from Matthew 11:28-30
In Biblical writings, the heart is not understood as something that is connected to emotion in the way that we think of the heart. Rather the heart is the driving force behind our hopes and dreams; behind our drive and determination. Where the heart is bent, so goes one’s life. For these 6 weeks we are going to examine the heart and consider not only how it informs our understanding of Stewardship, but more importantly, how it informs who we are in Christ.
We begin this week by looking at the heart of Jesus. In order for us to understand and be honest about the condition of our own hearts, we may just want to listen to the invitation of the One Whose heart is, “Gentle and Humble.”
w/ Vern Collins
from Matthew 4:1-11
As we begin our journey through the season of Lent, we invite you to consider Lent perhaps differently than you ever have before.
What if, instead of surrendering some habit you are trying to break, or feeling guilty about the things you can’t surrender or simply don’t want to surrender, you saw Lent as a time to rest? A time to rest in the ground of God’s goodness, and allow God to speak to you about who you truly are as one loved deeply by Him.
w/ David Hockett
from Daniel 6:10
What if rather than working in order to be able to rest, you began resting in order to work? For many of us that would be a seismic shift in our way of life…and yet, not only is it not outside the realm of possibility, it is actually the rhythm you were CREATED for.
A rhythm in relationship with Jesus that feeds your soul, changes your heart for others, and transforms your perspective on those things God has placed before you to do.
From Daniel’s life, guest preacher, Reverend Ken Shigematsu invites us into a rhythm of relationship with Jesus that doesn’t feel burdensome, rather it actually lifts us and supports us in the things we are navigating day in and day out in this life.
w/ Reverend Ken Shigematsu
from Matthew 6:25-33
As we enter the season of Lent, we begin by considering St. Augustine’s idea that one of the marks of a Christ-honoring life is that our love is properly ordered….God first, other, even enemies, as well as self. While this seems good and right, the truth is, we spend much of our life loving in a way that is disordered…and at the core, the result is sin.
What happens when we love the things of God more than God? What happens when we use the things God has given us as a substitute for God, or when we turn to those things as a way of escape? When we worry about having, not just what we need, but what we want…and enough of what we want, then we have allowed our love to disorder our understanding of what is necessary in this life.
What if the goal was not all? What if the goal was not even enough? What if the goal was God? What if rather than covering your weakness with excess, you took this season of Lent to rest in your brokenness and frailty and allowed God to meet you in that place?
w/ Vern Collins
from Genesis 2:1-4
Many of us operate at a pace the leaves us feeling like we are barely keeping our head above water. There are demands on our time, demands for our attention, demands for our affection, worries about today and plenty for tomorrow.
Our culture promises products that simplify and make life easier, and yet even those tend to become our focus and end up feeling like they are stealing life from us.
As we begin our new “Rhythms” series, we start with what is most important…STOPPING. RESTING. SABBATH.
w/ Vern Collins
from Deuteronomy 5:12-15
n an average lifespan (minus the time spent sleeping), you have 394,200 hours to get everything done you need to get done…
A LIFETIME to get things completed…and yet many of us live our lives as if time is slipping through our fingers. “To-Do” lists grow longer or keep getting pushed to tomorrow, calls are left unreturned, emails are left unanswered, the amount of demand continue to grow and time seems to continue to shrink…so how are we meant to keep our heads above the water? How are we meant to do it all?
You’re not. You’re not meant to do it all…you’re meant to abide in the One Who can.
And you begin by stopping and resting.
w/ Vern Collins
