New Series- Voices

New Series starts Sunday- Voices. 9 & 10:45am.

This is going to sound weird, but every one of us hears voices in our heads. It’s the voices that say, “Life would be easier if only I could or had . . . ” It’s the voices that whisper when we look in the mirror or compare ourselves to someone else. These voices are trying to lead each one of us somewhere, but is it somewhere we really want to go? Or is there a better voice to follow? Yes, there is a voice that has our best in mind. A voice that knew us before we uttered our first cry. A voice that is designed not to bring out the worst in us, but the best.

Week 4- Passion

Rhythm Session Four, Sunday October 2nd

No person can have a life of rhythm unless he or she is at peace with other people. That’s easy to say but hard to live, isn’t it? But following Jesus means being passionate about what He is passionate about--and Jesus is passionate about people. So if we want to be in rhythm, we not only have to be in sync with God and ourselves, we also have to be in sync with others.

Session Four Parent Cue: 

No person can have a life in rhythm if they are not at peace with the people around them. In the final week of this series students will be challenged to be in rhythm with others, to be passionate about serving those they encounter and to seek forgiveness and reconciliation when needed. How can you work at making this a regular practice in your family?

Week 3- Discovery

Week 3- Message Notes

Who is the MOST IMPORTANT person in your LIFE? YOU

We were CREATED to be in Rhythm with GOD, OTHERS, SELF

It’s Like A + B = C = A - C = B

Rhythm is MANIFEST in LOVE

It’s Like GODR + SELFR + OTHERSR = LOVE3R

Being in Rhythm with God and Others DEPENDS on SELF

SECRETS keep us OUT of RHYTHM with OTHERS 
So he left Judea and returned to Galilee. He had to go through Samaria on the way. Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. John 4:3-8

SECRETS keep us OUT of RHYTHM with GOD 
The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?” Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?” Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” John 4:9-15

SECRETS keep us OUT of RHYTHM with SELF 
“Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her. “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband—for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!” “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet.” John 4:16-19

HATING SELF leads to HATING OTHERS and GOD 
So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?” Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” John 4:20-25

Jesus sees BEYOND our HATE and offers HOPE in LOVE 
Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!” John 4:26

DISCOVERY of HOPE in LOVE brings RHYTHM3 
Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?” The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” So the people came streaming from the village to see him. John 4:27-30

Rhythm Restored with GOD, OTHERS, SELF

I am often my WORST ENEMY, but God is my NUMBER ONE FAN

One Last Thing-

Have I DISCOVERED ETERNAL HOPE in Christ?

5 Questions-Have you ever been cut from a team, didn’t get the part, felt left out?
What is your worst chore around the house?
Has anyone ever given up one of your secrets? How did it work out?
When you play/played “Hide-N-Seek” where was your favorite spot?
What does it mean to you to be “in rhythm with yourself”?

Parent Cue- Week 3

Week 3- Discovery

Session Three (Sunday, September 25th)

You’ve heard the words before--“love your neighbor as yourself”--but most of the time we don’t really hear the second half of that. We don’t love ourselves. Perhaps it’s because it just seems wrong. After all, as followers of Christ, we are supposed to become less as He becomes more. But for some of us, somewhere along the way we’ve confused humility with self-hatred. God wants us to be in rhythm with ourselves because when we aren’t, it throws off the rest of the song. 

Session Three Parent Cue: This week students will explore the things that create tension in their own self-perception and learn the ugly truth: Being in rhythm with ourselves and being in rhythm with God go hand in hand. How we view God our Creator affects how we view His creation, ourselves. They will consider the masks they wear and the faults they try to cover up, and they'll receive a challenge to begin to shed those masks and be at peace with who they really are. Talk openly and candidly with your student this week about the things both of you have a hard time accepting when it comes to the faults you see in yourself. How can you better accept yourselves as you are?

Rhythm- Week 2 Wonder (Message Outline)

Sunday, September 18th, 2011

WHITE NOISE has no RHYTHM. It fills the AIR and takes up SPACE with meaningless NOISE.

WONDER- to think or speculate curiously; to be filled with admiration, amazement, or awe; marvel

God is BIGGER than the AIR I BREATHE.

FAITH is not SAFE. If God is so BIG, why do we LIVE like He’s so SMALL?

We were BORN to WONDER, but too often we SETTLE for LESS

The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” Genesis 3:1-4

Sin BEGINS as a DISTRACTION for ANYTHING OTHER than God

“You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” Genesis 3:4

The SERPENT tried to MAKE God ONE of US

The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:6-8

Often, Sin ENDS with IDOLATRY or PRIDE and is dealt with by BLAME or EXCUSE

He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?” The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.” Genesis 3:8-9

REMINDER- WONDER- to think or speculate curiously; to be filled with admiration, amazement, or awe; marvel

To be in RHYTHM with God is to have Him at the CENTER of our WONDER

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. Isaiah 40:28

One Last Thing- What is currently COMPETING for my WONDER for God?

Parent Cue- Rhythm

Week 2- Wonder

If you’ve been in church for a while, you’ve heard it all and seen it all. You know the stories. You know the songs. You know the words. Many of us even think we know all about God. We think we have Him figured out. We think we know everything about Him, and in our lives, He’s very small. But the reality is that we will never fully grasp how awesome and amazing He is. We can spend a lifetime in awe and wonder, and even an eternity, because He’s that big . . . and that good.

