What's the Blog Scoop - January 13, 2014

Reasons we get angry - this is very good

Don't Pray in Circles  - I had my suspicions about this book when I received it in the mail. This article at least confirms some of those suspicions.

Sleep Deprivation - really good stuff

Satanic statue - interesting

10 Things you could have done if you got up early

Roe v. Wade

Small Groups and Sermons

What's the blog scoop - January 7, 2014

How am I to love God by loving his Word?

Remembering Jesus in the Lord's Supper

Marijuana and the Christian - this is a pretty good article

"Taken God Seriously" - excellent and so very true!

Songs to Sing in 2014 - good reminders

Tough and Tender - yes, that's the kind of pastor I'd like to be someday

Dude plays the piano backward - very cool

Cold

Yep, it's cold outside where I live today...really cold. And, for the record, all you folks out there that like cold weather, you can have it. I love you, but bring on the summer time! Anyway, it being so cold outside reminded me of something Jesus said: "because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold" (Matthew 24:12). I realize that this statement is in the midst of one of Jesus' end times discussions. But, don't we see this happening before our very eyes? Aren't we all susceptible to this reality? That unless we keep the fire of our passion for Christ stirred up, we could all have our love grow cold?

Our love can grow cold toward the Lord. Our love can grow cold toward our neighbor. And, according to Jesus (Matthew 22:34-40), isn't that the "center of the mark"?

So, how do we keep the fire stoked and burning? It will sound simplistic and basic, but haven't we tried to complicate things enough in the Christian life?

Here you go:

• Read, study, and obey the bible
• Pray consistently
• Worship daily at work and at play
• Gather with God's people consistently
• Fellowship with God's people regularly
• Love other people with the love of Christ

So, there you go. Do you find that your love is "growing cold"? Maybe it's time to invest some time this new year in building these godly habits into your life. We certainly don't want to end up like the church at Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7).

Relationship

John 15:1-8

One of the critical pieces missing from many people's Christianity, I believe, is the absence of the truth that Christianity is about "relationship" with God through Jesus. Yes, we participate in religious activities. Yet, even in participating in religious activities on a regular basis, it is possible to go through the motions of religious activity w/o any awareness of a daily, on-going relationship with God. Many Christians even think that the "essence" of being a Christians is what they "do" on Sunday morning with very little thought given to the other six days of the week. Yet, God wants to have a daily relationship with us through Jesus.

Religious activity without relationship leads to ruin.

Duty without delight leads to drudgery. (Donald Whitney)

We often call this truth "walking with God". It is possible for every Christian to walk with God daily. Because of the Holy Spirit living inside of us, every Christian has the capacity to "walk with God" in a personal relationship through Jesus. We have the capacity to hear, obey, and please God.

I believe that one of the benefits of Henry Blackaby's study "Experiencing God" is that it helps show us ordinary people that we can have this kind of relationship and "walk with God" and we can make a difference for his kingdom as we obey him on a daily basis. Just as the disciples walked with Jesus physically on this earth, you and I can walk with God through Jesus by the Holy Spirit.

Let 2014 be the year we re-prioritize our relationship with the Lord as we build into our lives godly habits of prayer, bible reading, and regular gathering with other believers. Let 2014 be the year we give our spiritual lives the attention it deserves.

Reflect, Refocus, and Repent

The end of a year and the beginning of a new one always gives us an opportunity to take a pit stop in life. We can take time to reflect on the previous year. We can look back on the joy of victories and the agonies of defeat. We can look back at times where we trusted God and times where our faith was lacking. We can look back at the times we obeyed the Lord and times when we did not.

And, as we reflect, by God's grace, we will be driven to refocus.. To refocus on those things that are most important. Those things that are worthy of our time, energy, and pursuit. The most important thing to refocus our attention on is Jesus (Revelation 1:1-20) and our relationship with him.

In Revelation 1, there are at least 15 reasons to refocus on Jesus and our relationship with him at the end of 2013. Jesus is:

• The faithful witness (5)
• The firstborn from the dead (5)
• The ruler of the kings of the earth (5)
• The one who loves us (5) 
• The one who freed us (5)
• The one who made us a kingdom of priests (6)
• The one who reigns w/ his Father in dominion & glory (6)
• The one who is coming again (7)
• The one who is the alpha and omega (8)
• The one who was and who is and is to come (8)
• The one who is the first and the last (17) 
• The son of man (12-16)
• The one who has died and is living forevermore (18)
• The one who has the keys of death and hades (18)
• The one who is Lord over the church (20)

After we reflect and refocus, there is the grace of repentance. In 5 of the 7 letters to the churches in Revelation 2-3, the way for each of the churches to return and refocus is through repentance. Some people don't like to talk about repentance. However, Jesus says to the churches and to us personally, that the way to life is through the door of repentance. 

So, as we begin 2014 in a couple of days...reflect, refocus, and repent.

Happy New Year!