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To Be Reformed

2011-10-13T01:51:00.000-07:00

What does it mean to be Reformed?

In recent years, many churches in America have faced drastic changes, which can cause church members to question the identity of their church. Organs have been replaced by guitars and drums. Songs that were once familiar have had their lyrics changed. We don’t recite the Apostle’s Creed as often as we once did.

Occasionally, I will hear someone comment that they don’t recognize their church anymore. They question how many changes we can endure and still be truly “Reformed.”

One of the reasons we face that question is because we have identified the idea of being “Reformed” with certain practices, rather than the truths we embrace. Traditionally, Christian Reformed Churches have had many common practices. We worshipped twice every Sunday. The Ten Commandments were read every Sunday morning. The Apostle’s Creed was recited every Sunday evening. The pastor prayed a long prayer before his sermon. We expected parents to send their children to Christian Day schools. High School students memorized the Heidelberg Catechism and went to class on Wednesday nights. We celebrated the Lord’s Supper exactly four times a year.

As time passes, many of these practices have changed. Attendance at the evening worship service has dwindled. We don’t use the Apostle’s Creed and the Ten Commandments as often as we once did. The long prayer is shorter than it used to be. High School students go on service projects and attend conventions. Parents send their children to the public schools. We have communion more frequently than we once did.

Sometimes we like the changes we see in our churches, and sometimes we wonder if the church is changing too much and losing its identity.

While practices in our church may change, the truth we proclaim is unchanging. Every Sunday we gather to be reminded that Jesus is Lord. We hold onto the claim that we are saved by God’s grace because of the work of Jesus. We believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – even if we do not use the words of the Apostle’s Creed every week to confess that belief. Our practices for proclaiming these truths may have changed, but the truths are constant.

Maybe it would be helpful if we thought of our “Reformed” identity in terms of the truth we believe, rather that our traditional practices. That truth can have a lasting influence on each of us personally, and on our world.

We believe that God is working to reclaim His people, to renew and “re-form” us into His likeness. We believe that God uses the people He is “re-forming” to have a transforming influence in the world for His Kingdom.

The End Times

2011-09-07T12:46:00.000-07:00

On Sunday Evening (September 11), our worship service is going to have a slightly different format. We are going to begin a series of sermons on the book of Revelation. Before we start, I want to spend an evening giving an overview of the Bible’s teachings about the End Times, and help us understand the general story that is told in the book of Revelation.

If most Christians are asked about the book of Revelation, they can probably tell you two things. First, it has a lot to say about the end times; and second, it is very difficult to understand. In Revelation, we read of signs and seals, beasts and horses, trumpet calls and bowls of wrath…it can become a pretty confusing picture. On Sunday night, we are going to put those pictures into a single framework to get the overall picture of Revelation’s message.

While we do that, we also want to acknowledge that Revelation speaks about the End Times, which can also be a confusing picture. We know about Judgment Day, the Millenium, tribulations, the antichrist, and other images that the Bible mentions about the final days, but we aren’t sure how they all fit together.

Even if you don’t normally come to the evening worship service, you might find this time helpful. Bring your best questions about the book of Revelation and the End Times, and we will spend time helping each other grasp the Bible’s picture of God’s plans.

Using the Bible

2011-08-24T11:04:00.001-07:00

I have to admit I cringe a little bit when I hear people boldly proclaim that the Bible has the answers to all of life’s questions.

I don’t cringe because I think the statement is false – I do believe the Bible offers insights that affect every aspect of our lives. I cringe because I am concerned about the way Christians utilize the Bible.

Many people treat the bible like the owner’s manual to their vehicle. When I have a problem setting the radio stations on my stereo, I get out the manual, look up stereo system, and find the appropriate section to learn how to program the radio buttons.

If I am having trouble as a parent, where do I turn in the Bible to find insights that will affect my parenting techniques? Should I leave my kids at the temple like Hannah and Elkanah (1 Samuel 1)? Should I give them their inheritance and send them on their way like the Prodigal Son (Luke 15)? Do I think that David or Noah or Abraham set a good example for me to follow as a father?

The problem with this approach is that the Bible was not written to be a “life fix-it” manual. Although God’s Word will affect our parenting, financial management, career choices, political preferences, and just about every other area of our lives, it is not a reference guide to give us quick advice. It was intended to teach us about God, and to draw us into a life-giving relationship with Him.

Hospitality

2011-08-10T11:09:00.000-07:00

In the Old Testament, the word “hospitality” never appears. The people of Israel had an identity of being former slaves, wanderers, and people who had to fight to establish and maintain a home in Canaan. Because they viewed themselves as strangers, there may not have been much thought given to the concept of hospitality.

In the New Testament, the word for hospitality makes a few more appearances. Paul writes of his appreciation for the hospitality that others have shown him, and both Peter and Paul encourage Christ’s followers to practice showing hospitality to others.

Hospitality is probably an underappreciated art. We don’t think too much about how we will welcome people into our homes, or how we will make room or time to focus our attention on someone else. We meet friends in restaurants or malls. We go someplace together. Even when we worship, we go to a common place, a church building, to spend time with others.

On Sunday, August 7, our church hosted an event following the Share the Rock basketball camp. We planned an outdoor worship service, a barbecue lunch, and a recognition ceremony for those who participated in the basketball camp. When I arrived at church that Sunday morning, I was overwhelmed when I saw all of the people who were working to make this day special. People were testing the sound equipment, adjusting tents, setting up tables and chairs, preparing food, and carrying beverages to make our church a welcoming environment for our anticipated visitors. If that wasn’t enough, once the rain rolled in, and interrupted our plans, people stepped up to move the food downstairs, set up more tables and chairs, cover the sound equipment, and work to adjust our plans to the weather.

It is easy to take these kinds of efforts for granted. When you go to an event that runs smoothly, you probably don’t pay a lot of attention to the work that has been done to set up and plan the details, but the work is almost essential in order to make people feel welcomed.

The work of hospitality is an effort to make outsiders feel welcome. It can happen very simply when you are standing in a circle, and intentionally move so that someone else can join the conversation. It happens when you set an extra plate at your table to welcome a last minute visitor to supper. It happened last Sunday when many worked so that visitors to our church would know that they are welcomed and valued by God’s people.

God’s work of salvation is largely the work of hospitality. Jesus told His disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them. His sacrifice allows us to enter God’s presence. Even when we remember His death for our sins, we symbolize this by gathering at a table. All of this reminds us that God is one who goes to great lengths to welcome us to Himself.

One final thought about hospitality: When Jesus tells his disciples about the last days in Matthew 24, one of the criteria for separating the sheep from the goats is evidence of practicing hospitality. He indicates that those he knows have welcomed strangers, fed the hungry, given clothes to those who were naked, and showed kindness to those who were imprisoned. It seems as though when we follow and love Christ, the act of hospitality becomes a natural overflow of loving Him.

I want to thank those who volunteered to make the worship service on August 7 a special event. I was thrilled to see so many serving to welcome others to our church family.

Healthy Self-Assessment

2011-02-19T11:56:00.000-08:00

Did you know that our church was infiltrated by spies last fall?

As she began her work in our church as Director of Community Outreach, Liz Fledderjohann asked some people who were not members of our church to visit a worship service, and then meet with her to discuss their initial impressions. She informed the Elders that there would be some. She used an inquiry approach to help us determine how visitors might perceive our church.
At our Council Meeting on February 16, Liz presented the results of her research to the Council. We were pleased to discover that many of the visitors had positive comments about the worship service, singing, and the sanctuary. One person said that “it really felt like church.” Another added, “the liturgy was refreshing.”

Along with positive comments about the friendliness of our church, we also noticed comments that reveal the need to be prepared to welcome people who are not familiar with our church customs. Some visitors pointed out that it was too noisy and crowded to visit after the worship service. Others said that they would have liked to stay for Adult Education while their kids were in Sunday School. One visitor struggled to find our nursery, and wished there had been a more convenient place to change her child’s diaper.

In the coming months, Council will continue to discuss the comments from this informal study, so that we truly are prepared to welcome people into our church fellowship.

