Poets!

Hello sorry for the delay since the last blog. It's been a journey but a wonderful one at that!

If you haven't read Matthew chapters 5-7 known as Jesus' sermon on the mount, please read it and if you have read it read it again. Make your reading of the bible personal read it as though God Himself has given it to you.

After I read those chapters again I found myself seeing new ideas new lessons no matter how many times I read my bible I taste something new, a fresh fruit perfectly ripe.

I would love to give you everything He showed me in reading His sermon, but this is a blog not a book, so I will shorten it and go to the ending of Jesus' sermon when He shares this; verse 24,27 Message Bible. "These words I speak to you not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who builds his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit- but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock. "But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like the stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards." I want to focus on verses 24 & 25, building a life is based on the Greek word poieo, which is translated "Do" and in the Greek language is a very active word, in English we get the word poet.

A poet is a person who takes words and does something with them, makes something beautiful, personal, and original out of them.

Jesus says, "Be poets. make something of these words I've spoken to you. Make a life, epic and poetic. And make it beautiful. Make it a work of art." That's something we can all do. One well-chosen word at a time. One stanza of service at a time. And with our words and deeds, we can leave something beautiful behind in the lives of others. (Eugene Peterson)

We have an opportunity to be poets "doers of ...." You finish the rest!

Pastor Wes

How do we get there!

Paul new he was going to go to Rome. The journey he took to get there wasn't what he expected. Most times we plan on something happening or we are expecting things to happen, we have assumptions and ideas of how it is going to happen. We come up with visions of grandeur trying to anticipate and almost making arrangements of how it will turn out and if we have any reservations or hints of displeasure we say "this isn't from God".

Resistance can come in many different forms; ourselves, other people, or natural occurrences. Sometimes our brethren may not agree with the way we think or how we interpret things. Causing a hindrance and conflict possibly changing the way you do things. Upon Paul's return to Jerusalem in Acts:22 there were a few believers that were told he was teaching against the law of Moses which of course he was not, but in the story you will see Paul was expected to go and show the people wrong through a ceremony how "righteous". I would like for you to read the chapter yourself and see.

Then we of course can hinder or change things just by our selfishness or our motives may not always be focused on what God has directed. There are many examples in the Bible of people and there selfish motives read it and you will see.

And then there is always the weather that can throw a wrench into our plans or change the course of direction. Acts:27 shows how a storm can cause a change in direction or cause some delay to getting to our destination.

The purpose of this is to remind us that the journey is set before us, but how we get there isn't always the way we expect it! Paul probably thought his trip to Rome would have been more of a missionary trip then a legal one. The result his presentation of the Gospel even penetrated the walls of the emperor's palace.

Sometimes our plans don't work out as we want them to, they work out even better than we expected!

Lost on the Road

I was walking along on this dry and deserted road not knowing where to go. The wind and dust make me uable to see anything ahead. For somehow Lord I lost my way. I took a wrong turn, I don't remember when. I'm dry and weary, so tired Lord.

Lord come and help me! Lord I long for your touch again. I come upon a spring, so perfect it never ends. He says, "Drink". I ask how for I have not anything to draw the water with. "Use your hands" I will enable you "use your hands" I am the living water to draw from that gives you life that never ends. "Use your hands".

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

I tell you if there is a need for something it's to communicate! No matter what the outcome may be express your thoughts to the people you interact with. First think about what is on your mind then, pray about it and ask God to show you what and how to say what is on your heart and mind. People closest to us are the ones it seems we have the hardest time talking or expressing what's on our mind because we're afraid of the outcome. How will they respond, will they agree with me or will they argue and not see things the way you want them to! That's right we're so afraid that we won't be able to do things the way we want to. That maybe we'll see it their way and we don't like to be wrong. Maybe that's the reason we don't pray? We don't want God to change our mind we want things our way!

Pastor Wes

Prayer for others

Let us take time to remember to pray for those God places on our mind. It is a gift that we are able to pray and lift up others. God will bless you! I think God is calling us right now to pray and support each other.

Eph 6:18 Never stop praying, especially for others.

Discouragement

Have you ever been discouraged? How about afraid of something or a situation? Don't let discouraging situations rule your attitude or thoughts. When fear controls your mind, pray and ask God to give you strength! He is always there. I pray that you strengthen us this week Lord to be diligent and that we be able to persevere in our walk with You. Lord I ask that we will not receive any discouraging thoughts and that our minds will be focused and not distracted.

This is what it means to Persevere-To persist in or remain constant to a purpose, idea, or task in the face of obstacles or discouragement. I pray that we will remain in our Lord Jesus. He persevered for our sake so that we could persevere!