Reading God's Word in 2010

A good question to ponder as 2009 draws to a close is: How will I engage with God in the coming year?  As I have been thinking about that question for myself in the past several weeks I have come to the conclusion that I will go through the Bible again.  But each year I try to change it up a little.  In previous years, I have read different translations and used different reading plans.  In 2010, I have decided I will again use the English Standard Version (ESV) translation but with a twist.

Romans 10:17 says: So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.   And so this year I am committed to not only reading God's Word but also listening to it.  A couple of months ago I ran across a great web site that has the Bible in printed form online but in addition also has a narrative version that you can also listen to it at the same time.  The narrator is very good in my opinion.

And so in an effort to help be more faithful, each day a blog post will be published at http://svcconeyearbible.blogspot.com which will have the Bible reading for the day posted.  And from each daily post you can click to either the ESV site or to BibleGateway  (you can also listen online there but you will need Real Audio installed).

Check it out and join in.

Jesus, Live In Loveland

A quick reminder about the living nativity coming up on the 23rd and the 24th.

Get some more information here.

Download a flier that you can use to invite your friends and neighbors.

Jesus, Our Example

God's goal for His people are that we would conform more and more to the image of Christ. In our reading for today, John 13:3-17, Jesus shows us what it is to be a servant through the example of washing the disciples' feet. That's one of the things that I love about Jesus - He didn't just say things, He demonstrated and showed us what to do in order to become more like Him.

But I can be just like Peter and miss what Jesus is showing me. What He wants me to be part of and how He wants me to join God in His work. To be a part of building God's kingdom.

God, help us to not miss what God is doing today that He wants us to join Him in. Help us to not be involved in things that we shouldn't be. Help us to say the right things to the right people and to not say the wrong things to the wrong people.

Thanks

Thank you to everyone for being a part of the Summitview "Christmas In The City" outreach yesterday. It was good to get out there and be messengers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. At least one person that we know of prayed and gave their life to Christ! Well done.

Christmas In The City Outreach

Please continue to be in prayer for this Sunday's (Dec 13th) outreach to our community. We are trusting God for great things.

God's Gift to Us: Grace and Truth

December 10th - Think It Through reading is John 1:6-18
ESV Online
BibleGateway

God's gift to all of us is the gift of Christ who was the embodiment of grace and truth.

John 1:14 (NIV)
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

December 8: Luke 1:11-20

Today's reading:
ESV Study Bible - Luke 1:11-20
BibleGateway

What Biblical Femininity Is Not

A couple of weeks ago Mitch Majeski from Summitview in Fort Collins shared this insightful teaching on "What Biblical Femininity Is Not".

I finally got around to listening to it today and I would encourage every woman (teen and adult) to listen to it.

Right-click HERE to download and listen.

Christmas - a Biblical Background

This week's Think It Through readings will focus on Christmas from a Biblical background perspective.

Check out today's reading - Malachi 3:1.

ESV Study Bible Online
BibleGateway

December 4: 1 Chronicles 29:10-19

Listen and read today's Think It Through Scripture reading online at esvstudybible.org  

ESV: Listen and/or read (to listen click the "Listen" link at the top)

December 3, 2009: Psalm 100

Listen and read today's Think It Through Scripture reading online at esvstudybible.org  

ESV: Listen and/or read (to listen click the "Listen" link at the top)

Dec 2, 2009: Philippians 4:10-20

Listen and read today's Think It Through Scripture reading online at esvstudybible.org

ESV: Listen and/or read (to listen click the "Listen" link at the top)

Memory Verse: Psalm 100:4

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

2009 Year In Review Video

Just in case you missed the Summitview 2009 Year in Review Video - see it here.

Give Thanks - Part 4

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

If you get the Great Commission Morale Booster then you probably recognize what follows as most of these were published there yesterday.  Enjoy these thoughts and have a great day - it's God's gift to us.

Psalms 107:1-3 (ESV) Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

"The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving." -H. U. Westermayer

"Some people complain because God put thorns on roses, while others praise Him for putting roses among thorns." -Anonymous

"We would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction." -Harry A. Ironside

"Our favorite attitude should be gratitude." -Anonymous

"No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks." -Ambrose of Milan

"When we bless God for mercies we usually prolong them. When we bless God for miseries, we usually end them." -C. H. Spurgeon

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." -William Arthur Ward

"Would you know who is the greatest saint in the world? It is not he who prays the most or fasts the most. It is not he who lives the most. But it is he who is always thankful to God, who receives everything as an instance of God's goodness and has a heart always ready to praise God for it." -William Law

"Eternity will be too short fully to recount His praise. Let us not shorten our joy by neglecting to begin on earth." -Henry Law

Hebrews 13:15 (ESV) Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

Give Thanks - Part 3

Psalms 106:1-5 (ESV)
Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!  Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord, or declare all his praise? Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times! Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people; help me when you save them, that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance.

Give Thanks - Part 2

Teaching kids (and adults!) to give thanks - download article.

Psalms 7:17 I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

Giving Thanks - Part 1

A short article on Pilgrims, Mayflower Compact and other miscellaneous Thanksgiving information.

Download

1 Chronicles 16:34 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Think It Through 11/22/2009

Download the Think It Through for 11/22/2009.

Today

In our reading for today, the phrase that caught my attention was "Today, if you hear my voice" in Psalm 95:7.  God is concerned about today.  When I hear Him today, will I obey quickly, completely and cheerfully.  Will I obey with joy?  "Seek, Listen, Obey, Repeat" is the pattern of a disciple. 

May I be a disciple today that is growing and conforming more completely to Jesus Christ.

God's Plan of Grace

1 Peter 1:10 - Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 

Praise God for the plan of His grace, Jesus Christ whom has always been, is today and always will be.  Thanks be to God for all those whom He has used before us to bring the message of salvation to us.

Think It Through for 11/15/2009

Download the Think It Through for 11/15/2009.

Good Digital Citizens

Wikipedia defines "Digital Citizen" as: "a person that participates in society using a certain amount of information technology (IT). To qualify for the unofficial title of digital citizen a person must have the skill and knowledge to interact with private and government organizations through means of "digital" tools such as computers or mobile phones, along with access to these devices."

I tried to just gloss over 2 Timothy 2:16 this morning but something wouldn't let me.  I wonder what Jesus would think of our digital age and our digital citzenship?  What would He think of our social media engagement and our technologies?  What would His council be to us as we use technology that is designed for communication - print, TV, computers, phones, etc.? 

I'm not entirely sure, but it's something that I struggle with and think about as someone who is a follower of Christ and who likes technology and is a "digital citizen."  What I have come to conclude is that the potential for bad and harm does not exist in the technology itself as it is totally inert.  Rather the potential for harm lies with me, who can choose how will I use it.  Like everything else, we can use it for His glory or not.  Like everything else, it can further the kingdom of God or not.


One thing that God has said when it comes to how I communicate using any and all means - written, spoken, digital, or otherwise is:


2 Timothy 2:16 (NIV)  Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.


The question for myself is: How am I doing with what I know God has told me when it comes to communication?