Safe Child Policy

2011-02-19T11:20:00.000-08:00

In 2004, the Council approved a policy that was intended to protect children from harm while they were participating in the children’s ministries at our church. Included in this policy are guidelines for any leader in a children’s ministry (eg. Sunday School, Jr. or Sr. High Youth Group, Cadets, GEMS, Story Hour, Nursery, etc.), qualifications for serving in a children’s ministry, rules for responding to allegations of abuse, recommendations for safe classrooms and nursery, and the requirement that anyone who serves as a leader or helper in the children’s ministries at our church should fill out an application which allows the church to run a background check on all who volunteer in our church’s children’s ministries.

Although that policy was approved in 2004, it was never fully implemented. As we strive to have a greater influence in our community, and as we hope to effectively enfold new members in to our church family, it is important that parents of young children have a high level of confidence in the children’s ministries at our church.

This year, we are planning to implement the child safety policy that was approved in 2004. This means that we will be asking all children’s ministry volunteers to fill out an application that will allow a police background check. Although the policy originally allowed people who had served in children’s ministry prior to 2004 to forego the application, we will be asking all who serve in these ministries to participate in this process, so that we can let people know that we have worked to ensure the safety of children who participate in our church ministries. The staff members of our church have all filled out their applications, and we will be asking volunteers to fill them out prior to the beginning of the 2011-12 school year.

Choir Loft Pews

2011-02-03T05:39:00.000-08:00

In the fall of 2010, the Worship Planning Committee had a discussion about how we utilize our worship space. We noticed that during our worship services, we often have people standing between the pulpit and the first row of pews in the sanctuary. Whenever the bell ringers play, the praise team sings, or children are dismissed for worship center; the front of the sanctuary can feel crowded. During that discussion, we also noted that the choir loft is not used too often. The choir will often sing while standing around the piano, or on the steps by the pulpit, and the space that is filled with the choir loft pews is rarely utilized.

The committee first discussed the possibility of remodeling the front of the sanctuary. After discussion and research, they decided the cost of such a project was prohibitive at this time. As an alternative, the committee explored the possibility of removing the choir loft pews, and utilizing that space for our worship services.

In January, the Worship Planning Committee submitted a motion to council asking them to remove the pews from the choir loft. The Council approved this motion, and asked the Building and Grounds Committee to see if there are aesthetic considerations that have been overlooked, and to schedule a time to remove the pews. We anticipate the Building and Grounds Committee will report back at the February Council meeting, and that the pews should be removed from the choir loft sometime in the next few weeks.

More Than Programs

2010-09-01T08:55:00.000-07:00

This month we have made some quiet, but significant changes in our church. We have welcomed Kelli Hofstra to Highland, and she has begun her work as our new Director of Youth Ministries (Kelli will be commissioned on Septemer 12). We have also commissioned Liz Fledderjohann to serve as the Director of Community Outreach in our church.

With the arrivals of Kelli and Liz, we have a good representation on our church staff. We hope and pray that the programs and activities that Kelli plans for the Middle School and High School students in our church will be tremendously successful. We also look forward to the challenge that Liz will bring to our congregation as we seek to be more intentionally engaged in our broader community.

More than likely, you will notice some of the programs that are introduced by Kelli and Liz. The Director of Community Outreach may plan activities to welcome people into our church and may challenge us to be ready to welcome new people into our church family. The Director of Youth Ministries will probably include announcements in our News and Notes about activities, service projects, and regular meeting times for the students in our church.

As we move forward as a church, it will be important for us to realize that effective church ministry is not measured in the “buzz” that surrounds a particular program.

Earlier this month, our church partnered with Mercy Hill Church and Suburban Bible Church to host the “Share the Rock” basketball camp at the Lincoln Center in Highland. It was a great event, as more boys came to the camp each day. There was even an article in one of the local newspapers about this ministry program. It might be tempting to think that the program was a success because many people attended the camp, and because the local newspaper wrote a favorable article. The basketball camp certainly received favorable “buzz.”

We could also argue that there were many intangibles about the camp that made it successful. It was wonderful to partner with other churches from our community for a purpose that supersedes denominational differences. We were blessed to work with Dan Voudrie, the men’s head basketball coach at Purdue University Calumet.

But the effectiveness of our ministry should not be measured by the “buzz” our programs create, nor by the good feelings we get from cooperative efforts. The focus of our ministry efforts is to see lives transformed by people coming to a deeper knowledge of God’s grace.

Sometimes, we see this transforming work in the lives of people who attend the ministry programs. After the camp concluded, I received a phone call from a mom who expressed her thanks not only for the camp, but for the volunteers who dropped off school supplies and information about other church ministries for her son. Hopefully, that family saw God’s hand at work through the ministry of a program.
Sometimes, we see this transforming work in the lives of people who serve within our ministry programs. I was excited to see young men and women from our churches using their gifts to lead boys from our community. I hope that those who participated were able to see God’s hand working through them to touch others.

Please welcome Kelli and Liz to our church staff, and pray for them as they serve God within our church family. And remember: as we work to create and manage ministry programs, the goal of our ministry is not merely to create successful programs, but to see lives transformed.

Share the Rock Basketball Camp

2010-05-26T11:57:00.000-07:00

On August 2-4, 2010, our church will be partnering with Mercy Hill Church to host a three-day basketball camp for boys in grades 3-8 from the town of Highland. Dan Voudrie, head coach of men's basketball at Purdue Calumet University, will provide the coaching to help the boys develop their basketball skills. Throughout the day, the participants will hear testimonies of faith from basketball players, coaches, and church leaders. After the conclusion of the camp, our churches will attempt to follow up with the participants and invite their families to participate in the life of the church.

Two Search Committees

2010-04-03T05:24:00.000-07:00

Our church has two search committees that are currently meeting to fill two important staff positions at our church.

The first committee is the Youth Pastor Search Team. Terry Kuipers, Herb Sitter, and Jill Boender are members of this team from our church who are meeting with three members of First Church in order to recruit and recommend a qualified candidate to fill the position of Youth Pastor at New Life CRC and First Church. This committee has reviewed the job description of Youth Pastor, and has already recommended that this position become an equally shared position between the two churches. The person who fills this position will work with volunteers from both churches to oversee the combined high school and junior high youth ministries of our churches.

The second committee is the Director of Community Outreach Search Team. Tim Abbring, Brad Gossman, Lynnea Lytle, and Mary Otte are the members of this team who are working to recruit and recommend a qualified candidate to plan events and activities to welcome people into our church, as well as coordinate efforts to make sure new members and visitors are included in the life of our congregation.

Please pray for the work of these two search committees, and pray that they will be led to the right people to enhance God’s work in our church and in our community.

Final Word: Prayer

2010-02-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

Following Christ begins with prayer, and the process of following Christ is bathed in prayer. During the past month, you have considered different habits that you can develop in order to grow closer to God. One of the common mistakes of spiritual disciplines is the tendency to turn the discipline into a routine that is accomplished, so that the habit no longer draws your attention to God.

As you practice spiritual disciplines, I encourage you to think of the habits as a means to help you grow in your prayer life.

I have known faithful Christians who have never fasted nor meditated. I have learned a great deal from Christians who have never kept a journal. However, I have never met a mature Christian who did not spend time in prayer.

Let your life be bathed in prayer as you strive to grow closer to God.

The Discipline of Service

2010-02-08T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Bible tells us that true religion is worked out in the way we live our lives. Offering our bodies in service may not seem very spiritual, but service can indeed be an act of worship. I think many people believe spirituality is some kind of mysterious, exotic experience that has little to do with “real life.”

I believe the opposite is true. True spirituality is evident in the way we handle the things that can often seem mundane. How do we treat our spouses when we are having a bad day? Do we do our jobs well, even when we are upset with our bosses? How do we act at the local sporting events and when we are on vacation? True spirituality that is focused on Christ is evident in the normal stuff of “real life.”

Christians are called to serve. Below, I could list numerous service possibilities, but instead, I am only going to list a few categories to get you thinking creatively about how you can serve God.

