Next Steps - Sep 27

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. - Matthew 6:9-10

Jesus' gospel is that all the preliminaries have been taken care of and the kingdom of God is now accessible to everyone. Review your plans for living and base your life on this remarkable opportunity. -- Dallas Willard

When Jesus' disciples asked him how they should pray -- what they should pray about -- the words above were his response, followed by recognition and request for God's provision of food, forgiveness, and protection from the temptation to live in ways that are out of tune with his Kingdom. Have you thought much about Jesus as King? What are the implications? One is the very fact that when a king says something it happens -- a king's words make things happen. Do you remember the story in the Bible when Jesus walked on water? It took place right after Jesus fed 5000 men plus thousands of women and children. The disciples were traveling back across the lake, when Jesus comes walking up. The men in the boat were scared, which makes sense since this is not something one sees every day. Mark, one of Jesus' disciples, wrote about this later and described it in a fascinating way. He wrote, " And they (the guys in the boat) were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves." (Mark 6:51-52) You see, when Jesus fed the 5,000, he demonstrated that he was king over the very elements of creation and that as king, they must obey him. So, the only way they could be astonished that he could do something like walk on water was if they did not understand that, "did not understand about the loaves."

There is a King and he has a Kingdom - the range of God's effective will. You have a kingdom, the range of your effective will. What does it look like in your life when those intersect? In what ways do you make "up there" come "down here"? Do you think that can happen? Do you think God can really make up there come down here, through us? Test Jesus on this, and see if you do not discover that it is indeed a remarkable opportunity.

Look around you, the Kingdom of God is near.

Peace, Hope and Love
Doug

Next Steps - Sep 20

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy -- 1 Peter 2:10

The above-quoted verse is a very interesting verse. It is talking -- in the context of God's redemptive pan -- about how God had a chosen people in Israel, but that as we become followers of Jesus, we become part of a new chosen people.

Are you familiar with the phrase, "A Chosen People?" Have you thought about that phrase before? If you have, what has the context been? Have you ever thought of that phrase in reference to Christians? In my experience, we as followers of Jesus rarely if ever think of ourselves as a chosen people. That makes sense, it is a difficult concept. But, how might your perspective change if you thought of yourself as part of a chosen people -- regardless of whether you think God did the choosing or you did? I think it naturally raises the question, chosen for what? How would you answer that? And then there is the notion of "a people." We live in an individualistic society. How might your perspective change if you began to think of yourself as part of "a people" of God -- not just Creekside, but a worldwide people? What might be different if all followers of Jesus saw themselves as part of a people of God?

The Bible makes it clear that when God gathers a people, he does so in order for them to be a blessing to others. At the same time, we experience a blessing, a fullness that we would not otherwise experience. At least, that's the way I see it. Do you agree? How does this play out in your life? How might it play out better?

Have a great week.

Peace, Hope and Love
Doug

Next Steps - Sep 13

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly (more and better life than they ever dreamed of). - The words of Jesus as recorded by his disciple, John (Jn 10:10)

This week, I talked about the contrast between what are often our expectations of what a life as a Christian looks like and those of Jesus. Think about the two words "abundant life." Do you expect your life to be abundant? Have you experienced life as a Christian to be "more and better life than you ever imagined"? What do you think Jesus meant by those words. Do you think he meant them for you (not a person like you, but you personally)?

I got an e-mail in response to last week’s Next Step (I love e-mails by the way) from someone who wanted to discuss my thoughts about God’s authority over all that happens in our lives. They reminded me of the quote that they had heard, “if your theology doesn't work in Darfur, it doesn't work,” and inquired how the notion of God’s Authority can be explained in the context of a place like that. A great question, one that I think we always need to ask, and one that is applicable to the question of abundant life as well.

I believe these three things: 1. That the Bible promises abundant life -- a better and richer life than we could dream of -- for all who follow him; 2. This promise is a promise for here and now as well as on the other side of this life; and, 3. If your theology doesn't work in places of deep and dark suffering, it is not a correct theology. How can all of these three things be correct? If you think they can’t, why? (let me know). If you think they can, how?

This week, I talked color as an aspect of abundant life. I stressed how God wants us to be filled up with color, pouring that color into the black and white or gray places in our world. How might you allow God to fill you with color? What are some of the gray places that you see around you each week? What are some ways that you might bring color to them?

If you process and act on these steps, you will experience God. When you do, tell somebody about it – and let me know too.

Peace Hope Love

Doug

Next Steps - Sep 6

"By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm." (Psalms 33:6-9)

Hi everybody.

It has been a good thing for me to be reminded again that I can accomplish nothing for God under my own power.

Sometimes we can feel like we are doing what we need to be doing -- in work, school, family -- but if we are doing it with no sense of dependence on God's power and God's authority, it will ultimately fail. In our own power and strength, we "own" the results, the outcome. If things don't go the way that our efforts dictate they should go, bitterness will surely be the result. Even if things do go as we think they should, burnout is a likely result. If, instead, we do the things that God calls us to, but with a continual dependence on and recognition of God as the source of all outcomes all praises and regrets are his to carry and not ours. That is a secret to a non-anxious life. Behind that "secret" lies the truth that all we see, all that we have, our very breath comes from God and his power.

Jesus' words make things happen. He has all power and authority over everything.

Do you believe that?

If you were hooked up to a lie detector, what would it indicate about your belief that Jesus' words have the power to make things happen in Bible times?

If you were hooked up to a lie detector, what would it indicate about your belief that Jesus' words have the power to make things happen in the end times?

If you were hooked up to a lie detector, what would it indicate about your belief that Jesus' words have the power to make things happen in others' lives?

If you were hooked up to a lie detector, what would it indicate about your belief that Jesus' words have the power to make things happen in your life today?

If there is a difference in any of your answers, why do you think that is? What would it take to make all of your answers the same?

How might your day-to-day life be different if you really believed that God was the author and sustainer of everything?

I do not think that any of us believes it 100%, every minute of every day. But, that is the beauty of Grace and the beauty of God's power -- even the ability to believe this is something we are powerless to do on our own. Ask God to help you believe; Ask God to come to you in your doubts; Ask God to demonstrate this truth to you. And then ask again.

When you see it, tell somebody, when you are certain, share it, when you doubt invite someone in.

Have a great week,

Peace Hope and Love
Doug