Do Your Best

In our Think It Through reading for today (2 Timothy 2:14-26), I was struck by the phrase "Do your best..."  God does not require our perfection, however, He does expect me to do my best in all areas of my life as I pursue to conform to the image of Christ.

2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

GCLI Teachings

Download the teachings from this Saturday's GCLI (Great Commission Leadership Institute)

Think It Through - 11/8/2009

The Think It Through for 11/8/2009 can be found HERE.

Simply Good Advice

Good advice from our Think It Through reading today (1 Thessalonians 4:1-12):

1. Life is about pleasing God
2. There is a way to do actually do it
3. I can always grow in this way of life
   
4. It's not for myself but for Christ

1 Thessalonians 4:1 Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.

Having a Form of Godliness

2 Timothy 3:5 (NIV) having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 

As I read this again this morning as part of our daily reading (2 Timothy 3:1-17), it continues to haunt my soul and convict my heart.  May this not come to God's mind as He sees us today.  Take a moment and pray.

Think It Through - 11/01/2009

Here is the Think It Through for 11/01/2009.

Man vs. God

In our reading for today (Isaiah 31:1-7) it is hard to miss the heart of God.  His desire is that He would be first above everything else in the heart of His people and to not trust in the things of man but to instead trust in Him alone.

What a challenging way to live.  Thank you God for chasing after us and reminding us of your heart for us.

One Proud Pappa

I was so encouraged last night as I read my kids' testimonies that they had prepared for the outreach this coming Saturday evening. They were all so awesome!

To be honest I was not all that excited about Saturday night until I read their testimonies. But now I'm excited to see what God is going to do through a bunch of families aligning themselves with God. Next on the agenda is to come up with our presentation part what else do we want to give along with the testimonies, what do we say, how will it work and what is our presentation? I'm thinking a little about a "care package" sort of thing that is from our family as a whole but not entirely sure yet.

So get your testimonies put together and be prepared in prayer and we'll see you at 5:00pm at the OneLife Center this Saturday. Remember that you can download the testimony template - just Click Here

First Things First II - Think It Through

HERE is the Think It Through for part 2 of First Things First (10/25/2009)

Fearing God

Being in a place of reverent fear of God is a good place to be. We can get so comfortable hearing about the love of God, which is absolutely true, that we forget that God is mighty and all powerful and that He is also justice. God is worthy of our fear.

Jeremiah 2:19 (ESV)
Your evil will chastise you, and your apostasy will reprove you. Know and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake the Lord your God; the fear of me is not in you, declares the Lord God of hosts.

S.A.L.T. Testimony Reminder

Have you started writing your testimony yet for the S.A.L.T. outreach on Oct. 30th? Make sure to download the template to get you started.

First Things First: Next Steps

How's it going at putting God first in your life this week? I don't know about for you, but for me, that is a constant challenge. But we need to be reminded of the need and we need to be challenged to actually do it. So in that vain, have you taken your "NEXT STEPS" yet this week?

NEXT STEPS:

1. Get intentional about putting God FIRST.
2. If you have not yet given your life to Christ, either consider doing so or seeking some more information – check the box on the bulletin tear-off and someone will contact you.
3. Find something in your life that you are putting above God (an idol) and then do whatever it takes to smash the power of it in your life. Tell God about it and someone else if appropriate (bring it into the light), stop putting yourself in a place you can be tempted by it, choose to do the next right thing that will elevate God in your life …

Any stories out there? Share them as an an encouragement to the rest of us by posting a comment.

Think It Through - Oct. 18th

Download the Think It Through for Sunday, Oct. 18.

Men's Prayer Breakfast

We had a great time at the Men's Prayer Breakfast this morning. The OneLife Kitchen was in full operation at 5am this morning. We ate and then we were blessed by Jason B. and Carl E. sharing with us about a little about how God has spiritually blessed them in their work life and then we prayed a little. Good stuff.

A few of my note points:

• Work unto the Lord (Col 3:23)
• People notice how we live our lives
• Being faithful is about being where we are supposed to be - doing what we are supposed to be doing - when we are supposed to be doing it
• A bond servant is someone who only and always does the will of his Master - our Master is Christ
• Live your life like everybody is watching
• Put God first and fruit will come
• Be like Christ in what you think and do
• God speaks - listen and do

A few pics:

Volunteer Opportunity

We need your help in cleaning the OneLife Center.

Our specific need is for one or two people (or families) come in on a Monday between 9am and 2pm (any time that works for you) to clean for an hour or so. The cleaning needs will change depending on what needs to be prepared for in the coming week and what was done the week before. It could include cleaning bathrooms, dusting, washing windows, vacuuming, mopping, take out trash, etc. Just kinda like at your own house! Each time you come in we will let you know what needs doing.

To help us coordinate this opportunity, we’re going to try something new called VolunteerSpot (an online sign-up and reminder tool). Here’s how it works in 3 easy steps:

1) Click this link to go to our invitation page on VolunteerSpot:

http://www.volunteerspot.com/login/entry/45-624283378112

2) Enter your email address. VolunteerSpot will then send you a PERSONAL sign-up invitation coded to your email address.

3) Go to your email inbox and open the invitation from VolunteerSpot – click the link to choose your spots. (If you don’t get the link within a few minutes, please check your spam/junk folder). Clicking the link in your email will take you to a web page where you can sign-up for specific Mondays. Hopefully from there it will be pretty self explanatory. If you have questions or any problems contact me at chrissheets@summitviewcc.com.

We'll start with the remaining Mondays in October and see how that goes and then go from there. Thanks for your willingness to help out.

Think It Through for Oct 11

Download this week's Think It Through

10 Reasons To Join a Community Group

1. John 13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
2. Romans 15:7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
3. Romans 15:14 I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another.
4. 1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
5. Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
6. Ephesians 5:21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
7. Colossians 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
8. Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
9. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
10. Hebrews 3:13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

2009 Fall/Winter Community Group Catalog Connect NOW!

Upcoming Events

Don't forget about the Ladies Bible Study starting next Monday and the Men's Prayer Breakfast next Thursday. You can now see the next 5 events that are coming up over in the right sidebar area of this blog or go to the Events Calendar for a full view.

Why Pray?

I read the following this morning during my time with God:

Henry Blackaby - "Prayer is not designed to change God; it is designed to change us. Prayer is not calling God in to bless our activities. Rather, prayer takes us into God's presence, shows us His will, and prepares us to obey Him."

Caused me to reflect on the question, "Why am I praying?" Good question. Why are you praying?

Are You A Spiritual Optimist?

If you have faith and you exercise your faith then you are a "spiritual optimist."

I don't know about you, but I needed yesterday's message on faith . It takes faith to believe that God is God and that the sun rose this morning because God is still God and He deemed it so. And the same will be true tomorrow only if it's His will.

I watched a movie Friday night called "Faith Like Potatoes." It was a good movie, although there was one scene that I would caution parents about if you have younger children - it was a scene about the death of a little boy - tragic and troubling - and there may have been a little rough language here and there (I don't really remember) but the message was crystal clear. It takes faith to walk with God and at the same time God has faith in us that He can use us for His purposes.