Ideas for Service:

1. Long-term commitment
Many people are willing to do a “one-time” favor. It is relatively easy to find someone to bake cookies, donate car-wash buckets, or serve one meal. It is much more difficult to find someone who is willing to make a commitment to serve for an extended period of time. Churches often struggle to find Sunday School teachers, elders, deacons, committee members. Consider making a commitment to serve for an extended period of time.

2. Using your gifts
It is easy to get overwhelmed by opportunities to serve. You may feel pressure to serve meals, fix bicycles, organize fundraisers, host the youth group, serve on the social action committee, save labels for the local school, be a mentor, correct Bible lessons, and deliver meals. These are all worthwhile service opportunities, but no person can participate in every worthwhile service opportunity. As you consider ways to serve God, ask God to reveal your gifts. When He prompts you to use a gift, do not feel guilty when you have to say “no” to other worthwhile service opportunities. God has given other people gifts for those areas of service.

3. Secret acts of kindness
It is a good idea to occasionally offer an act of kindness anonymously. When you offer a good deed in secret, you know it has truly been for God’s sake, rather than for the sake of being praised by others.

4. Encouragement
I think it is difficult to overstate the value of encouragement. Consider taking time to write thank-you notes or offering a word of praise when you notice someone striving to do their best. God often uses the words of people to steer people closer to Him. Use your ability to encourage others to glorify God.

The Discipline of Meditation

2010-02-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

The word “meditate” carries a connotation of sitting in the woods with you legs folded and chanting some meaningless word over and over. Meditation merely means to think. When you practice meditating, you are setting aside time to think about God’s will for your life, and how you will live for Him.

Ideas for Meditating:

1. Bible Memorization
When I was a junior in college, I was challenged to read less scripture, and instead memorize some particular passages. I started with Isaiah 40:28-31, and then memorized Proverbs 3:5-6. After a few weeks of reciting these passages, I added Micah 6:6-8, and then Psalm 121. I was amazed at how these passages started to pop up in my thoughts as I faced decisions and spent time in prayer. The act of memorizing forces you to think about Bible passages.

2. Word of the Year
For the last two years, my wife and I have chosen a word that we would focus on throughout the year. In 2006, my word was “discernment,” and in 2007, my word is “contentment.” We have found that focusing on one word for the year has helped our individual prayer lives, and it has been good for discussions in our marriage. My word for the year has become a recurring prayer request, and I am discovering that God teaches me about the significance of that word as I focus on it. If you want to pick a word for the year, I suggest starting with one of the fruit of the Spirit that are mentioned in Galatians 5.

3. Pointed Questions
After spending some time in prayer, resolve to sit quietly for a few moment in order to think about some important matters in your life. In the silence, continue to pray and ask God some questions about your life. You may want to ask about your integrity, your faithfulness, your relationship with family members, your witness to family members or co-workers, your walk with God, or the calling God has for you (to name a few). After you ask these questions, take time to think about the answer to that question, and ask God to guide your thoughts. When I have practiced this as a spiritual discipline, I have had frequent times when I have sat silently without any earthshaking revelations. However, there have also been numerous times when I have gained previously undiscovered insights. I believe that many of those insights were God’s voice calling me to live for Him.

The Discipline of Fasting

2010-02-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

Fasting is the practice of voluntarily giving up something in order to dedicate that time or resource to growing in your walk with God.

I must confess I have mixed emotions about my experiences with fasting. In college, I would occasionally join a group of students who would fast for 24 hours for the purpose of learning how to sympathize with those who are hungry in our world. I don’t think our experience was very helpful as a spiritual discipline, because we would always wait until 12:00 midnight and then order a pizza in order to celebrate the fact that we went an entire day without food. However, I have had other occasions when fasting has been helpful. I have intentionally decided to skip a meal or two in order to spend time in prayer. This has been particularly helpful when I have been facing a difficult decision, and wanted to spend time in prayer for wisdom.

If you practice fasting, make sure the focus of your fast is growing closer to God. There is nothing wrong with attempting to lose weight, save money, or developing a new hobby, but if this is the point of your fast, you should not consider it a spiritual discipline.

Ideas for Fasting:

1. Giving up food
This is the classic kind of fast. If you are going to fast from food, please make sure that you are in good health. Pregnant women and people who have struggles with blood sugar levels would want to talk to a doctor before fasting from food. I have heard of people fasting for periods of time that last over a week. Many will allow themselves fluids during their fast. If you want to fast from food, set a period of time that you want to fast. You might want to fast by skipping breakfast and lunch for a period of 1-3 days. Take your normal meal times for a devotional activity. Fasting can be especially helpful when you are seeking wisdom for a decision, or when you are praying for a specific circumstance.

2. Turn off the TV
In the United States, most homes have more than 1 television set, and many of those television sets are on for more than 8 hours a day. All of this noise can drown out our ability to focus on God. You can fast by turning off the TV. This can be anything from limiting your time watching television, to getting rid of the television in your home. If you are going to fast from television, I suggest starting with a period of time (at least one day) when you do not turn on the TV in your home. After that, make sure that you only sit down in front of the TV when there is a specific program that you want to watch, and turn the TV off when that show is over. You can also help yourself in this endeavor by putting the TV in a room that is not the center of the home, or putting your television set behind closed doors, so that you do not see it when it is turned off. By the way, this fast from media input can also be applied to the internet, magazines, radio, etc.

3. Financial Fast
Take a solid week when you do not spend any money. This will take planning, but you will be surprised by the results.

4. Sabbath Keeping
Make Sunday a day of rest, not only from your job, but also from normal weekly routines.

The Discipline of Study

2010-02-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

It is hard to overstate the value of studying for Christians. The desire to know God more fully is the reason the printing press was invented. Schools were first developed to teach children to read so that they could read their Bible.

Studying does not have to be a monotonous exercise. There are many facets of the Christian faith that can be the subject of your study. This can be a discipline that promotes wonderful growth in your understanding of God.

Ideas for Studying:

1. Read a book
There are many good Christian books that are available today. Some of them are deeply theological and theoretical, and some are very practical. I would recommend going to your local Christian bookstore and browsing through the shelves to see what aspect of Christian Life interests you.

2. Read the Bible
Many Christians have read sections of the Bible, but have never read an entire book. I encourage you to take time to read the Bible and study the stories. Keep track of the characters that are mentioned as you read through an entire book. I recommend starting with a book of the Bible that is filled with stories, and then move to other types of Biblical material. If you are going to read large sections of the Bible for the first time, I recommend purchasing a readable translation or paraphrase. I really appreciate Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase called The Message.

3. Join a group study
Bible Study groups are woven into the fabric of Christian history. Churches offer many options for studying the Bible with others. There are para-church groups such as Bible Study Fellowship that offer helpful opportunities. When you study with others, not only do you learn more about God’s word, but you also develop very close friendships with others who will hold you accountable in the way you live for Christ.

The Discipline of Journaling

2010-02-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

Many Christians have benefited from keeping a journal, or a diary. I have had a few times in my life when journaling has been very beneficial in my walk with God, and I have had other times when I tried desperately to keep a journal, but only found it more burdensome than helpful.

Journaling is accomplished by writing down your thoughts. If you are going to be serious about journaling, it helps to have a nice notebook or even a bound journal (they sell them at bookstores). Keep your journal in a place where you can have access to it during quiet times.

Journaling works best when you find regular times to write. It can be in the mornings or evenings, or even just on the weekends – whatever time regularly works for you.

Ideas for Journaling:

1. Write your prayer
Writing a prayer makes you focus on what you are saying to God. Furthermore, but writing down your prayers, you have a record to look back at and see how God answered them.

2. Write the answers to your prayers
After praying, spend some time writing down how you have seen God respond to your prayers.

3. How I have seen God at work
One journaling method is to write down each day the way that you have seen God’s hand at work in that day. This practice makes you aware that God is actually working, it helps you pay attention for His work, and it can produce contentment as you notice His handiwork

4. A Daily Record
Perhaps the most common type of journaling is merely keeping a record of things that have happened during the day or week, and reflections on those events. This can become a wonderful record if you save your journals. Furthermore, it can cause you to slow down to meditate about what is happening in your life.

