with Gentiles) just before God sends him out to do it. What has been happening in your life lately that might be preparation for some work God has for you to do?

Turning Points: WHEN WE'RE SINCERELY MISDIRECTED

What do you think when you see someone headed the wrong way down the road? I usually think, "What is that idiot doing?" Last week, I was that idiot.

I was traveling on the interstate and stopped to get some lunch. I chose an exit with a mall with several restaurants in the parking lot. Trouble was, I couldn't figure out how to get into the mall. I could see it, but every time I thought I was turning into the entrance, I found myself trapped in a smaller parking lot that didn't connect. Until I finally made a right and was headed straight for the mall. Then I noticed that I was the only car headed this way. Mental warning lights went off and I pulled over the shoulder of the road just seconds before several lanes of traffic came my way. I got my composure back, whipped a u-turn and headed the other way. Chances are, we've all had that kind of experience. Maybe in our cars. Or maybe in our lives.

SINCERE...BUT SINCERELY WRONG
The New Testament tells the story of a man named Saul. He had a deep and sincere love for God. He ordered his whole life around obeying and pleasing God. He was also sincerely convinced that the followers of this upstart rabbi- Jesus of Nazareth- were dishonoring God, leading people astray, and needed to be stopped. So Saul started arresting followers of Jesus, imprisoning them, and- if they wouldn't recant- working to get them executed. Mind you, he did all of this precisely because He loved God and wanted to honor him. If this seems far fetched, consider the Christian Crusades or today's Muslim terrorists.

STOP RIGHT THERE
As Saul is on his way to "clean up" another city, Jesus appears and stops Saul dead in his tracks. Jesus confronts the persecutor about his ignorance. Turns out that Saul didn't know Jesus at all. Amazing how many of our incorrect judgments are formed sans personal relationships or experience, huh? Jesus leaves Saul with a physical reminder the he isn't as enlightened as he presumed. Stunned and blind, Saul is led humbly to Damascus.

NOW TURN AROUND
For a few days, Saul is blind. His lack of physical sight gives him a chance to reflect on his recent supernatural encounter and his actions against the people of Jesus. While Saul stews, God enlists the help of someone who did know Him, Ananias. Ananias is hesitant to get involved given Saul's reputation, but he trusts God and plays an important role in helping Saul recover his sight- physically and spiritually.

OFF YOU GO
Most folks would call Saul's change of heart a win all by itself. At least he's stopped persecuting Jesus' people. But the story gets better from there. God isn't content with just having us stop our negative, hurtful, sinful behavior. He wants to send us out in the other direction. In the course of a week, Saul goes from speaking and acting out against Jesus- to convincing people that Jesus really is the Messiah. Talk about a turnaround.

REFLECT:
Q: Have you ever been sincerely wrong about something? What happened to "enlighten" you?

Q: Why do you think God involved Ananias in this story (instead of just healing Saul himself)? What role did Ananias actually play? What could we learn from him as we seek to engage people who are searching for God?

Q: How do you think Ananias found the strength to call Saul "brother" and embrace Saul after all he had done to Jesus' people? Could you have done that? Did Saul get off the hook for all the wrong he had done?

Q: Saul actively "went the other way" after he saw the light. He not only stopped doing what was wrong, but started doing what was right. Can you think of any issues in your life where God would call you to do the same?

Turning Points: WHEN WE'RE CAUGHT & EXPOSED

Ever watch "To Catch A Predator"? Every time I see this program I have mixed reactions. I'm glad they caught these guys. I'm fearful of how many more of them there are out there. And I'm amazed at how stupid some of these folks are. Especially the ones who have watched "To Catch A Predator" before- and still get stung. Maybe this is evidence of the fact that we think we'll never be the one who gets caught. Whatever the case, the guys on this show had a similar experience to a lady in the scripture- and to me and you too. They got caught and exposed. And had the chance to come to a turning point.

DOING OUR OWN THING
In John 8 we're introduced to a lady who was involved in an inappropriate relationship. Specifically, she was having sex with someone who wasn't her husband. She was committing adultery- even though she probably knew it was wrong. It would have been pretty difficult to live where she did (Jerusalem) amongst the people she did (fiercely religious) and not know that this was a line that shouldn't be crossed. She knew better, but did what she wanted anyway. Just like us. And like us- she probably wasn't planning on getting caught.