David was an optimist:
1 Samuel 17:45-46 (NIV)
David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.

David was an optimist because he had faith. Henry Blackaby puts it this way, "A pessimist focuses on the problems, concentrating on the reasons something cannot be done. An optimist sees those same problems, but he sees them from the perspective of God's presence. Optimists do not ignore the difficulties; they are keenly aware of them. But the knowledge of God's presence prevents them from becoming discouraged or giving up. It is impossible to stand in the presence of God and be a pessimist!"

Are you a "spiritual optimist?"

Community Groups Launch

Join us as we launch our "Summitview Community Groups" this fall. Be praying about which group you would like to be a part of. Being in community with one another is a central part of what it means to be a Christ-follower.

You can download the fall/winter Community Group catalog and then sign-up online to connect with a group.

Think It Through - Oct. 4th

The Think It Through for Sunday, Oct. 4th is available for DOWNLOAD.

1:22 Gathering Video

Check out the video from the 1:22 Gathering - especially if you were unable to be there on Thursday evening.

Summitview 1:22 Gathering (Oct. 1, 2009).

Rock Retreat - Still Time

The deadline to sign-up for the College Rock Retreat is TODAY!

You can download a registration form HERE!

Thanks for 1:22 Gathering

Thanks for coming out to the 1:22 Gathering. We hope it was encouraging for you.

1:22 Gathering

Remember the 1:22 Gathering coming up this Thursday (10/1) @ 6:30pm at the OneLife Center. We will be starting the evening with a "tailgate celebration" outside complete with hotdogs and smores around a fire so dress appropriately. Don't miss this opportunity to hear about the fall plans for Summitview Community Church.

Pay-It-Forward Thanks

Thanks to everyone for making "Pay-It-Forward" happen. It was a great community outreach. It was a whole lotta work but in the end God was honored and the community was blessed. Good stuff. We are looking forward to seeing what God does with it. I have a feeling that the harvest will continue for a while.

Think It Through for 9/27/09

Click HERE for the Think It Through for 9/27/09.

Does It Bother You?

It has been said by others that - "To reach people that have not yet been reached for Christ, we must be willing to do things that no one else is doing." Or at something close to that anyway :)

I have been thinking about that for most of the week and I keep asking myself the following set of questions:

• Does it bother me that there are those that have not yet been introduced to Jesus Christ, the Savior?
• If so, how much?
• Enough to do something about it?
• What can I do that is new?
  
• Or at least, what can I do that I personally have not done before?
• What should we be doing as Summitview Community Church that we have not done before?

Good questions to think through.

Who Are You Going To Love Today?

Luke 7:47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.

Who will we choose to love today?

Only 3 Days Left!

Only 3 days until the Pay-It-Forward Community Yard Sale and Fair. Be praying like crazy for God to be glorified, for people to come, for the charities to be blessed, and so much more. Just PRAY!

If anyone needs any more fliers, come by the OneLife Center and we can get you some. You can also download a flier by CLICKING HERE and print a few of your own.

Passing Out Fliers

Honestly, passing out fliers is not one of my favorite things to do, but it was something that needed to be done and so we did it!! Thanks for everyone's help last night gettin'er done. More than anything else God was blessed. Thanks.

Think It Through for 9/20/09

CLICK HERE for this week's Think It Through. Have an awesome week. God bless.

Full of Days

Job 42:17 - And Job died, an old man, and full of days. When it's all said and done will it be said of us that our lives were full of days? Did we do stuff that really mattered and made an eternal difference? Did we "live-in" the moments that God created for us or were we too worried about the past and the future?

Good questions to ponder.

Faith and Deeds

James 2:26 (NIV)
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

It's all about faith and deeds, baby! One without the other is incomplete. Life in Christ requires both.

Choose Life - Choose Love

In our Think It Through reading for today (1 John 3:11-15), I was especially struck by verse 14 which reads:

1 John 3:14 (NIV)
We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.

Fundamentally, Jesus is the biggest advocate of life there has ever been. He IS life and He gives us the opportunity to pass from eternal death to eternal life. And when we make that choice, we have the capability to live life in this world as it is meant to be lived - with LOVE and graciousness and freedom and humility ....

Without Christ, life is but a mere shadow of what God intends for it to be. CHOOSE LIFE - CHOOSE LOVE.

Think It Through Download

Awesome message on love this morning. Here is the Think It Through.

New Creation!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

I am so glad for the truth that is in this verse because quite frankly the old me was pretty scary.

Pay-It-Forward Flier Download

Download the Pay-It-Forward flier and use it to invite your friends, neighbors, co-workers, co-students, and everyone else.

OneLife Beautification Project

Join us on this Saturday morning (Sept. 12th) at 9:00 am to help prepare for our guests that will be coming on the 12th for the Pay-It-Forward Community Yard Sale and Fair.

To prepare for our guests we will be:

• yardwork (pulling weeds, cutting hedges, cleaning out the rock beds)
• cleaning (windows, bathrooms)
• painting (building touch ups, patio, maybe parking lines)
• cookbook prep (getting 200 books ready to sell and give away)
• passing out fliers

Hope to see you there.

Why Did Jesus Come?

Good question. One answer is in 1 John 3:8:

"The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work."

Part of the devil's work is to keep us addicted to sin so that we will love sin more than we love God. Trust Jesus and resist the schemes of the devil today.

Think It Through Download

The Think It Through for this last weekend (9/6/09) can be downloaded HERE.

To Live Rightly

In our reading for today (1 John 2:28-29), I was personally challenged to live "rightly" until the day that Jesus returns. As I read these verses, I had these thoughts:

I don't know when Christ is going to return and it really doesn't matter because God's direction to me is the same no metter when He returns. His expectation of me as His child is to live rightly - to be righteous. To live righteously means (in just my own thoughts this morning) to know God and His heart, to align my heart with His to the extent that I can comprehend God's heart and to obey Him to the best of my ability in ALL aspects of life. That is a tall order and yet all things are possible with God. And, yes, I will mess up and I will sin and yet, by God's grace, He stills sees me as righteous - simply amazing. That's the beauty of being redeemed!

Matthew 6:33 (ESV) But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Today, I am to be a seeker of God's righteousness.

Merge Sunday Vision Video

Think It Through - Sept 30, 2009

The Think It Through for this week can be downloaded by clicking HERE.

Living Beyond Myself: Putting Others First

Romans 12:10 (NIV) Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

What if we could all just get 10% better at putting this verse into action? What difference would it make? I'm thinking it would be HUGE.

Handling Sin Appropraitely

To live beyond ourselves in community with one another there will be sin that has to be dealt with appropriately (Galatians 6:1). God is so practical when it comes to appropriately handling sin - both as we sin against others but also when others sin against us. God's Word, the Bible, is our manual for everything that we will encounter in life. Many times there will not be a set of specific steps to deal with every situation that arises in life. But there are always biblical principles that can be applied to EVERY aspect of life.