Day 31: The Joy of Discipline

2010-02-03T00:01:00.000-08:00

Week 5, Wednesday, February 3

Text: Psalm 139:23-24
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Thought for the day:
When God gave us the Ten Commandments, He included one that is difficult for us to understand in our world today. He told His people to take a day of rest, to set aside time for the purpose of worshipping Him. He wanted His people to acknowledge His presence by giving Him time and space, so that He could shape them according to His plans.

For the past month, you have been practicing spiritual disciplines by setting aside time at regular intervals to focus on God’s work in your life and in the world around you. Today, I want you to consider how you can continue developing these habits for the remainder of the year.

Journal/Exercise:
Look back in your journal to Day 3. On that day, you were challenged to pray about God’s Kingdom, and to write down some way you believed God wanted you to serve Him in His Kingdom. Do you still believe God wants you to serve Him in that way? God has searched you and knows you, better than you know yourself. Pray that He will lead you as you strive to follow Him. Pray that He will guide you in a life of developing habits to spend time in prayer with Him, and pray that He will teach you how to continue pursuing Him.

Over the next few days, I will post some ideas for practicing spiritual disciplines. Take a few moments in the next few days to decide which ideas you will want to put into practice. Please do not think that the list I post will be exhaustive. You know yourself better than I do, so be creative in thinking of ways you can develop habits to focus your attention on Christ’s work in your life. Write down in your journal some ways you will want to develop these habits.

Day 30: Holding Your Attention

2010-02-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

Week 5, Tuesday, February 2

Text: Matthew 14:29-30
“Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Thought for the day:
Did Peter do anything that bad? I think if I had been walking on water, and the wind started to blow, I would certainly be a little nervous. After Jesus saved Peter, he scolded Peter, asking why he doubted, and saying Peter had little faith.

I think Peter had a great deal of faith to merely step out of the boat. The other disciples didn’t even make a move to step out. However, Jesus was not scolding Peter for his faith to get out of the boat, He was scolding Peter for his short attention span.

A life of faith is more than merely having occasional moment of extreme trust. If we trust Jesus in a moment of crisis, and than forget about Him a few days later, we have demonstrated faith, but little faith. Faith matures as we intently focus our lives on Christ. Peter would have had a big faith, if he had been able to continue to trust that Christ would sustain Him even though the wind was blowing.

The practice of spiritual disciplines helps us develop a focus on Christ, so that our little faith can grow up.

Journal/Exercise:
Look back in your journal to Day 9. On that day you were asked to write down one prayer request that would be the focus of your prayers for your time of fasting. Have you been able to focus on that prayer request? How has God responded to that request in the last three weeks? Write down that prayer request again, and whether you have seen God working in response to that prayer.

Day 29: Walking with God

2010-02-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Week 5, Monday, February 1

Text: Genesis 5:24
“Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”

Thought for the day:
For the past month, you have been sampling spiritual disciplines in order to help you grow in your walk with God. Enoch is a character in the Bible, but we know very little about him. We are only told that he walked with God, and God took him away.

What would you want people to know about you, if your life were to end tomorrow? If you were taken away tomorrow, would you want to be remembered because of your financial savvy? Would you want people to speak of your wonderful leadership abilities? Perhaps you would want to be remembered for your personal integrity, or for the way you loved your family. Enoch is remembered because he walked with God, and in the final day, that is what matters most.

Journal/Exercise:
Write down one way that you want to grow in your walk with God. Do you want to be more loving, more devoted to prayer, or more willing to be still in God’s presence? Would you like to grow in your assurance of God’s faithfulness or in your level of contentment? After you write down one way that you would like to grow, spend some time in prayer, asking God to show you how to develop habits that will help you grow in that area.

Thought for the Weekend: Working Toward a Disciplined Life

2010-01-30T00:01:00.000-08:00

Weekend 4, Saturday – Sunday, January 30-31 (Days 27-28)

As of this weekend, you have completed 4 weeks of participating in this devotional, and practicing spiritual disciplines. We have really just scratched the surface of the impact that spiritual disciplines can have on our walk with God.

Over the next few days, our devotions will be focused on reminding us of the intent of practicing spiritual disciplines: Growing Nearer to God. By the end of this week, you will be challenged to write down how you intend to practice spiritual disciplines in the coming year. After Day 31, I will post descriptions of a few disciplines that I have practiced. My intent is not to convey the idea that I have mastered spiritual disciplines, but to share some possible suggestions for you to consider as you strive to grow in your walk with God.

For the next week, please think about your walk with God, and try to evaluate where you can work on growing in Christ. Do you desire to mature in your prayer life, or in the ability to listen for God’s leading? Do you wish to grow in your knowledge of scripture? Would you like to be more gracious in your attitude and willingness to serve others? Furthermore, pray that God will reveal the gifts that He has given you. He may want you to work at refining those gifts.

In the upcoming days, think creatively about the habits you can develop that will help you mature in your walk with God. You might not practice one single discipline for the entire year. Perhaps you will want to grow in your Biblical knowledge for a few months, so you will set aside daily time to read through the books of 1 and 2 Kings. This summer, you may want to grow through service, so you will volunteer to mow the lawn for an elderly neighbor for the entire summer. There are nearly unlimited possibilities for the ways you can develop habits to help you grow in your awareness of God’s presence.

Day 26: Secret Service

2010-01-29T00:01:00.000-08:00

Week 4, Friday, January 29

Text: Matthew 6:3-4
"But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Thought for the day:
There are times when we will want others to know our accomplishments. If you have ever interviewed for a new job, you interviewer probably asked about previous employment and successful accomplishments. When a church is hosting an outreach event, they will probably want to advertise it to the community so that people will attend. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:17 that His followers should let their good deeds shine before others, so that God will be praised.

However, there are other times, when our deeds should be done in secret. Jesus says this is true, especially when we are responding to the needs of others. We do not need to have every good deed known by others, because God knows our deeds, and we are promised that when we serve Him in secrecy, He gives us rewards. I am confident that His rewards are better than the congratulations that we might receive from other people who know us.

Journal/Exercise:
This weekend, perform an act of kindness for someone, and never tell them that you were the one who did it. I would prefer you to respond to a need of someone in your community. If you have a neighbor who has difficulty shoveling snow, clear their driveway at night. If you have a neighbor who is struggling with an illness, deliver a meal to their home. Be creative in how you can serve someone. If you cannot avoid revealing your identity, then be discreet, and avoid telling others of your service. See how this secret act of kindness is received by God.

Day 25: The Evidence of Faith

2010-01-28T00:01:00.000-08:00

Week 4, Thursday, January 28

Text: Matthew 25:40
“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

Thought for the day:
True faith will be evident in our actions. We are saved if we have faith in Christ, not because of our works or deeds. However, when Jesus speaks of the final judgment day, he talks about works such as visiting the sick, giving a drink to someone who is thirsty or giving clothes to a stranger. Do His words mean that faith really doesn’t matter?

Christ’s words are not intended to teach us that faith is insignificant, but rather that true faith will always change the way we live.

Whenever we study spiritual disciplines, we run the risk of believing that faithfully walking with God means that we live quiet lives of sitting, thinking, prayer, reading, and fasting. Although we benefit from quiet times in God’s presence, the process of walking with Him is not a sedentary lifestyle. God calls His people to action, and the way that we act is the best evidence to others that we are walking with God.

Journal/Exercise:
You have been asked this week to serve others. Today, I would like you to write down in your journal what has happened as a result of your service. How have others responded to you? How have you felt about the experience? Do you see God working in you as you offer this service to Him?

Day 24: Love in Action

2010-01-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

Week 4, Wednesday, January 27

Text: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Thought for the day:
Where do you learn the meaning of love? If you watch a popular television show or movie, you will get the impression that love is a strong emotion that can be very intense for a period of time, but it capable of fading.

This picture of love is all wrong, because love is more than a feeling. Love starts with recognition of value, and it is evident in our action. I might have fond feelings towards a person, but if I do not treat that person well, I have not loved. The text today says a lot about love, but it says very little about our feelings. The Bible tells us that love is not easy, but it requires a willingness to serve. Even if we have been wronged, love requires that we keep no record.

