Good Morning Church! several times I came across this question in a book and some notes I scribbled elsewhere: "What would our church be like if Jesus was our pastor?" hmmm! Much to ponder there! I try to be Christlike and pray to live. love, teach, lead and make disciples like Jesus. No matter how hard we try, that will never happen until we get to heaven and become like Him--like but not Him! Our goal is t keep growing and moving closer and closer to be like Jesus and do the things He did, but we will never get there. But it's the journey to Christlikeness that matters most! So what's your journey like? Are you surrendered and seeking, humbling yourself, dying to self, taking our cross and following Jesus and His way? As Christians we were first known as The Way or Followers of the Way. Jesus is the way and we are created, saved, gifted, empowered and activated to become like Him and do the things He did and join Him in what He is doing . So how's that going? Do you have some partners to travel this journey with? If not, PLEASE find at least one, but more would be better!
How do you/we define "Church", "Disciple", and even "Evangelism"??? We have been going with "Discipleship as the process of becoming who Jesus would be if He were me." Disciple making begins by living and loving like Jesus as we reach out to the lost and love them to Jesus. That could be evangelism. It's just being who you are created to be and joining Jesus where He is active and leading you. How about "Church" and our role as God's Church? Church could be defined as a gathering of disciples that worship and share the Good News of Jesus. We are being prepared sent ones who go as we are and grow to our fuller potential as we do life together. We gather and worship and seek to trust, obey and glorify God in all we do. And we do that together. Now there are different definitions to these words and how you define them affects how you serve and worship. Many churches believe they are making disciples of Jesus that are really not doing so. Is our church? Depends on your definition. What do you think? Talk to God about these things and process with some friends. I'd love to hear what our leadership and vision team (and any of you) thinks and how we might react and plan for such a time as this with what we've been given to do what we can!!!!
Our EC mission statement is to know Christ and make Him known. And our bishop has called of us to join together to become a dynamic movement of God led by pastors and laity (you) who have a burning passion for God and missionary zeal to reach the lost. Now that's a church I'd love to lead and be part of. And St. Matts is growing towards that but there is still much potential to strive towards. It begins as we humble ourselves, join together, worship and pray and then follow Jesus with what we've been given and as we are and He will teach us, grow us and use us to go make disciples and grow His Church. Amen!!! And it begins with each of us stepping into our parts and joining together as we learn to live sacrificially and love lavishly like Jesus. Humble and offer yourself to God to use . Remember this saying? (Start here!) "I am who I am because I allow I AM (God) to be who He is in and through me." That sounds a lot like inviting and allow Jesus to take over your life and live and love through you. pray into that and try it. And don't forget those of you called to be our supporters through pray...please pray into these things and for us to become a house of prayer for the nations. Amen! and thanks!
Just a couple of devos to spur our thinking and quiet time. ODB's call to looking like Christ and the I to We devo call to showing His goodness together. What's God saying to you and what will you do about, CHURCH! I'm praying we live out life as God designed us and our Church and that we learn to reach the lost and then make disciples like Jesus! Amen!
ODB
Looking Like Christ
Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. Romans 13:14
As a child of the 1950s and ’60s, I grew up in the era when “America’s pastime” was baseball. I couldn’t wait to go to the park and play ball, and one of my greatest thrills was when I received my baseball jersey emblazoned with our team’s name—GIANTS! Though the number 9 on the back distinguished me from the others, the common uniform identified us as being on the same team.
In Matthew 5:3-10, known as the Beatitudes, Jesus identifies those who belong to the kingdom of heaven as those who “wear the jersey” of Christlikeness. The kingdom of heaven is comprised of those who assume the posture and character of their king. According to Jesus, “blessed” persons aren’t characterized by external appearance, health, or possessions. Rather, it’s the inside or heart of a person that counts. “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (v. 3)—the humble—those who are spiritually needy and know it. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” (v. 6)—those whose soul’s yearning is to please and honor God. “Blessed are the peacemakers” (v. 9)—those who join Jesus in the pursuit of harmony.
As the Spirit helps us, we can put on the garment of Christlikeness, which identifies us as believers in Jesus and members of His team. As such, we’re blessed indeed!
By Arthur Jackson
REFLECT & PRAY
According to the Beatitudes, how “well-dressed” are you? What aspect of Christlikeness are you praying for?
Heavenly Father, thank You for my status as a citizen in the kingdom of heaven. Please give me grace each day by the Spirit to look like Christ.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) is Jesus’ great kingdom sermon, describing what makes life in His kingdom different from life in this fallen world. While the world is marked by selfishness, self-promotion, and self-gratification, the kingdom of God is characterized by selflessness and self-sacrifice. Beginning with the Beatitudes (5:3-12), that tone is set immediately—with the remaining exposition explaining how those big ideas are lived out. For example, the statement, “Blessed are the merciful” (v. 7) echoes forth with the instructions Christ gives on loving our enemies (vv. 43-48). Additionally “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness” (v. 6) finds connection in Matthew 6:33, where we’re challenged to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.” As we read the Sermon on the Mount, the Holy Spirit can help us see connections that point back to the principles set forth in the Beatitudes and lead us to better reflect the ways of Christ.
Visit ODBU.org/learning-library/the-poor-in-spirit-the-beatitudes-of-jesus/ to examine the Beatitudes with Dr. Craig Blomberg.
Bill Crowder
Sarah update
Good afternoon, Warriors,
I got the JOY JOY JOY JOY down in my heart!! WHERE? Where is your JOY? Better question to ask would be, do you HAVE the JOY?
Sometimes you have to Be Still and KNOW that He is God.....to receive JOY from Him. The more that you and I rest in His
presence, the more we will receive, and He is able to allow His Blessings to flow into us.
By spending time with God, we are able to concentrate on just how WIDE, and LONG and HIGH and DEEP is HIS LOVE for YOU!!
God pours His life into all of us.....and we are presented with a choice....do we RECEIVE Him and His love and joy or do we
say 'pass'.
In the experiences that I have had, and I am sure many of you would atest to, it is better to RECEIVE His LOVE and JOY rather than
'Pass' on the offer. I challenge you - DO NOT HESITATE to receive Joy from God.....GRAB it!! Enjoy it!!!
Psalm 46:10 reminds us to "Be still, and KNOW that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth"
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From Lisa Wenner: I just found out today that my nephew Matt's fiance Shayna has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of Non Hodgkin's lymphoma. She is currently in the hospital undergoing intensive chemo. They're supposed to get married this October. Shayna's prognosis is good but the treatment will be difficult.
- Several need our prayers:
Lori Rohrer is waiting to hear if her back surgery will take place on . Praying, Hopefully she will hear something to confirm. And Prayers for
all to go well.
Beth, a friend of Neen's will be having surgery to hopefully remove all the cancer from her breast. Please pray for peace to surround Beth, and for her
medical team that will be operating. Also keep her family in your prayers.
Lindsay, a daughter of a friend of Neen and Sarah's - she will be having a biopsy on some lumps that were found in her breast. Prayers for peace for Lindsay
and her mom and family, and prayers that the lumps are not cancerous.
Tom Roland - prayers for healing for Tom after his surgery on .
Continue to keep Twin Pines in your prayers as they wrap up this week of Lotsa Luv Campers and next week will be their last week of Moms and Gals.
There are 40 campers scheduled to come for that camp next week.
Thank you for your prayers for Pastor Don and myself - for our health and for wisdom as we serve our awesome God in many ways.
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