In our reading for today, Matthew 18:15-17, God gets very specific of how to address sin that needs to be worked through when it comes to our relationship with other believers.

It's not our job to be the "sin police" for everyone else but when there is sin that comes between us and other believers, then it needs to be dealt with according to God's Word.

We can either overlook it with grace and love (not out of a sense of avoidance) according to Proverbs 19:11-
Proverbs 19:11 (ESV) - Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

Or we can go to the other person in love with the goal of reconciliation according to Matthew 18:15 -
Matthew 18:15 (ESV)
If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.

God even provides an escalation path in verses 16-17 if that doesn't bring reconciliation. But again, it's not my job to point out everyone else's sin but it is my responsibility to engage with sin that I am not able to overlook that effects my relationship with other believers.

God's heart for His people when it comes to living in Biblical community with one another is:
Romans 12:18 (NIV) If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

We all have a responsibility to play when it comes to loving one another. It's not always easy but it is required.

Living Beyond Myself: Think It Through

The Think It Through for this week can be found HERE.

From Galatians 6 - six ways to live beyond ourselves:

1. Appropriately handling sin (Gal. 6:1)
2. Support each other (Gal. 6:2-5)
3. Give what we have been given (Gal. 6:6-8)
4. To do good (Gal. 6:9)
5. Be opportunistic (Gal. 6:10)
6. With humility (Gal. 6:11-16)

Living Beyond Myself

I know for me that it takes a conscious effort to live a life that is about others and not about me. It is not something that comes natural to me, nor is it my default way to live. It is only possible as I try to walk in the Spirit and to follow His promptings. I must make moent-by-moment choices to live beyond myself. But eventhough I know this about myself and I know the right thing to do often I'll still choose myself over others.

My struggle was Paul's struggle as he wrote about in Romans 7:

Romans 7:19-25 (ESV)
For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Thank God for grace!

Fruit Bearers

John 15:1-8

God's expectation for us is that we would bear fruit, good fruit, for Him. But in order to do that we have to stay connected to the Gardner and to the Vine.

Have you connected with the Gardner and the Vine yet today?

5,943 Days

As I read Ephesians 5:1-21 this morning the following thoughts rattled around in my head:

I started to walk in God's light on May 13, 1993 - the day I accepted Christ and gave my life to Him. In other words that was my second birthday - the day I was reborn (see John 3:1-21). Now I must admit, that at the time, I didn't fully understand what that meant and I am still learning the depth of what it looks like day by day. In relation to Ephesians 5, what that means for me is that for the first 10,736 days of my life I lived in darkness and yet at the time I didn't even know it was darkness - it was just my normal - it was comfortable or so it seemed - it made sense to me, at least most of the time.

But when Christ came into my life then everything changed because the darkness had been exposed for what it was - darkness. It was only when the light of Christ exposed the darkness that I could understand just how dark it really was. And since that moment I have been given the gift of light, and by the gift of the Spirit, I can choose to walk in the light and to see and experience things as they really are. And yet at times, I can still choose to walk in darkness but no longer does it seem normal, no longer does it seem comfortable and no longer does it make sense. For me learning to walk in the light is a process even though I have been given everything by God to walk perfectly in the light right now. But I fall so short of perfection in a BIG way and so I thank God for His grace and His forgiveness.

I thank God for the last 5,943 days since I was "reborn." I am looking forward to Tuesday, October 4, 2022 - that is the day on which I will have lived half of my life in the darkness and half in the light. I will be 58 years, 9 months and 13 days old then. I wonder if I'll be around then? I wonder what God's plans are for my life between now and then? I guess I'll find out!

Are you walking in the light according to Ephesians 5?

(day and date calculations by http://www.timeanddate.com/date/duration.html)

Sin is Sinful

The phrase "sin might become utterly sinful" in Romans 7:13 caught my attention this morning. As I read that, this was my thought:

That I have to understand the devastation of sin in my life. That until I am appalled at the devastating effects of sin in my life - the utter destruction that sin brings into my own life and into the lives of those that are around me, that I will be content to have sin in my life.

That's a part of what the Law was and is all about. I come to understand that sin is wrong only by understanding what is right according to God. And ultimately it's only when I understand what effect my sin had on God and His Son, Jesus Christ - that my (and your) sin killed Christ - that I have to accept the grace and forgiveness that God gives to me because there is nothing else I can do in and of myself to be reconciled with God.

But if I think that sin, my sin, is no big deal then I do not see my desperate need for Christ - my Savior. May I never lose sight of the fact that my sin (past, present and future) is sinful.

God thank you for that reminder this morning.

Thanks!

Thanks to everyone for coming out to the picnic last night. It was good to come together as a family and to hang out with everyone - and for all of the awesome food!

Do You Know The Answer?

KnowTheAnswer.net

HSLT Videos

Check out the following HSLT videos:

Teaser Promo


Recap #1/Dirty Jobs

HSLT Teachings Posted

The first three HSLT teachings have been posted at www.summitviewcc.com

H.S.L.T.

Anyone and everyone is welcome to come up and sit in on the teaching sessions at HSLT. The schedule is as follows:

Thursday (7/30) - 7:00pm
Friday (7/31) - 9:30am and 1:15pm
Sunday (8/2) - 7:30pm

All teaching sessions will be at Summitview Community Church in Fort Collins.

There is also an outreach concert on Saturday evening at 7:30pm in Old Town Square in Fort Collins.

Justified By Faith

It is so refreshing to be reminded in Romans 4:1-12 (our reading for today) that we are ALL made right with God by faith and by faith alone. It was true even for Abraham, the father of the entire Jewish nation, and it is just as true for everyone today - Jew and Gentile.

Are you working feverishly to earn God's grace or are you peacefully resting in your faith - knowing that it is enough?

Just Plain Grateful

I cannot adequately express the gratitude for what God has done in my life. Although I am totally unworthy, He has saved me and forgiven me. In Christ I am free from the curse of sin, i.e. eternal separation from God. I am free to live my life today for Him and if it His will, I will gratefully do the same tomorrow.

If you have believed and received Christ, have you expressed your gratitude for what He has done for you? Make sure to tell Him how you feel that you are His child.

Galatians 3:29 (NIV)
If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

The Law - So What?

Does God's law have any meaning to us today? Absolutely!

God's law, especially the moral law which includes the ten commandments (Exodus 20), helps us to understand right from wrong according to God. Without the law we would have no concept of sin and ultimately we would not understand our need for salvation - to be forgiven for our sins through grace by faith. The law in effect points us toward Christ.

Romans 3:20 (NIV)
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

Thanks

Thanks for reaching out and helping those that are in need by collecting food for the House of Neighborly Service food drive. We collected about 50 bags of food (Summitview and Day Seven collectively).

God is looking for people who are willing to respond to Him in ways that will reflect His glory to those around us and make a difference in our world.