Have you ever held the idea that love must be easy? Check again. You will find that the people we love the most are the people who cause the most work in our lives.

Journal/Exercise:
Go back to yesterday’s challenge. Did you offer someone a service on three different occasions? Write down what you did, and think about the response that you received from each service offered.

Think of someone in your life who loved you. How was that person’s love evident? Did he/she ever have to practice patience with you? Did he/she ever have to forgive you? Did you know you were loved by the way he/she acted toward you? As you think about the ways that person showed love to you, try to show the same kind of love to someone today.

Day 23: The Selflessness of Service

2010-01-26T00:01:00.000-08:00

Week 4, Tuesday, January 26

Text: John 13:14
“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.”

Thought for the day:
Washing feet was not a pleasant experience. Jesus gave an example to His disciples of what it meant to practice humility. Jesus did not have to wash anyone’s feet. He could have ordered one of His disciples to do it, or even asked the owner of the home to provide a servant. However, He willingly picked up the towel and the bowl of water, and proceeded to scrub the filthy feet of His followers.

God does not promise us that service will always be invigorating. There will be occasions when we do not enjoy the work God calls us to do. When God does call us to serve in humbling circumstances, we can remember that He was willing to humble Himself first. In fact, He was willing to humble Himself to the point of dying a criminal’s death for our sake.

Journal/Exercise:
Yesterday, you were asked to encourage one specific person. Today, you will be challenged to offer an act of service to three different people. I don’t want you to plan ahead, but I want you to be aware of the people around you today, and offer each of them a unique service. You could hold the door for someone who has their hands full, or offer your seat to someone who walks in late. If someone forgets their lunch, you could offer to share yours. Pray that God will open your eyes to the opportunity you have to serve today, and strive to offer an act of kindness to three different people.

Day 22: The Simplicity of Service

2010-01-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

Week 4, Monday, January 25

Text: Romans 12:6
“We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.”

Thought for the day:
When I think about all the good things that a person can do, I get a little overwhelmed. We have so many possible ways to volunteer our time and resources. We have opportunities to serve lunch at school, deliver food baskets in the evening, read to children, rake leaves for senior citizens, teach Sunday School, serve on a church committee, write letters to prisoners, give money to 100 different organizations, invite our neighbor to church, build a home….. The list could go on indefinitely.

When God calls us to serve, He doesn’t tell us that we have to do every good thing that we can possibly do. He tells us to use our gifts. God has a lot of people who are working to service Him. This means that each person can use his or her individual gift to serve God, without feeling guilty about other opportunities. In Romans 12, the Bible describes the church as a group of people who should focus on using their gifts.

As we begin to think about service this week, don’t allow yourself to be overwhelmed by all of the possible service opportunities. Rather, pray that God will reveal your gifts, and give you wisdom to discern where you can best offer those gifts in service.

Journal/Exercise:
Spend some time in prayer. Pray for someone you know who is experiencing a difficult time in his or her life. Write down the name of that person in your journal. After you write down that person’s name, write down one way that you can encourage that person today. It could be a very simple gesture such as writing a note or sending an email letting her know you prayed for her today. Make an effort to reach out to that person as a sacrifice of service for Christ’s sake.

A Busy Council Meeting

2010-01-24T14:07:00.000-08:00

If you have read the January 24 News and Notes, you know that there are a few lines written about the Council Meeting on Wednesday, January 20. Short notes can be helpful to give you a little information about Council’s discussions, but in this blog entry, I would like to give you a more in-depth picture of what is being discussed at our Council meetings.

Now that our congregation has voted to change our name to New Life CRC, members of council have been busy making arrangements to unveil the new name for our church. A new web address has been secured to reflect our new name (www.newlifecrc.com), and we will begin work to develop that website in the next weeks. Our denomination, classis, and many businesses have been notified of the name change, and we have begun the process to have the new name legally recognized. A committee has been appointed to make suggestions for new signs on Ridge Road and 5th Street to reflect our new name.

Council also approved the appointment of a committee to begin the search process for a Director of Community Outreach for our church. The person who fills this position will be the primary liaison for our church with Love INC, will coordinate events and activities to welcome people to join our church family, and will suggest ways to enfold visitors and new members into the life of our church. Council approved appointing a committee of five members to conduct this search process. At the time of this blog posting, Tom Sawyer has agreed to serve as the chairman, and the other members have been contacted to see if they are willing to serve in this capacity.

For the past few months, our council has been discussing how we will proceed with our High School and Junior High Youth Ministries after Ken Scholma leaves the position of Youth Pastor at First CRC. For a number of years, our church has combined our High School and Junior High youth groups with First CRC. Ken Scholma is graduating from a teaching program this spring, and does not expect to return as a youth pastor next year. We have been discussing the options of separating our youth groups, or continuing with one Youth Pastor for our two churches. At our council meeting, it was decided, upon the recommendation of a joint committee from the two churches, that we would continue the practice of hiring one Youth Pastor for the two churches. Council voted to appoint three members of our church (a Council Member, a Parent, and a current volunteer Youth Leader) to join members from First CRC on a joint search committee that will re-evaluate the Youth Pastor’s job description, search for a new Youth Pastor, and suggest ways that this position will be jointly overseen by the two churches.

Thought for the Weekend: The Role of Service

2010-01-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

Weekend 3, Saturday – Sunday, January 23-24 (Days 20-21)

This past week, we have considered what it means to sit in God’s presence and listen for His will. It is important for Christians to develop the ability to be still in God’s presence. However, Christianity is more than a set of beliefs that we should ponder. Faith in Christ will change the way we live our lives.

In the coming week, we will change our focus from being still in God’s presence to being active as God’s servants. God calls us to serve others in order to demonstrate our love for Him and our love for our neighbors.

As you prepare for this week of service challenges, please try to think of ways that other people have encouraged you. On Day 18, you were asked to write the names of people who have given you advice. Have there been other people who have offered a service to you? This weekend, pray that God would help you remember they ways that others have shown you God’s love through service. Furthermore, pray that He will open your eyes to see the ways that He can use you to show His love.

Day 19: The Call to Study

2010-01-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

Week 3, Friday, January 22

Text: Jeremiah 29:13
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Thought for the day:
I remember the day I graduated from high school. It was such a freeing experience, because I believed I had the choice to never study again. Even though I knew that I was going to college, and that I would study again, my graduation from high school marked the day that I could choose whether or not to study.

When we think of studying, we usually think of a boring, tedious activity that requires us to sit down, book in hand, in order to prepare an essay or report that no one will ever read. But studying does not have to be drab. In fact, studying can be a key way that we seek to know God.

When I got to college, I discovered an enjoyment in my studies, primarily because I could seek to learn about areas that interested me. I didn’t have to study Medieval Russian Literature or the history of the Ancient Amalekites (which held little interest to me). I could choose to seek knowledge in areas that interested me.

If studying seems like a terribly burdensome task to you, let me ask you to re-think your opinion. You can seek God through studying, but He is so vast, that there is plenty of ways that you can learn about Him through studying. Many have grown closer to God as they struggled with deep theological debates. Others have grown closer to Him as they made an effort to study the stories of His people in the Old Testament. Still others have sought God by reading books by Christian authors on topics that vary from prayer to evangelism to parenting.

Journal/Exercise:
See if you can recite your memory verse for this week. Has your attempt to memorize helped you grow in your understanding of this verse and what it means?

After you recite your verse, write down three of four specific ways that you can study to grow closer to God. These can include attending worship services, reading Bible Studies, reading the Bible, reading Christian books, asking questions, attending conferences, etc. Do your study times happen predominantly in groups, or are there some study habits that cause you to spend time alone with God?

Day 18: Seeking Good Advice

2010-01-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

Week 3, Thursday, January 21

Text: Exodus 18:24
“Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said.”

Thought for the day:
No mere human has ever talked with God the way that Moses did. He spent days on a mountain top speaking with God. He spent so much time in God’s presence that his face would glow. The book of Deuteronomy ends by saying that there has never been a prophet like Moses.

You would think that Moses would have received the answer to every one of his questions directly from God, but that was not always true. In Exodus 18, Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, gives Moses some good advice that helped make Moses job more manageable. God didn’t tell Moses directly about this idea on Mt. Sinai, but used another person to bring this idea.

