Pastor's Weekly Musing
Hey everyone!
When I was a kid, I used to watch WWF (World Wrestling Federation). It was awesome. Hulk Hogan, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Randy "Macho Man" Savage, and my all-time favorite, Rick "The Dragon" Steamboat. I had some buddies who had the action figures and mini-wrestling ring to battle in. Good times.
During the long WWF battles on Saturdays, they would almost always have a "tag-team" fight, where teams of two would wrestle, with one team member fighting and the other standing outside of the ring, and the other couldn't come in until their teammate tagged them in. Of course, rules were always bent, and the referee never seemed to notice.
Tag-team can be a good model in a lot of areas. Like parenting: sometimes one parent needs to get "tagged out" after a long day, and let the other one in there with fresh energy and perspective. Or in business: leaving a heavy load on one person for too long can get taxing. Everyone could use some help at one time or another.
Here's the thing: sometimes I approach my faith with God like a tag-team. I handle pretty much everything everyday, and then when life gets a bit too tough for me to handle, I decide that this is the time for God to step in and save the day. I tag Him in. And then when things are resolved or under control, I tag myself back in and take over.
Have you discovered yet that that doesn't work? When Jesus calls us the "Lord" of our lives, He means it. He wants to be a part of every moment, every day, because that's the way He's made us to function. We only work properly when we're in tune with Him all day long.
What does that look like? I like how the Message Translation puts it in Romans 12:1-2. Paul tells us:
"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life--and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."
No more "tag-teams" with God. He's my Lord and Savior, and I want every part of my day -- even the mundane parts, where no one seems to be affected -- to be given as an offering to Him.
He loves the nitty-gritty parts of our lives, the part no one sees: the early mornings where I'm still waking up, the drive to work or school, the zone-out time at the office, the wait at the dentist, the couch time late at night. He's there too! And He loves being there with you.
Stay tethered to Him!
When I was a kid, I used to watch WWF (World Wrestling Federation). It was awesome. Hulk Hogan, Rowdy Roddy Piper, Randy "Macho Man" Savage, and my all-time favorite, Rick "The Dragon" Steamboat. I had some buddies who had the action figures and mini-wrestling ring to battle in. Good times.
During the long WWF battles on Saturdays, they would almost always have a "tag-team" fight, where teams of two would wrestle, with one team member fighting and the other standing outside of the ring, and the other couldn't come in until their teammate tagged them in. Of course, rules were always bent, and the referee never seemed to notice.
Tag-team can be a good model in a lot of areas. Like parenting: sometimes one parent needs to get "tagged out" after a long day, and let the other one in there with fresh energy and perspective. Or in business: leaving a heavy load on one person for too long can get taxing. Everyone could use some help at one time or another.
Here's the thing: sometimes I approach my faith with God like a tag-team. I handle pretty much everything everyday, and then when life gets a bit too tough for me to handle, I decide that this is the time for God to step in and save the day. I tag Him in. And then when things are resolved or under control, I tag myself back in and take over.
Have you discovered yet that that doesn't work? When Jesus calls us the "Lord" of our lives, He means it. He wants to be a part of every moment, every day, because that's the way He's made us to function. We only work properly when we're in tune with Him all day long.
What does that look like? I like how the Message Translation puts it in Romans 12:1-2. Paul tells us:
"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life--and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."
No more "tag-teams" with God. He's my Lord and Savior, and I want every part of my day -- even the mundane parts, where no one seems to be affected -- to be given as an offering to Him.
He loves the nitty-gritty parts of our lives, the part no one sees: the early mornings where I'm still waking up, the drive to work or school, the zone-out time at the office, the wait at the dentist, the couch time late at night. He's there too! And He loves being there with you.
Stay tethered to Him!
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I pray your 21-days of Prayer and Fasting are going according to plan! If you haven't signed up for the daily email with the prayer points, go to FoursquarePrayer.org to get going.
I'm believing for God to move mightily in out church as we collectively give this time to Him!
I'm believing for God to move mightily in out church as we collectively give this time to Him!
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February 11-13: Youth Winter Camp!
Camp Cedar Crest is coming! All Jr. and Sr. High students are invited to join MYG for an awesome in the mountains. The deadline to register is Sunday, January 16. Click HERE for more info and to register.
Camp Cedar Crest is coming! All Jr. and Sr. High students are invited to join MYG for an awesome in the mountains. The deadline to register is Sunday, January 16. Click HERE for more info and to register.
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This week at Meadows:
- Our weekly Prayer Gathering will be off this week for the holiday weekend. It will resume next Monday, January 24 at 10 AM.
- MYG and Connect will meet this Wednesday at 7 PM
- Our weekly Prayer Gathering will be off this week for the holiday weekend. It will resume next Monday, January 24 at 10 AM.
- MYG and Connect will meet this Wednesday at 7 PM
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This Sunday, we'll continue our January series, FIRST LOVE.
We've looked closely at the letter written by Jesus to the church in Ephesus, and at what the Bible says happened during their church launch and life. Jesus was beckoning them to come back to what they did at first, when they just began their faith in Him.
The church in Ephesus had a member that had a unique perspective to the life of Jesus: John the Beloved. John was the last living original disciple, and so he was the only person left who actually spent time with Jesus in person. Imagine hearing stories from John, having the chance to be re-introduced to the real Jesus again and again? Maybe we can use that too!
Join us this Sunday for Part 3 - Reintroduction.
Looking forward to seeing you all on the walkway!
Pastor Ronnie
We've looked closely at the letter written by Jesus to the church in Ephesus, and at what the Bible says happened during their church launch and life. Jesus was beckoning them to come back to what they did at first, when they just began their faith in Him.
The church in Ephesus had a member that had a unique perspective to the life of Jesus: John the Beloved. John was the last living original disciple, and so he was the only person left who actually spent time with Jesus in person. Imagine hearing stories from John, having the chance to be re-introduced to the real Jesus again and again? Maybe we can use that too!
Join us this Sunday for Part 3 - Reintroduction.
Looking forward to seeing you all on the walkway!
Pastor Ronnie
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