James 1:22-27 (NIV)
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does. If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Facets of Unity

I have been reflecting on last week's teaching and keep coming back to the 4 facets of unity that we learned about and so just as a reminder of the importance of complete unity and an exhortation to pursue all of themy, I thought they were worth repeating:

1. Theological (what we believe - don't forget to review our Statement of Faith)
2. Relational (how we treat one another)
3. Missional (what we have been called to do - Love God, love our neighbors as ourselves, love our brothers and sisters in Christ, and make disciples)
4. Philosophical (the methods and ways we go about fulfilling the mission)

All facets are critical.

The Big Picture

Acts 10 is a good reminder to me that I can get so focused on my own stuff, which may actually be great things and even the right things for me personally, but I can forget there is a bigger picture. Just like Peter got so focused on himself and what he was doing for God that he forgot that God had a bigger picture that included both Jews and Gentiles.

It's also a reminder to me that I must not get so set in my plans that I forget that there may be a better plan to fulfill the mission. I can't be deceived into thinking what worked yesterday will work today. I can forget that there is an adversary named Satan that hates God and that he doesn't want whatever I am doing in the name of Christ to succeed. And so he will work against those plans that work towards fulfilling God's mission and so we will have to be attentive and flexible so that we can make adjustments along the way. When it comes to building God's kingdom, change is a necessary component because without strategic and tactical change the enemy will guess and counter our every move.

Hum, what can I change today in order to advance the Kingdom?

It Seemed Good...

I love the phrase in Acts 15:28 - "It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us." They were wrestling with and searching for consensus in the Spirit about the application of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They had the firm truth of Christ and they had to take that truth and apply it to their lives and to live it out in a real way.

They sought God's will through His Word and they ultimately arrived at a place of unity through the Spirit and the world has never been the same since - both Gentiles and Jews (all people) are saved by grace through faith.

Assurance of Salvation

I was talking with someone today about faith in God, Jesus and salvation and I was reminded of just how important it is to be well grounded in our assurance of salvation and that once God has saved us that no one or no thing can "unsave" us.

The following is what God has to say on the topic:

John 10:28-29 (NIV)
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand.

Making a Difference

John 15:16-25

My thought from today's reading is simply this:

God chose me. He chose me at the right time in my life to be saved - for me it wasn't until I was 29 years old. That was when it was right for me. I can second guess God all day and ask - God, why didn't you save me sooner? From my perspective, it would have saved me a lot of grief in my life if I would have gotten saved when I was 11 instead of 29. But for whatever reason, God chose to save me when He chose to save me and that's that.

And He also chose me to make a difference - He saved me for a reason. To "bear fruit."

He didn't choose me to win a popularity contest. In fact, when you claim allegiance to Jesus Christ, be prepared to face ridicule, persecution and harassment. That's just the way it works. Being "close" to Jesus has always been a dangerous place to be. Following Christ is not for the faint of heart.

By the way, have you submitted your "But When God" moment yet? See the "But When God" section in the right sidebar.

Saved To Serve

Isaiah 49:1-6

I am a Gentile that by God's grace and my faith in that grace, have been saved to serve the God of the universe. I don't get to choose how I serve Him - the Master gets to direct my servitude. I don't get to choose my reward - the Master rewards me however He sees fit.

Praise God today for the opportunity to serve Him. To be used by Him for His glory. Maybe, just maybe, one day I can say as Paul said:

Galatians 1:24 (NIV)
And they praised God because of me.

God saves us by grace through faith and He does it for a reason - to bring glory to Himself. We get to be a part of that process - unbelievable!

I Did It!

I finally got my testimony - my "But When God" moment (Galatians 1:15) - written that takes about a minute to read (actually 1 min. and 5 sec. - but if I read it really fast it's probably right at a minute!!). Anyway, I thought I would share it with you as just one example:

"I grew up not knowing much of anything about God and nothing about Jesus. When I was 13 years old my dad died in a car accident and I spent the next 16 years of my life believing that God was vengeful and I wanted nothing to do with Him. I struggled with selfishness, anger and greed and I tried to fill the void in my life with addictions and immorality but everything left me empty inside.

When my soon-to-be wife, Therese, and I moved to Colorado, a coworker of hers invited us to her church (Summitview in Ft. Collins). I reluctantly agreed, thinking that I would just have to go one time and that would be it. So we went one week and then several more and I was amazed to discover people that believed the bible was actually true and they applied its truth and principles in their lives.

It wasn’t long before someone shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with me and it made sense to me and I simply accepted His free gift of grace. Since then my life has been totally transformed - I am a different person.

It's not easy and I still have struggles and mess-up all the time but God has filled the void in my life and by His grace I have a sense of meaning that I never had before. I now know that God is not vengeful but rather He loves me and has a purpose for my life."

That's my story and I'm sticking to it :)

But When God

Don't forget to share your "But When God" story this week. Paul used his own testimony to defend the "gospel of grace." We need to be prepared to share our own story to proclaim and when necessary to defend the gospel.

Click HERE to share your "But When God" story. You can also click the link in the right sidebar area under the heading of "But When God."

Share Your Story

Have you ever been in a position where you had to defend the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Take a moment to post a comment and share your story.

Sunday: Defender of Faith

Just a couple of follow-up notes from the teaching this past Sunday.

We kicked-off a new series on Galatians. Galatians is a powerful letter written by the Apostle Paul who detected that the Galatians were being led astray by a false gospel and God used Paul to set things straight.

Just a few points that were emphasized on Sunday:

1. Salvation comes by grace through faith - period.
   
2. Grace is a gift from God that is worth defending.
3. For those that have received God's grace (Jesus Christ), we do not have to be ashamed or embarrassed about what we have been given but rather must go on the offensive to share it with others.
4. We must take responsibility for our own faith in order to refute false doctrine and to resist being led astray.

Take opportunities this week to be "Defenders of the Gospel of Grace" that God has given to you - through your words and deeds.

Have a great week.

Integrity

Proverbs 10:9 (NIV)
The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.

God is looking for men, women and students who are committed to integrity. Integrity is all about consistent character - about being consistent in our character. Are you committed to integrity?

Contend for the Faith

I love the phrase in Jude 1:3 - "contend for the faith." God has given us a gift of faith in Christ. Are we good stewards of that gift that has been entrusted to us?

The word 'contend' carries with it a connotation of "to strive for" or "to fight for." Are we willing to fight for it? If not, it will will be stolen from us.

We will have to decide what we are willing to fight for. Let's contend for the faith together.

God's Men

God holds up Timothy and Epaphroditus to us as examples of being godly men in Philippians 2:19-30. Men of compassion, character, commitment, courage, and relationally united with other men as brothers, fellow workers and fellow soldiers.

Men, let's take the one next step that God has waiting for you to step into in becoming the man that He has envisioned you to be. Reject the path of passivity that we have inherited from Adam and be men of action called by the "second Adam", Jesus Christ.

Spring Lunch and Baptisms

Thanks everybody for hanging around yesterday for the Spring Lunch, fellowship and baptisms. It was AWESOME seeing everyone submitting to God and being baptized!

Back On-line

I took a little hiatus from updating the blog while we were on vacation. But we're back and will be updating on a regular basis. You'll be able to find the memory verses here and the daily readings from the Think It Through - among other things. Check back often for updates.