God regularly speaks to us through other people. Sometimes, he puts people in our lives who give us good advice. At other times, He gives us people who set an excellent example of handling tense moments with grace. As we seek to discern God’s will for our lives, please remember to notice the people He has placed in your path that have helped to guide you.

Journal/Exercise:
Review the text that you chose to memorize on Day 15. Can you recite it from memory yet? Have you had any occasion to think about that text as you have gone about your daily activities in the past week?

Write down the names of up to five people who have given you good advice in your life. I encourage you to make an effort in the coming weeks to write each one of them a note and thank them for the wisdom they have shared with you. If you would like, write a brief sentence in the comments of this blog telling how someone offered you helpful advice.

Day 17: The Art of Meditation

2010-01-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

Week 3, Wednesday, January 20

Text: Psalm 77:12
“I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.”

Thought for the day:
To many people living in our world today, meditation seems like such a strange practice. We think of meditation as a mystical practice that causes people to enter a trance-like condition in order to receive supernatural inspiration. It seems so different than anything we do in our normal routines.

However, meditation is not some esoteric practice that is only for the spiritual or philosophical elite. In the Old Testament, the word for ponder means to talk to yourself. When we meditate, we are merely remembering what God has done, and thinking about it (talking to ourselves).

More than likely, you already practice meditation. You may meditate, or talk to yourself, about the meals you will prepare in the coming week, or how you will talk to your family member about a delicate topic. The Bible merely tells us that it is good for us to take time to talk to ourselves about God and His plans.

Journal/Exercise:
Spend some time in prayer. As you pray, ask God the following questions:

    “How am I doing in my relationships with family members?”

    “How can I gain greater integrity in my life?”

    “Am I being faithful to you, Lord?”

After each question, spend some time thinking about the answer. Ask God to guide your thoughts. As you do this, you are meditating. You are thinking about God’s will for your life, and how His word affects you actions. Write down any insights you gain regarding your family relationships, personal integrity, or walk with God.

Day 16: Hiding God’s Word in Your Heart

2010-01-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

Week 3, Tuesday, January 19

Text: Psalm 119:105
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”

Thought for the day:
In the Bible, God promises repeatedly to guide us. I have known people who have longed for that guidance in relations to a very specific situation in their lives. They would like God to reveal to them what kind of cake they should order for a birthday party, or what kind of wallpaper they should use to remodel their dining room.

There may be occasions when God gives us very specific guidance in very mysterious ways. However, I believe that if we truly want God’s guidance, we should start by listening to what He has already said in His word, and my obeying it. The Bible gives us guidance for how we treat others, and how we should worship God above all else. It teaches us to submit to Christ and to receive His grace. It tells us that Jesus’ sacrifice is all we need for salvation.

By hiding God’s word in our hearts, we learn to understand the kind of guidance God gives. We learn that God is not some kind of cosmic advice service, who exists merely to answer our questions. Instead, we learn that God takes the initiative to guide us where He wants us to be. By hiding His word in our hearts, we learn to listen for His voice, before we begin asking our questions.

Journal/Exercise:
Write down the verse that you are working to memorize this week. What does that verse tell you about God? What does it tell you about yourself? Write down the reason you chose this verse as a text to memorize.

Day 15: Memorization

2010-01-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

Week 3, Monday, January 18

Text: Psalm 119:11
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

Thought for the day:
Many people would like God to speak to them in a clear voice. They don’t want to settle for a mere whisper. I have often failed to realize that God doesn’t only speak very quietly. He speaks very clearly to us in His Word. If you want to recognize God’s voice, listen to Him by studying His Word.

I know that Bible Memory Work is not as popular as it once was, but it is a wonderful tool for learning to hear God’s voice. If you have ever memorized a Bible passage, that verse probably remains with you long after you first read it. The practice of memorizing scriptures can help us to put God’s voice in our hearts, so that we have His words accessible.

Journal/Exercise:
Pick a text that you will commit to memory this week. My favorite Bible text is Isaiah 40:30-31.

“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

The text that you choose to memorize does not have to be this passage, but I encourage you to pick one that is fairly familiar. There are sections from Psalm 23, Psalm 100, Romans 8, and Romans 12 that are favorites of many people.

Write down in your journal which passage you will memorize this week. While you are alone, take a few moments during the day to try to remember the words of this passage and silently recite them to yourself. Be aware of any way that the memorizing of this text changes your perspective during your normal activities.

Thought for the Weekend: Listening for God’s Voice

2010-01-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

Weekend 2, Saturday – Sunday, January 16-17 (Days 13-14)

During the past two weeks, we have discussed the disciplines of prayer and fasting. I have said that prayer is the chief spiritual discipline, and I hope that you have been able to see that fasting helps us practice self-control and forces our minds to be drawn to thinking of God’s will and presence. This weekend, I challenge you to think about some ways that you will practice fasting in the coming year. Perhaps you will want to fast for a week before you child graduates, in order to pray for their life transition. You could fast as you pray while you are in the process of making a potentially life-changing decision, or when you want to thank God for His faithfulness following a success in your life. Write down in your journal one way that you will fast in 2010. Remember, fasting does not have to be the avoidance of food. It is voluntarily refraining from a regular practice in order to focus on God.

Next week, our devotion time will focus on how we listen to God. During the Old Testament times, many Jewish teachers would talk about hearing the “daughter of a voice.” This daughter of a voice, or whisper, was said to be God’s leading in their lives. I often struggle with the question, “How do I hear that whisper?” During the coming week, we will be reminded of ways that we can listen for that daughter of a voice, through practices of turning to Scripture, spending time in silence, and seeking advice.

Day 12: Where Is Your Focus?

2010-01-15T00:01:00.000-08:00

Week 2, Friday, January 15

Text: Deuteronomy 6:7-9
“Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

Thought for the day:
When you practice spiritual disciplines, you discover that the focus of your daily lives starts to change. You become more acutely aware of God’s presence as you begin to incorporate new habits into your routine. I hope that in these past two weeks, your focus has been sharpened so that you think about God’s will in your daily decisions, or that you see God’s grace in the middle of trying circumstances.

God is always available to His children. He does not change His love towards us when we practice spiritual disciplines. However, our ability to see Him and know His love will change through the practice of focusing on Him.

Journal/Exercise:
Write down one way that the practice of spiritual disciplines has affected you in the past two weeks.

Day 11: Simplifying Your Life

2010-01-13T08:34:00.000-08:00

Week 2, Thursday, January 14

Text: Luke 10:41-42
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.

Thought for the day:
I have developed a New Year’s Day tradition. For the past 7 years, January 1 has been a day designated for emptying my closet. My rule is this: If I haven’t worn an article of clothing since the previous January 1, I have to get rid of it. Sometimes, this is a hard rule to keep. I have had years when I forgot about a favorite red sweater, or a pair of brown corduroy pants. As I get rid of this assortment of clothing, there is often a sense of loss. I don’t want to let go of some clothing for sentimental reasons, or because there might be an occasion when one particular shirt is the perfect item to wear. In spite of my loss, on January 2, I am almost always pleased with my purging. Throughout the year, clothing becomes clutter in my closet, and I often cannot find the shirt or pants that I am looking for. By getting rid of unused clothes, I gain access to my closet, and a greater ability to find my clothes.

In Luke 10, Martha had a day that was cluttered. She was busy making an elaborate meal for Jesus and His disciples. She was a gracious hostess, but her grace turned sour. Because her day was filled with the clutter of many preparations, she missed a great opportunity, to sit at Jesus feet. This story does not tell us that Martha was wrong to make a nice meal, but she was foolish to allow the clutter of the meal to sour her opportunity to be with Christ. She needed to release some of her good intentions, so that she could have access to something better.

Martha’s life and my closet had a common problem: too much. It is easy to be distracted by an abundance of good things, and miss what is best. This week, as you think about fasting, try to determine whether there are activities or priorities that are adding clutter to your life, and causing you to miss opportunities to be still and know God.

