What does it mean to believe?

This was recorded as a video even though you will only see the "Simple" graphic until the middle of the message where I included a video shown in church on Sunday. This message describes the most important decision you will ever make and it hinges on whether or not you believe and if you understand what that means. Blessings! Be God's.

New Life - Help!

So I need your help on something. I am working on a new series called "Signs of New Life." And a big question I have is "does having Christ in your life really make a difference?" I love this video because it a illustrates what we are all about. Do you have a cardboard testimony? Watch the video and then share with me your own simple cardboard testimony. I really want to know if there are "signs of new life" out there! Thanks for taking the time. This is a really powerful video.

How Jesus Solves the Problem

Working on Unifyer

The last couple of days we have been working to populate our Unifyer site with people and content. Dawn and Jodi have been going crazy with forming groups and adding pictures. You should check out what they are doing. It's great. Even Jan, who is a self admitted computer nubie is getting up to speed. Encourage your friends and people in your area of minstry to register and use begin to use Unifyer as our main avenue of communication. Resist the temptation to send out a mass email! Blessings everyone! I am excited about how this going to help us grow together!

Check it out at www.unifyer.com

Why the "Fear of the Lord" is a Recognition of a Love we Don't Want (but really do)

Yesterday I shared a message about the tension between knowing God as a consuming fire (don't mess) and God as a Father (who loves and invites us into his presence). I made the claim that it is the consuming fire image that we don't want to know because we are uncomfortable with it. But, if we do not know this attribute of God then we cannot have proper "fear" which in turn makes godly wisdom an impossibility. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom..." (Proverbs 9). We know this fear as "reverence and awe." It is also a tension between the consuming fire of God and God's inviting love. As often is the case, the mystery of God is in the tension.

But the two, (God's consuming fire and inviting love) are not as opposed as one might think. It is rather our reaction to a love that purifies that scares us. That is the purpose of the fire, to consume what is imperfect so that only the perfect remains. The consuming fire is no different than a parent who molds a child to be the best and most honorable person he can be. It comes in the form of correction and discipline which is a natural part of parenting. It is an expression of love. Love is not permissive. From a child's perspective it can be terrifying (that is what I remember). When I see someone who is acting inappropriately one of the best ways I can love them is to call them on it. It takes wisdom to know when this is appropriate. And in the process we feel the perhaps the edges of a consuming fire ready to envelope us and warns us of the dangers of our actions. The result? We think twice. In Exodus 20, right after Moses delivered the 10 commandments after descending from the mountain shrouded in fire, smoke and the presence of God (get the connection?), it says that the "people trembled with fear." What was Moses response? "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of the Lord will be with you to keep you from sinning." Interesting. Do not be afraid for the fear of the Lord will be with you? Why? To keep you from sinning. That is a good thing. It is a loving act and one that any parent would hope for their children.
The reason we rebel against this idea of the fear of the lord and the consuming fire is that there is something inside of us that either is afraid of this kind of love or rejects it outright. It is the part of us that is at risk of not surviving the fire. Like the impurities in metal that are burned off in the refining process part of us knows that its life expectancy is short if God has something to do with it. God's consuming fire is an expression of God's love.
But once you recognize what is going on in the bigger picture of your life you welcome this fire because you have the wisdom to see that it makes you more Christ-like.
Do you have the "power to see" the "highest and best goal?" Then live with God's consuming fire for a while, live in reverence and awe, and see whether or not it makes you more wise.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom..." Proverbs 9

THE GOOD DIRT WE LONG TO BE

Here are the notes you should have received on Sunday. Happy Gardening!


Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

WHAT DOES GOOD DIRT LOOK LIKE?
18"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

GOOD DIRT LISTENS

• YOU – Are you teachable? Are you hearing?
• SOMEONE you know – Are they teachable? Are they hearing?

FARMING TIP – This is a “hard” one. Pray for rain to soften the soil. Sometimes it takes a crisis to really break up the soil. Life can be a rototiller.

GOOD DIRT THINKS

• YOU – Are you thinking about the world using the lens of scripture?
• SOMEONE you know – Are they thinking about their relationship with God?

Be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God-what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2

FARMING TIP – Knowing what you believe and why you believe is like Miraclegro for your faith. Find a bible study or small group and watch your roots develop before your eyes.

GOOD DIRT LOVES

• YOU – is your life producing beauty and nourishment consistent with “the message of the kingdom?” Is your life reproducing that message?
• SOMEONE you know – producing beauty and nourishment? Reproducing?

FARMING TIP – Good farmers know what plants need to reproduce.

OUR MISSION AS Spiritual FARMERS – to cultivate relationships and an environment where we and others can be deeply transformed.

90 Day Adventure begins

Today begins our "Bible in 90 Days." Honestly, I wasn't expecting much of a response. After all, it sounds crazy. But we have 13 people who have committed to read the whole Bible in 90 Days. So, this is going to be a spot where we can gather and exchange thoughts or questions about what we are reading. To post a comment, I think you need to register. Put this in your favs and refer to it regularly. Blessings on your journey! Pray before you read each time. Pay attention to how God is speaking to you. Be aware of how God is working on you. Tell us about it! Support and encourage each other. Ready, set, go!

Blessings,
Jonathan