Baptisms

As part of our Spring Lunch on Sunday, June 14th, after our normal church service, we will be having baptisms. If you have given you life to Jesus Christ but have never been baptized,
we invite and encourage you to do so simply out of obedience to God.

Consider checking out the following resources:

• MP3 Baptism Teaching (right click to download)
• Baptism Study
• Baptism Sign-up

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

What an encouragement today as I read Psalm 139:13-16 that I have been fearfully and wonderfully made. I am not some sort of accident that has somehow evolved by chance but rather I was intentionality created by God for His purposes.

Thank God today that you are fearfully and wonderfully made by God the Creator.

Mother's Day Video

Encore presentation of the Mother's Day video. Thanks to James Sutcliffe for the song that he wrote and performed and also to Mikeal Macbeth for the video production. Excellent job guys. Check it out below.

In The Beginning...

As I re-read Genesis 1:26-30 this morning, I was encouraged that I have been made in the image of God. That is so HUGE! And not only did He create me (and you) in His image but He gave us several the purposes to pursue of 1) being fruitful and increasing in number and 2) ruling over the rest of His creation. And then He throws in His provision. He provides food to sustain us to do what He wants us to do. He gives us a purpose and provides the means for us to actually carry it out.

Monday Morning Reminder

It was a great Mother's Day yesterday. As we embark on another Monday morning, remember that there is always time for God's will. Be asking the question this week, "What is God's will?" And then commit to joining Him in it.

Suffering For Others

In Colossians 1:24 Paul writes, "Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you..." I don't know about you, but for me suffering is not something that I can typically rejoice in. Maybe suffering for myself, but certainly not suffering for someone else. I need to grow in this.

Philippians 1:29-30 (ESV)
For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

What Can I Obey?

Quote from the book titled "Eat This Book" by Eugene Petersen:

If I'm not living in active response to the living God revealed in the Bible, reading about his creation/salvation/holiness won't interest me—at least not for long. The most important question we ask of any text isn't "What does this mean?" but "What can I obey?" Simple obedience will open up our lives to a text more than any number of Bible studies, dictionaries, and concordances.

Summitview 911

Just a reminder about Summitview 911. Think of it as our emergency hot-line directly to you as a part of Summitview Community Church. If we ever have a need to get you some "emergency level" information, this will be one of our communication channels - think Summitview megaphone.

For now, we haven chosen to use Twitter.com as our implementation for Summitview911 simply because it already exists and is free to use and send messages out.

Options for Subscribing:

1. If you do not already have a Twitter account (and don't want one), you can simply text the message "follow @summitview911" to 40404 from your cell phone that you want to receive messages on. Twitter will then send you a message back asking for your name. Once you reply to that message then you will have completed the subscription process.
2. If you already have a Twitter account then you can simply "follow" summitview911 and turn on device updates in order to receive text message alerts from summitview911. Alternatively, you can click on the link, twitter.com/summitview911 and then click the "Follow" button once you have logged in.
   
3. You can also sign-up for a twitter account at twitter.com and then follow summitview911.
   

After you have subscribed, you will receive any messages that we post to summitview911.

Remember that you will be charged for incoming text messages according to you text messaging plan with your phone carrier.

If you would like more information about Twitter you can check out a "newbie" guide at:
http://news.cnet.com/newbies-guide-to-twitter/

Monday Morning Reminder

The main message from yesterday was that contentment is found as we pursue and cooperate with God and His will. Contentment grows out of our trust that God will provide all that we need in order to do what He invites us to be a part of in building His kingdom.

The path to contentment is not trying to convince myself to BE content. Contentment flows out of and is a result of being in God's will outside of what I have or don't have and regardless of what my circumstances are. Contentment is not found in my comfort. Contentment is found in living a bigger life, not for ourselves, but for God.

Henry Blackaby:
"If you are walking daily with the Lord, you will not have to find God’s will – you will already be in it. If you are walking with Him in obedience day by day, you will always be in the will of God. The Holy Spirit’s role is to guide you step by step to do God’s will."

Be encouraged in the midst of seeking God this week.

I Am Alive!

Colossians 2:13 - We have been made alive in Christ! We have been forgiven of our sin - past, present and future. Death could not hold Jesus and we have been set free from the bondage of death. Celebrate your freedom in Christ. Revel in it. Proclaim it. Believe it - it's the real deal.

I Have Seen The Lord!

John 20:18
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.

I love Mary's excitement. She had seen the Lord and she was taking the good news to His followers.

We have the amazing privilege of engaging with and "seeing" the Lord day by day, moment by moment. Have you spent time with your Lord today - in His Word and in prayer?

Can you say as Mary said, "I have seen the Lord!"

Who Needs Your Prayers Today?

Who in your life needs your prayers today?

I was challenged with this question as I biked to work today. As I passed a specific house, I had this sense that I should stop and pray for the people that live in the house. But my first reaction was to keep riding. After all, I had things to do. But after I continued to ride for about another block, God convicted me that I should turn around, stop outside the house, and pray for them. And so I did.

I don't know what else will happen in my world today but I am convinced that may well be the most important thing that I do today.

Who needs your prayers today? Maybe it's someone you don't even know.

Day 3 - 65 Challenge

Day 3 of the 65 challenge. I hope the challenge is going well for you. Continue to persevere. I will continue to pray for your victory.

Hebrews 10:36 (NIV)
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

65 Challenge - The Point

As so often happens on a Monday morning after sharing a message on Sunday, God graciously reminds me that He is still God. Many times that reminder comes in the form of Him revealing more to me that relates to the message from Sunday. It's as if God is saying, 'Chris, don't think you have this all figured out. I have so much more for you to learn.' And then He proceed to show me just that.

This morning I read the following verses as part of my alone time with God:

Philippians 3:8-11 (NIV)
⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ
⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
¹⁰ I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
¹¹ and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Yesterday, I challenged us, as a church, to pursue God by being in His Word for at least 5 minutes a day for the next 6 days straight. And many of us raised our hands and made a commitment to do it. That was great and it is a great thing to pursue.

But God this morning reminded me of the point behind it that I may not have made clear yesterday. The point IS NOT to read information about God. The point IS to pursue a relationship with God through Jesus Christ and the Word is the embodiment of Christ. And so as we read His Word the point is to deepen our relationship with God and to ultimately become more like Christ as we journey with Him - not to just read about Him.

I am praying (literally praying for victory in this small act of obedience to God) that all of that happens in our lives over the next 6 days as we live out the 65 Challenge and pursue our relationship with God through His Word.

Let's be praying for one another that we can keep our commitment.

Monday Morning Reminder

Just a couple of reminder thoughts from yesterday's message - Jesus Lives...Now What?

• We live out what we believe in.
• Truth is not a concept or information that is correct - truth is a person and His name is Jesus Christ.
• We cannot let our circumstances define truth - we must use Truth to define our circumstances.
• 65 Challenge - reading God's Word for at least 5 minutes for 6 days straight.

Jesus Lives...Now What?

The Think It Through for this week can be found here.