Journal/Exercise:
What are some activities that add clutter to your life? They can be enjoyable activities, and even bring a benefit in some way. Write down at least two activities that add clutter to your life. Then, turn to God in prayer, and ask Him for wisdom to discern whether these activities should be simplified so that you can have more time to spend in His presence.

Day 10: Setting Aside Time

2010-01-12T08:45:00.000-08:00

Week 2, Wednesday, January 13

Text: Matthew 4:1-2
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.”

Thought for the day:
One of our biggest hindrances to prayer is finding time to actually pray. One of the benefits of fasting is that is allows you to set aside time from your normal activity in order to pray.

We can pray in many ways. I often pray while I am driving, or when I finish meeting with someone. These occasions, however, are usually opportune times to pray. They are not born out of an intentional effort to set aside time for God.

We should practice praying at opportune moments, but we should also set aside time for God in prayer. One of the benefits of fasting is that it makes us realize that time spent with God is worth a rearrangement of our normal routines.

Journal/Exercise:
Look back at your journal to Day 5. On that day, you were instructed to write down a blessing that you would seek from God in prayer. Have you noticed any ways that God has responded to that prayer? Have you continued to pray for that blessing? Pray again for that particular fruit of the Spirit to be evident in your life.

Day 9: Commandment or Assumption?

2010-01-11T13:20:00.000-08:00

Week 2, Tuesday, January 12

Text: Matthew 6:16-18
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Thought for the day:
When Jesus spoke the words in our text, he assumed that many people were already fasting. I have heard people say that this text implies that we should be fasting too. Jesus’ intent in this passage is not to give a commandment that we should fast, but to tell us what the focus of fasting should be: growing closer to God.

Journal/Exercise:
Write down one prayer item that you will focus on as you come to God in prayer during your time of fasting. You may want to write down a characteristic that you would like for yourself: wisdom, contentment, patience. You may want to pray for someone else: for healing, comfort, or assurance. Although you might pray for other items during your times of fasting, please focus on this particular prayer item, and be alert to see how God responds to that prayer.

Day 8: Practicing Self-Control

2010-01-11T02:00:00.000-08:00

Week 2, Monday, January 11

Text: 1 Peter 1:13
“Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

Thought for the day:
This week, we are going to introduce the discipline of fasting to our spiritual disciplines. Do you have a regular exercise or practice in your daily routine that could be avoided? The discipline of fasting causes us to practice self-control for the greater purpose of approaching God in prayer. In 1 Corinthians 5:7, the Apostle Paul suggested that married couples might want to avoid sexual intimacy for brief periods of time for the purpose of drawing nearer to God in prayer. The spiritual discipline of fasting is the voluntary giving up of a regular practice (such as eating), in order to make time and space to focus your attention on God.

Journal/Exercise:
Write down one way that you will practice fasting for the next couple of weeks. Some potential suggestions might be: giving up a meal per day, giving up a favorite beverage, giving up television, giving up the use of your computer, etc.

Let me offer some advice. Please do not give up sweets in order to “lose a few pounds.” Losing weight might be great, but if this is your purpose, it cannot really be called a spiritual discipline. Do not give up spending money on collectible items in order to “save a few dollars.” Neither should you give up television in order to “read a good book.” The purpose of this practice of fasting is to draw you mind to God in prayer. You will be aware of God’s presence whenever you have to practice self-control, and you can set aside the time that you save by coming to God in prayer.

Write down in your journal how you intend to fast, and pray that God will bless your fast so that you can be more aware of His presence in your life.

Thought for the Weekend: From Prayer to Fasting

2010-01-08T06:10:00.000-08:00

Weekend 1, Saturday – Sunday, January 9-10 (Days 6-7)

One of the themes that I want you to take from our week-long emphasis on prayer is that we can have our eyes opened to God’s work when we simplify our prayer lives and bring very specific requests before Him. During this weekend, look back at your journal, and continue to write ways that you can exercise the fruit of the spirit (from Day 5), and ways that God might be calling you to serve Him in His Kingdom.

Next week, we will begin to focus on the spiritual discipline of fasting. Fasting is usually thought of as the avoidance of food or drink. During the upcoming week, I want you to think of fasting as the voluntary act of giving up a normal part of your life, in order to take that time to focus on God in prayer. You may fast by giving up food, but you might also want to fast by giving up television, newspaper reading, unnecessary purchases, or another normal part of your life that you will noticeably miss. The discipline of fasting will serve as a reminder that we live to please God, rather than living to satisfy our routine desires. Pray for wisdom and a powerful experience as we continue our journey with God through spiritual disciplines.

Day 5: Asking for a Blessing

2010-01-07T07:58:00.000-08:00

Week 1, Friday, January 8

Text: Genesis 32:26
“The man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

Thought for the day:
Does it seem selfish to you when you ask God for a blessing? Do you feel guilty if you are praying for yourself? In Genesis 32, Jacob asked God for a blessing. We should ask God for blessings. Instead of thinking of it as selfish, think of that request as an act of submission. When we ask God for a blessing, we are acknowledging that we need His blessings. We don’t have anything good without Him, so don’t be afraid to ask.

Journal/Exercise:
Pray that God will bless you. I encourage you to consider the fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Ask God to bless you with one of these attributes. Write down in your journal which attribute you would like God to give you, and continue to pray for this fruit in the coming weeks.

Day 4: Prayer Leads to Gratitude

2010-01-06T09:05:00.000-08:00

Week 1, Thursday, January 7

Text: Psalm 40:1-3
“I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.”

Thought for the day:
I had always been taught that prayer was important for giving thanks to God. I always believed it, but I thought it meant that in prayer, we had to tell God why we were thankful. I thought prayer was the way we gave thanks. I still believe that prayer is an important part of giving thanks to God, but now, I believe that it is also important because through our prayer lives, we become more thankful. The author of Psalm 40 was thankful because he turned to God in prayer, and then (after waiting patiently) saw God answer that prayer. He was thankful because He saw God act. His prayer life helped him pay attention to God’s actions.

Journal/Exercise:
Write down one way that you have ever seen God answer one of your prayers. Did that answer to prayer change your view of God? Do you believe that God really responds to your prayers?

Day 3: Praying for the Kingdom

2010-01-06T03:44:00.000-08:00

Week 1, Wednesday, January 6

Text: Matthew 6:10
“Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Thought for the day:
Have you ever felt like your prayers are little more than a wish list? I must confess that I have. You don’t have to work too hard to figure out what you would like God to do for you. It is easy for me to figure out what I want. It is much more difficult to discern God’s will. Jesus taught us to pray that God’s Kingdom would come, and that His will would be done. In other parts of the New Testament, we are told to pray “in the spirit,” and ask the Father “in the name of the Lord.” There has been a lot of debate about what it means to pray in Jesus’ name, or to pray in the Spirit, but whatever else it may mean, it AT LEAST means that we pray for God’s will to be done.

Journal/Exercise:
Spend a few moments in prayer, asking God to make it clear to you what He wants you to do for His Kingdom. After you make that prayer request, write down in your journal some ways you believe God wants you to serve Him for His Kingdom.

Day 2: Praying Specifically

2010-01-04T10:40:00.000-08:00

Week 1, Tuesday, January 5

Text: Ephesians 6:19
“Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel.”

Thought for the day:
When I first started praying in public, I felt the need to pray for everything. At meal times, I would ask God to forgive my sins, thank Him for the food, ask Him to heal those who were sick, praise Him for the gift of salvation, ask Him to bless missionaries, and express appreciation for the blessing of living in free country. All of these prayer items were worthwhile, but I tried to cram too much into one prayer. If we are going to develop lives of prayer, we might have to learn how to pray shorter, more specific prayers. When we pray in big, general terms, we often miss the working of God’s hand. Instead of praying for “those who are sick,” if we pray for one person who is sick, we are more likely to see God’s answer. In the text for today, Paul was asking for a very specific request. He knew that there were other items to bring before God in prayer, but since God’s people were called to pray continually, those other items could be addressed in another prayer.

Journal/Exercise:
In your journal, write no more than 3 specific prayer requests that you will bring before God for the rest of this week. Please be very specific. Then, remember to pray for them. During the rest of this month, please write down in this journal any ways that you have seen God responding to that prayer.