Session Two Parent Cue:
This second week, students will be challenged to look at God in new ways. Many times we find that we are so familiar with “churchy” descriptions of God that we forget who He really is. And when we forget who God is, how awesome and surprising He can be, then we are tempted to turn our attention and affection to other things and our lives fall out of tune. In week two students will be challenged to discover a God who is bigger than our attempts to define Him. Discuss with your teen ways that God has surprised you and your family with how big He is.

Parent Cue - Rhythm

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT:

Here is an overview of what we’re talking about. Listed below the summary is a “parent cue” to help you dialog with your child about the session. The question is intended not just to be asked by you, but to be responded to by BOTH of you. Use this opportunity to find out what God is teaching your child, and allow your child to see what God is teaching you as well.

Rhythm: Series Overview

Have you ever noticed how connected everything is? It’s almost as if there was some type of unseen structure to all of life, a rhythm. Many of us are oblivious to it until things are out of sync. We know something is wrong, and we can maybe pinpoint a few things around us that are culprits, but deep down we know there is something more going on. We are out of rhythm—with God, with ourselves or with others.

Session One- Sunday, September 11th

In the beginning, God created a song, a rhythm. Humanity existed in harmony with God, with ourselves and with each other. But then humankind settled for another song--a lesser one--and the rhythm started falling apart. Yet even then, God didn’t walk away, and because of that, we have a way to restore the rhythm with Him, with ourselves and with others.

Session One Parent Cue:
The first week of the Rhythm series is designed to help students understand that in the beginning, God established a rhythm. They will unpack the story of creation and the harmony that existed between Adam and God, Adam and nature, and Adam and Eve. They will entertain the idea that from the start, everything worked together in perfect harmony like a beautiful song. But then Adam and Eve made a choice that destroyed the song and threw the rhythm off. They will also look at God’s response to Adam’s sin, and they'll see that God continues to seek relationship with us even after things have fallen apart. Talk with your teen about how he or she sees the brokenness in the rhythm around them. Feel free to share your observations as well.

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. 1 Timothy 2: 1-4

One for All

Caiaphas, who was high priest (of Israel) at the time, said... "You don't realize that it's better for you that one man should die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed."

Two thoughts-
First- Caiaphas, with his "blind eyes" had it right. He was following a basic leadership principle- "You never sacrifice the many for the one, but the one for the many." Although this philosophy sounds simple, it can be difficult to practice. As Christ-followers we are to extend grace and mercy. We're told stories about the "shepherd leaving the ninety-nine to look for the one", "the woman who turned her house upside down to find one lost coin", and "the father who stood at the gate waiting for his lost son to return home" (Luke 15). Can you see the conflict spiritual leaders face, the weight of responsibility, and the wisdom required? Believe me, I know. I understand the need to "seek His will in all I do". (Proverbs 3:6) Do I leave the one to perish to protect the flock? Do I suspend my encouragement of those traveling the narrow way to seek the lost? Yes and yes. The word paradigm comes to mind. I guess I just work harder... or pray harder... (Lord, we're not asking for our burdens to be lighter, but make our backs stronger. -African prayer)

Second- God always wins in the end. Here Caiaphas thought he would simply remove Jesus, please the Jews, and maintain the nation's relationship with the Romans. However, little did he know he would have a small part in a historic world-wide revolution. The death of Jesus might have saved the Jews for a season (think about the events of 70 A.D.), but ultimately His sacrifice would present an opportunity for grace that could save the world.

Professional Reminderer

"Therefore, I will always remind you about these things (go back and read previous passage)—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught. And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live." 2 Peter 1:13

I know "Reminderer" is not a real word…listen to my messages and you will discover I'm quite the wordsmith…

ScripTextings

So a friend of mine, Brian Clark, told me about this idea. Like most professional reminderers (what? I'll explain later), I took Brian's idea and made it my own. Back to the idea…basically I read Scripture, allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate a word, verse, or passage and after meditating on it for awhile, I reproduce it into text form and send it out to students, parents, and leaders. To date, it's been pretty successful. I currently have about 60 people that regularly receive a text from me every morning.

My prayer is that those who receive the text will do the same. You might be surprised to discover that this is an actual "spiritual habit". The practice is called Lectio Divina or Divine Word. Let me know if you're interested, and I'll add you to the list. However, don't rely on my reproduction of 100-135 characters of scripture to get you through the day. If you receive my text, go back to the original chapter and read the verse in context. Allow God to speak to you through His Spirit and see how you're led individually. Branch out and develop your own discipline and share it back with me.

My Fellow Parents

Do you ever feel like this little fish? I know I do. It’s why I chose this specific picture.

Even in my house phrases like, “Because I said so,” and “I don’t care what so-in-so’s parents let them do…” are frequently expelled from my mouth. Although I know I’m not alone, as a parent, I get lonely. At times, we are limited in our view, can’t see the big picture, feel like we’re swimming against the flow, and forget we’re not alone. (Like the use of clichés?) But, life isn’t a cliché, a TV sitcom, a circle, or virtual… However, it is filled with great joys, heartbreaking pain, senselessness, and periods of the mundane. It’s Life and it’s Real, and quite honestly blazing fast. Do I really need to remind you? I seriously doubt it.

So. We’re all in this together, and we need each other now more than ever. (I can’t seem to shake the use of clichés. Solomon did say there isn’t anything new under the sun.) (I love parentheses and “quotation” marks “by the way”.)

So, so—let’s Unite. Untie ourselves from ourselves and tether together.

I hope you will enjoy my ramblings as I share my journey with you.