God's Creativity

What do you think best captures the idea of God's Creativity? Perhaps it's a beautiful mountain range, a majestic ocean scene, or a snowy forest landscape. But overlooked among it all is how God's creativity is reflected in Him making you and me! Ever thought about that? Just think about how different we all are . . . Our God is a creative God.

And how neat it was to see so many people connect with God's Creativity in a powerful way in worship. Each one of us got a colorful fingerprint posted on our 'Attributes of God' mural. I hope it helped you bring it home.
Blessings on your week!

The Holy Wild- God's Wrath

Sorry it's been a little while, but someone major recently entered my life . . .

Anyway, this past Sunday we took a break from looking at the fun parts of God's character, and actually looked at something we'd prefer to turn our eyes away from- God's wrath. And what resulted in worship was a hard, honest look at the sin that resides within us. It wasn't easy.

But I think we eventually landed on how God's wrath becomes "rest-worthy"; that in Christ, the Son of God, we see the one who took ALL of God's wrath upon Himself. In essence, Christ is our substitute. The result is that we no longer fear God's wrath; instead we trust in rest in the one who took it all for us.

I pray look was a blessing for you. This week we look at something far easier- God's mercy. See you then.

Holy Wild- Faithfulness

Week 2 of our Holy Wild Series had us looking at God's Faithfulness. As I shared Sunday, the more I personally wrestled with God's Faithfulness this week, the more I came back to sheer thankfulness that my relationship with God is not dependant upon my ability to be faithful to Him, but instead rests on God's faithfulness to us, His people.

But, as we talked about Sunday, God's faithfulness, His doing the same thing over and over, without stopping, without fail, can sometimes be taken for granted, even seen as boring.

How have you seen God's faithfulness at work in your life?

Love to hear your responses to this or any other part of this week's worship.

The Holy Wild- Goodness

Sunday we embarked on a new and different journey together- exploring the character and attributes of God. We're reading along together in Mark Buchanan's book, The Holy Wild, and each week diving into a different part of who God is. This week we started by looking at His Goodness. It should have been an easy week. Instead, we wrestled in a real way with the times God doesn't appear so good. I know it wasn't easy watching that video; it wasn't that easy talking about it either. But I pray you left Sunday thinking you wrestled with God's goodness in a new, different and real way.
Love to hear any reactions you had either to the video, the concept of God's goodness, or how Buchanan handles it . . .
Awesome to walk with you all!

The King is Coming- When?

Crazy to think about, but Christmas is now within days away! The King is Coming! Hope you are enjoying the series, and that's it's challenging you to think about and prepare for Christmas in perhaps a different way. For me, the clips from The Nativity Story help bring home some of intense emotion that surely surrounded His 1st century coming. What emotions are you facing as you await His coming again?

The King is Coming

Snow is on the ground, trees decorate family rooms, and longer lines at the stores all remind us that Christmas is coming! And while this brings joy, excitement, and anticipation, it also brings a certain anxiety and stress. Over these next few weeks leading into Christmas, we'll be looking at some different reactions, some different attitudes that we have in light of the coming of King Jesus. Week 1 we looked at the Wow! of the coming of Christ, as in the great implications His presence has in our lives. Week 2 will be a bit different, perhaps a bit more intense, as we look at the Woe! reaction to the coming of Jesus. See you Sunday!

Check Your Baggage

We've now completed three weeks of 'Check Your Baggage', together diving into Matthew 5 and exploring the baggage Jesus asks us to leave behind (check) as we follow him. I hope you are enjoying this series, I know it has been a joy (and challenge) to preach from.

So of the three 'bags' (self-worth, self-righteousness, and self-serving), which is the most difficult for you to leave behind? You probably caught it in my messages, but for me it's leaving behind my self-worth, leaving behind how the world defines success and embracing what God declares to be true. I'd love to hear from you . . .

Happy Thanksgiving!