Day 1: Prayer - The Chief Spiritual Discipline

2010-01-03T05:53:00.000-08:00

Week 1, Monday, January 4

Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:17
“Pray continually.”

Thought for the day:
As we begin this month-long journey of practicing spiritual disciplines, I want each of us to realize that spiritual disciplines are intended to help us enhance our life of prayer. It is possible to be a Christian without ever fasting, or meditating. There have been many Christians who have been unable to read, and therefore never read the Bible (even though they often heard it read). However, I believe prayer is vital to our walk with God. Prayer is our time to talk with God. I hope that during this month, we discover that God also reveals Himself to us through our life of prayer.

Journal/Exercise:
Please write in your journal an honest assessment of your prayer life. How often do you pray? What kind of patterns are little more than mere rituals in your prayer life? Have you ever seen the answers to your prayers? Also, write how you would like to see your prayer life change as you practice spiritual disciplines.

31 Days of Discipline

2009-12-23T06:30:00.000-08:00

During the month of January, we are encouraging members of our church family to make the practice of Spiritual Disciplines a part of their New Year’s resolution. During our morning worship services, our sermons will focus on developing individual disciplines (prayer, fasting, meditation, and service).

Disciplines are habits or practices that help us set our focus on God. The goal of each discipline is not to become a better faster, or a better listener, nor to brag about our effective praying. The goal is to grow closer to God. During the next month, you will be encouraged to practice four spiritual disciplines: Prayer, Fasting, Meditation, and Service. These are only a small sampling of disciplines. Other disciplines include: silence, simplicity, worship, study, submission, confession, guidance, celebration, and others.

I used to be under the false impression that spiritual disciplines are very binding. I thought that practicing spiritual disciplines meant that I had to forfeit freedoms in order to succeed in the disciplines. I have been surprised to find out that the opposite is true. Rather than being binding, spiritual disciplines can help us feel the freedom that we have in Christ. I hope that your experience in the coming month helps you to discover the freedom of Christ’s transforming power as you draw near to Him in a disciplined fashion.

These devotions are designed to be a 31 day introduction to practicing the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting, meditation and service. During this 31 day exercise, we will hear a series of sermons on Spiritual Disciplines at Second Highland CRC, that are meant to complement these devotions. I encourage you to begin on a Monday, and follow the devotions closely. On Monday-Friday of each week, the devotion will contain a scripture text, a brief thought for the day, and instructions for keeping a journal. As you begin this month, I encourage you to find a clean notebook of paper, or a journal for writing down thoughts while you practice these disciplines. Plan to spend about 20 minute per day in this process.
On the weekend, there will be one short note for Saturday-Sunday.

Please feel free to share these devotions with anyone who would like to participate. I pray that God will bless each of us as we strive to develop the habit of walking with Him.

New Life – Now What?

2009-12-10T08:01:00.000-08:00

On Monday, December 7, our congregation voted to change the name of our church from “Second Highland Christian Reformed Church” to “New Life Christian Reformed Church.” This name change was the result of many months of discussions and presentations that are part of our church’s desire to become more actively involved in our community, and more intentional about welcoming people to join us in our church’s ministry.
Even though we have voted to change our name, we will not immediately unveil a new sign and have a new bulletin cover. We want this name change to be part of a bigger plan to invite and welcome people from the surrounding neighborhood to participate in the life of our church family.

During the next few months, members of our Council and Staff will work to notify the appropriate agencies and file the necessary paperwork to ensure that our name change is well communicated to those who should know. At the same time, we will meet with representatives from Back to God Ministries to help us consider how we might be more effective in enfolding visitors into our church family. We will also begin the process of recruiting a Director of Community Outreach during these months.
It is our hope that we will designate a date late this spring or early this summer to recognize the new name of our church, and unveil other efforts to help our church become a stronger presence for Christ in our community. Please pray that these efforts will be beneficial for God’s work in Highland, and look for further information about this process in the near future.

New Life

2009-10-25T15:20:00.000-07:00

Early in October, the Council at our church voted to propose that Second Highland Christian Reformed Church change its name to New Life Christian Reformed Church of Highland. The proposed name change is part of an ongoing effort to change our ministry focus to become a church that has a noticeable presence within our surrounding community.

The name "New Life" is significant for a few different reasons. On the one hand, it reflects where we are in the history of our church. We are praying that God will work within our church family to bring a new enthusiasm for His work within our neighborhood. We recognize that our church is not only a refuge from the trials of the world, but it should also be a mission post to reach those who do not know Christ.

But the name "New Life" does not only reflect the current desire for our church, it also speaks to the greatest hope the Church has to offer. When we know Christ, we begin a process of becoming new people. The name, "New Life" points to God's promise to make us new.

We pray that our church will be a place that people come when they recognize that they would like a fresh start. When people are looking for a revitalization in their lives, the church has been given the greatest gift, that can lead people to that newness of life. We want people to experience the life-changing power of Christ to make all things new.

When the Doors are Closed

2009-10-15T08:52:00.000-07:00

Last week, a number of Elders and Deacons from our church walked through the neighborhood surrounding the church in order to invite people to join us for Family Night Dinner and our Worship Services. We did this for two reasons. First, we wanted people in our neighborhood to know that they were welcome to join us. Second, we wanted to learn about the people in our neighborhood, so that we can more effectively reach our community.

Many of our experiences were pleasant as we walked through the neighborhood. More than a few people seemed to genuinely appreciate the invitation. Some, however, were less than enthused about being visited by people from the church. One of the things we learned during our walk was that sometimes people shut the doors. Sometimes they literally shut the door after explaining they are not interested, and sometimes they patiently wait and listen to the invitation before politely excusing themselves without any response.

As our church tries to become more involved in the life of our neighborhood, we are going to have to learn how to discover the open doors that we can walk through, and the doors that are closed.

During the past year, leaders in our church have been trying to partner with one of the local public schools to begin a mentoring program through the national office of Kid's Hope USA. This mentoring (or tutoring) program creates a partnership between a church and a local public school, so that individuals from the church who have been screened and trained, can be matched in a one-on-one relationship with a student from the local school. Mentors are asked to go to the school once a week, and spend an hour tutoring the students they have been matched with.

The leaders of our church had high hopes that this program would be one way that we could reach into our community. In the last couple of weeks, however, we were told that the local schools are not currently interested in pursuing this kind of mentoring program. It seems as though, at least for now, we have run into a door that has been closed.

This does not mean that we are done knocking on doors. Even though this door has been closed, we are hopeful that other doors will be opened so that we can build a stronger relationship with our local neighborhood.

Family Night Dinners

2009-10-08T14:01:00.000-07:00

Over the past year, our church has been attempting to reach our community by inviting people to join us for dinner on a Wednesday evening. On the first and third Wednesdays of the month, you can come to our church basement and enjoy dinner with other people from our church and from our neighborhood. This spring, our Cadet and GEMS leaders have started to plan their meetings around this evening, so that families with children in 4th grade through 8th grade can take one evening to come to church.

This month, members of council took an evening to walk through our surrounding neighborhood to invite our neighbors to join us for one of these Family Night dinners.

In the future, we may consider hosting special events or activities on these Wednesday evenings, with the hope that we will create more opportunities for people to participate in the life of our church.

Reaching the Community

2009-10-06T12:35:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe it has been over a year since I became the pastor of Second Christian Reformed Church. While I was interviewing with the Search Committee, it was evident to me that this church wanted to make a sincere effort to reach members of the community and welcome them into our church family. In the past year, members of Council and the Administrative Team have had discussions about changes that we might make so that we can have an influence for Christ in our community.

Today, I am beginning this blog as a way to help members of our church understand some of the things that Council Members (and other church leaders) are discussing as part of our efforts to serve within our community. In future posts, you will hear about our relationship with Love INC, our Story Hour and Coffee Break ministries, and our efforts to begin a mentoring progam in the local schools. You will read about discussions to change our church name, and the ways that we will utilize our new Welcome Center. We welcome your comments and thoughts through this blog spot, and we hope that all of these efforts will help us become a church that has a positive impact for Christ in our community.