Righteousness Through Faith

Romans 3:21-24 - A beautiful explanation of life found in Jesus Christ. Righteousness, not because of who we are, but because of who Jesus is. We all have the same disease - unrighteousness caused by sin - and the antidote is exactly the same - Jesus. We all need the same amount of grace - an infinite amount - from Christ. Redemption is so sweet!

And The Winner Is...

"Kung Fu Panda" is our movie winner! Thanks to everyone (130 total) who weighed in with their preference. Don't forget that the OneLife Time Movie Night is this Thursday at 7pm at OneLife Center. Hope to see you there. We will be providing popcorn and water. If you would like to bring other snacks, feel free.

Take A Moment

Easter is over but the power of the resurrection is just as real today as it was yesterday. Take a moment to remember what God does you for you every single day. He has provided resurrection power for your life through Jesus Christ.

Here are a few pictures for our day together yesterday. It was a good day.

A Sabbath Day Unlike Any Other

Imagine what the disciples of Jesus must have been thinking on the Sabbath Saturday after their Lord had been crucified and buried. Some must have thought - Was I a fool for believing? Others probably wondered - What do I do now? And others - Tomorrow will be here soon, what then?

Indeed, tomorrow always does seem to come. What does your tomorrow look like in the reality that Jesus Christ rose from the dead? Does it make any real difference in your life? If Jesus was coming back again tomorrow, what would you do different in your life today?

The Cross

Jesus went to the cross as God's plan of redemption. On the cross, He took on the sin of all humanity. He is our sin offering. At 9:00 am on a Friday morning, after hours and hours of trails and torture, the cross crucifixion was initiated. He hung on the cross for 6 hours until He was physically dead. At 3:00 pm, He gave up His Spirit and He simply stated, "It is finished." Jesus had obediently completed His duty in bodily form He had been sent to fulfill.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NIV) "The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the LORD. "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

John 3:16-17 (NIV) "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

John 19:30 (NIV) ^... Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Praise God.

Remember Jesus

Jesus many times would remind His disciples to remember Him. But on the Thursday before He was crucified, He would remind them once again as they ate together for the last time. At that very moment, Jesus ushered in a new way of life, a new covenant, with His people. A "new covenant" because the "old covenant" written in the context of animal sacrifice was being replaced with a covenant that was written in the context of Jesus Christ.

Jesus the very next day would become the ultimate sacrificial lamb for all of humankind. God thank you for your new covenant that was written in the broken body and the spilled blood of Jesus Christ.

Take some time today to remember the "new covenant" of Jesus Christ. (Luke 22:1-38)

And in our reading for today (2 Timothy 2:3-12) God reminds us to remember Christ, what He has done for us and who we are in Him.

2 Timothy 2:11-13 (NIV)
Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.

Bearing Fruit Through Endurance

Colossians 1:10-12

I don't know if you have noticed or not but "bearing fruit" takes a lot of work and therefore a lot of endurance. Bearing fruit takes time and energy - it doesn't just happen over night. It can take days, months and even years to bear fruit that will last. One of the main ingredients in most fruit is simply endurance.

Thanks goodness, that we have a God that is patient with us and has a plan for our fruit bearing that will work to produce fruit that is good and that will last and it is God who gives us the endurance we need.

Enduring Well

James 1:12 (NIV)
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

I've been thinking about persevering and enduring - not only just getting by but doing it well. The following is just a partial list of what I think God would want me to endure well in:

• My relationship with God
• My marriage
• My family
• My health (physical, emotional, spiritual)
• My work
• My ministry
• My finances

What is it that God would desire for you to endure well in?

Problems and Solutions

For me, it is encouraging to be reminded that the problems we face are all the same - IMPOSSIBLE - starting with the most fundamental problem of sin and salvation (Matthew 19:26) - but from that fundamental problem flows every other problem that we face in life. The answers are found in God and His wisdom (James 1:5).

April Fool's Day Thought

Just a simple thought on April Fool's Day.

Deuteronomy 4:6 (NIV)
Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people."

After reading this verse this morning, I thought how ironic it is that as a nation we have an entire day set aside for foolishness. Not to be a "kill joy" or anything, but I wonder what would happen if, as a nation of people who follow Christ, what would be the effect if today we choose God's wisdom over our own foolishness? Not in a self-righteous way but rather in a Godly way out of obedience to Him - in a way that honors Him as the true source of all wisdom.

I sat with my 11 year old son this morning and I hadn't really thought about the fact that it was April Fool's Day, but we talked about choosing God's wisdom over our own and applying it to our lives instead of foolishly living our lives according to our flesh and our desires.

God is good all the time and His wisdom is right all the time.

Monday Morning Reminder

A few of my notes from yesterday's teaching on vision:

• Vision = The God given ability to see beyond the obvious
• People of vision are "solution centered" versus "problem centered"
• All of our problems are exactly the same - impossible without God (Matt. 19:26)
• People of vision see beyond themselves and draw out the goodness in other people
• People of vision understand that God is BIGGER than their problems (Matt. 19:26)
• People of vision ask God for wisdom (James 1:5)

One other random thought: Good Ideas vs. God Ideas - I would rather have one "God idea" than a thousand "good ideas." Seek God's wisdom - not man's.

OneLife Time Movie Poll

Reminder: Don't forget to let us know your movie preference. Click Here

Also you can check the blog to get an update of the current results (see graph in upper right corner for results).

Who Will You Invite To Church This Easter?

Lifeway Research and North American Mission Board recently surveyed 15,000 people about how they would be willing to receive information about church. Below are some interesting results.

Personal relationships either through family or friends are the most received by people.

Easter is right up there.









My question: Who will you invite to Easter in a couple of weeks?

God: Logical and Good

Hebrews 12:4-6 - To think that I matter enough to the God of the universe that He desires good for me and that He loves me enough to not only provide life giving boundaries but He will also guide me down the right path. And sure if I get too far off-path it will undoubtedly hurt a little as God guides me back on course but it is the best thing for me.

It's logical and it just makes sense!

Memorization Tips

Do you struggle like I do with memorizing scripture? Here are a few tips.

Monday Morning Reminder

If you are like me, Monday morning rolls around and Sunday morning is sort of a blur. This post is primarily for me as I try to remember what God spoke to me yesterday:

1. Discipline = "delayed gratification" - pain before pleasure
2. Living with Godly discipline is the only decent way to live
3. Practicing discipline: making advanced decisions - living with intentionality
4. God rewards a disciplined life

These were my "take-aways" from Sunday. Share yours by replying to this post by clicking the "Comments" link below.

The 639 List

According to Acts 1:8 it is our responsibility as followers of Jesus Christ to spread the Gospel to the world. According to a group called "Finishing The Task" there are 639 people groups in the world that have not yet been reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Check out the list and remember to pray for them today.

Not Even a Hint

Ephesians 5:3 (NIV)
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.

"Come on God, get serious. Not even a hint?" This is always my first what pops into my head whenever I read this verse. And then immediately God reminds me that He is absolutely serious!

Thanks, God, for yet another reminder. I'll make it my mission today to obey your command.