CAUGHT & EXPOSED
When this lady lay down with her lover, she couldn't have imagined that an hour later she'd be standing in the temple courtyard, with her secret out for everyone to know. She's naked before the crowd- maybe not physically- but certainly spiritually. Her secrets are on display. And she's steeling herself for the judgment to come

FACING JUDGMENT
The religous leaders who bring this lady to Jesus are looking to judge. They want to judge her. And they want to judge Jesus. However, their foolproof plan backfires. With a little ingenuity, a finger and some sand, Jesus turns the tables. God didn't see fit to tell us exactly what Jesus scrawled in the sand. Whatever the words, they helped the leaders of the mob judge themselves. Maybe the woman on display was guilty of misusing God's gift of sexuality. But these men had used her. They had used the words of God. All in an attempt to condemn Jesus.

A TURNING POINT
This lady doesn't escape judgment for her actions. Not only will she have to face her own conscience, the folks she's wronged, and the rest of her community- but as her accusers leave, she stands before the only one fit to pronounce judgment. Jesus doesn't condemn her. That's not why He has come. Instead, Jesus offers her not only pardon, but a chance to head a new direction in life. Having our indiscretions discovered and broadcast can be painful and humiliating. But being found out can also bring us to a turning point. In our despair we reach towards Jesus for mercy. And like this lady, we can find it.

REFLECT:
Q: Have you ever been caught doing something you knew was wrong? What happened?

Q: Would you agree that most of us "do our own thing" at some point or another? Why? What do we tell ourselves in those moments?

Q: What do you think this story has to teach us about sin? About judgment? Is the point of this story that everyone blows it, so we sin isn't a big deal? Or shouldn't be spoken against?

Q: In your life, which kind of sin is harder for you to deal with: blatant sin (like this woman misusing sexuality) OR subtle sin (like the leaders using this woman and God's words)? Why?

Q: Which is harder for you: to receive God's pardon OR to head in a new direction? Why?

Turning Points: WHEN WE'RE JUST BROWSING

I love Craigslist. Why? For starters, it's free. No fee to post, buy or sell. On top of that, it gives me the chance to get stuff out of my garage without sending it to the landfill. And buying gently used things saves money and is a good practice of self-discipline for me. But mostly- I like Craigslist because I can browse all I want without crowds, sales people or pressure. And I like to browse. How about you? Enjoy a stroll through a car lot, an open house or your favorite store with no agenda or shopping list? Not only is browsing an enjoyable way to spend some free time, but it can also lead us into a turning point.

A LITTLE CURIOSITY
Some of us find God not as the result of a huge quest or search, but simply because we were a little curious. That's what happened to a man named Zacchaeus anyway. Jesus was passing through his town and Zacchaeus just wanted a peek at the Rabbi who was causing such a stir. Maybe he wanted to see if Jesus looked anything like the mental image he had painted of him. Unable to get a front row seat, Zacchaeus' curiousity drives him to higher ground.

BEYOND BROWSING
The story would have ended there (or probably never ended up in scripture) if it wasn't for what happened next. Jesus engaged this lookie-lou. Jesus noticed the man. Called him by name. Honored Zaccheaus by offering to spend time with him. And suddenly, Zacchaeus was something more than curious. He was engaged. He was taking Jesus home for dinner.

I WASN'T PLANNING ON THAT
I have a friend who flips houses for a living. A few months back he finished a total renovation on a house built in the 1920's. Then he noticed that a house across the street was going to be auctioned off. My friend decided to swing by and see what the house sold for. Figured it would give him a good comp for what he had invested in his flip. A couple days later I asked him how the auction went. He told me that he bought the house and went on to explain that he hadn't intended to buy it, but no one else bid- so he jumped in and took it. Sounds like the kind of thing that happened to Zacchaeus. After spending some time with Jesus, he makes a decision.

To some of us, this decision might seem rash. But give Zacchaeus credit- he's started to believe in Jesus and did something about it. While I'm prone to think that decisions ought to be well planned and researched, Zacchaeus grabbed the opportunity in front of him. According to Jesus, this kind of faith is impressive and destiny changing.

REFLECTING:
Q: Do you like to browse? Where? What for?

Q: Zacchaeus climbed a tree to get a look at Jesus. What have you done to explore your own wonderings about faith?

Q: What could Jesus' people learn from Jesus about the way He engages Zacchaeus?

Q: How has Jesus engaged you? What happened to move you beyond "just browsing" when it came to God/Church/Jesus?

Q: What do you think of Zacchaeus' quick decision? How does it compare in your mind to what happened with the Rich Young Ruler?

Q: Are you "just browsing" in some part of your relationship with Jesus? What step of action could you take to express your faith right now?