Will you join me?

This Sunday: Endangered Species #2

Remember to invite a friend to come along with you to Summitview this Sunday for part 2 of "Endangered Species: People of Discipline."

Courage To Repent

It takes tremendous courage to repent.

2 Corinthians 7:10 (NIV)
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

To repent means to turn away from where I am at and towards God. Repentance is almost never easy because it requires me to turn away from what I know, from what I am comfortable with, from what I love, from myself and toward God who's ways are not like mine and whose thoughts are not like mine. The reality is that God's ways are foreign to me and so it takes courage to turn from myself and my ways and towards God and His ways. And that takes tremendous courage and yet that's exactly what God asks us to do day after day after day.

Thank you God for your grace that allows me to repent.

Is He Safe?

In our reading for today (Matthew 10:26-31), I was reminded that God has given us the ability to communicate for a reason - to proclaim His glory and His truth. But that takes courage because there will be those that don't agree with the truth of God and so our tendency is towards safety. The problem with safety is that safety may be in direct opposition to the direction of the Bible.

It reminds me of a line from C.S. Lewis in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" where Lucy asks if Aslan is safe and Mr. Beaver replies, "Safe? Who said anything about safe? Of course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the king."

God is the THE King and He's good - all the time.

A Courageous Spirit

2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

To be men and women with spiritual courage is HUGE. It's courage that doesn't come from ourselves but rather from God. I have spent the majority of my life believing and trusting in myself - that's easy for me. But to walk by faith and not by sight that is so hard - that takes tremendous courage. And yet that's how God has called us to walk with Him and He has given us the tools to be successful - a spirit of power, love and self-discipline. But it doesn't just happen, we must use them as tools and not just leave them on the shelf hoping that they have an effect on us - we must put them to use.

One Step Away

In my time with God this morning, after reading the Bible, I was reading a daily devotional by Henry Blackaby called 'Day By Day' and I ran across the following that I thought I would share:

If you are in a situation or lifestyle where you are perfectly capable of handling everything, you have stopped growing in your understanding of God. God's desire is to take you from where you are to where He wants you to be. You will always be one step of obedience away from the next truth God wants you to learn about Him.
-Henry Blackaby

A good reminder that we are always one step away from where God would like us to be and that following Christ is a constant pursuit - not a destination.

Be The Church

Acts 2:42-47 is probably a section of scripture that I have read and contemplated more than any other. For me, it is an embodiment of what it looks like to be the Church. I don't get the sense that church was just something 1st century followers of Christ went to once a week. Rather it seems that they devoted their lives to the things that mattered to God - his Word, prayer, fellowship, and breaking bread.

They lived the Truth. They were the "living testament" of what it meant to live a life for Christ. And God rewarded them for it. May we always be seeking to grow towards their example.

Faithwalkers Journal

Don't forget to checkout the "Faithwalkers Journal" - a daily devotional published by 'Great Commission Churches'. You can check it out in the right sidebar of this blog. Just scroll down a little bit and take a look.

Every Effort

Ephesians 4:3 - Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Why couldn't God just say, "Make one or two efforts" or even "Try your best". The "Make every effort" thing leaves it kind of open! Don't know about you, but that makes me squirm a little. What a responsibility we have as followers of Christ to be united with one another.

As hard as that seems, I hope that describes my life and the life of SVCC.

A New Command

In our reading for today (John 13:34-35), I was once again convicted that our love toward fellow believers is not an option but a command. A command with a purpose: so that non-believers can see a living, breathing testimony of the love of God.

God is so into "do as I do" - what a responsibility - what a command! My prayer is that I can live that out today - and that we all can as believers - not for our benefit but for the benefit of those who do not yet believe.

An Answer

It blows my mind that we have an opportunity to actually be an answer to Jesus' prayer (John 17:22) - that we would be ONE as a community of believers.

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Please Pray For Me

You can submit your prayer requests online by going here or by clicking in the "Please Pray For Me" area in the right sidebar of this blog. You can also submit your prayers by clicking the "Prayer" link at www.summitviewcc.com.

Kaleo #4: Called To Be ONE

The think It Through for this week can be found here.

Spring Forward!

Don't forget to set your clocks forward one hour before you go to bed tonight!

The Living Word

In our reading for today (Hebrews 4:12-16) I was struck, as I always am when I read this scripture, that God's Word is so different from any other written word that we interact with. (yes, I know I am ending a sentence with a preposition but...)

God's word is "living and active" and it is through the process of interacting with His Word that we are changed and the world is changed around us as we engage with God through His Word.

Talk about POWER! Be in prayer for this weekend as we will again have an opportunity to come together to interact with God and His Word corporately as a church body.

Generosity

Some generosity info I ran across this morning. Just thought I'd share it. It reminded me of the blessing that is in giving.

• In 2006, Americans gave $295 billion to charity, up 4.2 percent from the previous year.
• Charitable donations have consistently risen faster than the GDP since World War II.
• Per capita, the people in the United States are perhaps the most generous in the world, as measured by what they give.
• Only a third of Americans itemize deductions on their tax returns. Research consistently shows that almost no one is motivated to give only because of their tax consequences.
• Those who donate to charity are three times as likely to give money informally to friends, and even strangers. And they are twice as likely to donate blood.
• People who attend church are 25% more likely to give to charity and 23% more likely to volunteer. They also give 46% more to family and friends who are in need.

Source: Article called "The Surprising Truth About American Generosity" from Trends Magazine

Pray Continually

1 Thessalonians 5:17 simply says "pray continually." Simple. Enough said! I'm going to make that my goal for today.

Jesus In Hand

John 1:1-16

To think that the totality of Jesus is encapsulated within the Word of God. That blows my mind! The WORD IS JESUS. Have you gotten to know Jesus today through the Word of God?

Don't forget to be in prayer today. Our prayer for today from the Think It Through is:
Have an honest conversation with God by telling Him your true feelings about Him. Ask for a deeper relationship with Him.

Prayer and the Word is simply the blessing and grace of God.

Submit Prayer Requests Online

You can now submit prayer requests online. You can do so by clicking HERE. Or by clicking the link in the right sidebar on this blog.

Becoming the Living Word

I posted this back at the end of 2008 but I thought I would post it again given part 3 of our Kaleo series.

Do you have a Bible reading plan for 2009? There is nothing that can prepare us better for the coming year than being in His Word.

Here are some resources that may help you in seeking God on a daily basis in the year to come.

Reading Plans to download:
Bible in a Year Plan
Bible in a Year - Chronological Plan
Biographical 4 Month Plan
61 Day Bible Highlights Plan
61 Days of Chronological Bible Key Events Plan
31 Days with Jesus Plan

One Year Bibles for purchase:
One Year Compact Bible - NIV
One Year Chronological Bible - NIV
One Year Bible - NLT
One Year Bible - ESV

Online resources:
One Year Reading Plan on YouVersion (also specific iPhone and Blackberry and mobile versions)
Bible Gateway Reading Plans
Daylights Devotional (there is also a one year plan at the bottom of each daily devotional reading)