Paul Tripp is at it again.  Over on his blog he is continuing to work through Psalm 27 with poetic reflections on the human heart and its relation to God.  Enjoy.

“One thing I ask of the Lord…that I might dwell in the house of the Lord…to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.” (v.4)

One thing,
One thing,
One thing!
It’s hard to imagine
One thing
When I seem to be attracted
to so many things.
It is a continuing
struggle.
It is a daily
battle.
It is my constant
war.
The world of the physical
attracts me
excites me
magnetizes me
addicts me.
I confuse consumption
with satisfaction.
I confuse satisfied senses
with true joy.
I confuse a stomach that is full
with a heart at rest.
Sometimes I would rather have
my appetites satisfied
than a grace filled heart.
Sometimes I would rather hold
the physical
than have the eyes of my heart
be filled
with the beauty of
the spiritual.
I am tired of only seeing
what
my physical eyes
can see.
I want eyes
to see
what
cannot be seen.
I am tired of craving
people
possessions
locations
circumstances
positions
experiences
appearances…
Somewhere in my heart
I know that only you
satisfy.
Deep in my heart
I want you to be
enough.
I must quit
moving
running
driving
pursuing
consuming.
I need to
stop.
I need to
be quiet.
I need to sit
in the seat of grace
and wait
and wait
until these blind eyes
see
until this cold heart
craves
the one beauty that
satisfies
the one beauty that
is You.

This Sunday will no doubt be a sweet time of worship, fellowship, and God’ gracious activity in our midst.  As you anticipate our time here’s some information to whet your appetite.

Sermon Text-

Colossians 4:5-6 

Songs-

Oh Lord, Your Love by Caedmon’s Call

How Great Your Name by Will Pavone

How Great is Our God by Chris Tomlin

Jesus, I Come by William Sleeper

As the Deer by Martin Nystrom

Knowing You by Graham Kendrick

Come Thou Fount by Robert Robinson, John Wyeth

Last week two different blogs posted on the dangers of becoming overly dependent on and attached to our technology (this whole thing is a little ironic since I am using my computer to post on a blog). These amazingly helpful tools often become so needed and so constant in our lives that our attention to things that really matter. We can easily become slaves to these things missing out on much of the good life God has given us to enjoy. Here are some highlights.

Mark Driscoll in a post entitled Cell Sin:

…Unplugging my technology and simply having nothing on my body that required a battery seemed like a new kind of spiritual discipline for our age that refreshed and renewed me more than I could have imagined.

Being unplugged from my technology also made me more aware of how much lords over us as a beeping, ringing, and vibrating merciless sovereign god. I was grieved when I went to the pool every day with my kids to swim and play catch in the water and looked around the pool only to see other parents not connecting with their children at all but rather talking on their cell phones and dinking around on their handheld mobile devices while sitting in lounge chairs. When we went out for meals we saw the same thing. Parents with children were commonly interrupted throughout the meal by their technology and spent more time talking on the phone than to their family.

…I know in years past I too have been guilty of these same digital sins against God, my family, and my own well-being. Now that I see it as a sin that destroys silence, solitude, fellowship, prayerful listening, and meaningfully and attentive friendship, I am deeply convicted that there is a new spiritual discipline of fasting from technology to be mastered. In this way, we can enjoy the life and people that God puts in front of us rather than ignoring them while we peck away with our thumbs and chat about nothing, which in the end is rarely as important as the people we are ignoring all around us.

Justin Buzzard posted on Technology and Bringing Your 5 Senses Back to Life:

During my vacation this last summer I made one of the better decisions of my life: I didn’t bring my laptop or cell phone with me. For ten days I didn’t look at a computer screen, read an email, answer a ringing phone, or surf the internet. I loved those ten technology free days. My 5 senses came alive again as I looked at the ocean, felt cool breezes, tasted fresh food, listened to my son’s baby talk, and smelled freshly cut grass. (more…)

Recently Steve McCoy over at Reformissionary posted a short article on living intentionally in suburbia.  In one sense or another many of us live in suburban settings and find ourselves living anonymously in a community of busy people going about our very separate lives.  I have found- as I’m sure many of you have- that this is often not very conducive for building relationships with unbelievers and creating opportunities for the gospel.

What this article proposes is that we consider taking some practical and intentional steps to make our lifestyles more conducive to building relationships with and reaching the lost.  Some of the points are a little out there but its some good food for thought.  I have pasted the majority of the article below.

 1) Live with others from your church community

Whether you share your home with another person or family, or whether you have several families that have homes in close proximity or both, sharing life together is perhaps the most powerful (i.e., going against the grain of suburban culture) way to be the body of Christ in suburbia. If you can’t live together, at least find a way to share resources (power tools, lawn mowers, children’s clothes/toys, etc).

2) Work Less!

One of the major powers that enslaves suburbia is the idolization of the career. There are many ways to pay the bills that do not involve a 9-5 job, and even within a 9-5 job, there are ways to work less (turning down promotions, taking unpaid leave, etc.) Working less will free you to serve your church community, your family, your neighbors, etc. It will also spur creativity: finding a solution for working less, finding a way to “make ends meet” financially, etc. (more…)

Here’s some details to help you in preparing your heart and mind for exalting the living God with His people this coming Sunday.

Scripture Text-

Colossians 4:2-4 

Songs-

There is a Fountain by William Cowper

How Great Your Name by Will Pavone

There is a Redeemer by Keith Green

Help My Unbelief by John Newton

Psalm 5

Before the Throne of God Above by Charitie Less Bancroft

Mercy ministries- specifically mercy towards another’s physical needs- is something that we as a church have examined before.  However, it is something that we need to be reminded of- that we need to be purposeful about putting into practice.  As we go through life we as individuals must be alert to opportunities to express the gospel of Jesus Christ through merciful deeds.

Recently there have been a couple of items in the blogosphere that have been particularly helpful.

First was the following comment from the Reformation21 blog.

A helpful comment from Michael Cassidy, who is one of the leading evangelics in South Africa:

“Any religion that professes to be concerned with the souls of men and is not concerned with the slums that doom them, the economic conditions that strangle them, the social conditions that cripple them, is dry as dust religion. We can go further. We can say it is false religion. Deeds are demanded of us. Words and deeds belong together — the words interpreting the deeds and the deeds embodying the words of Christian compassion.”

Second, was a post from the New Attitude Blog by Doug Hayes (Matthew Manjarrez pointed this one out to me).  I was going to post some highlights but there is simply too much good stuff- so here is the whole thing.

What is the mission of the church? Are God’s people called to evangelize the lost by preaching the gospel and calling people to repentance? Or are we to spend our time and resources ministering to the needs of the poor? Are these two activities even meant to be distinguished from one another? Is the gospel preached when we act in harmony with the mercy and justice of God? Are the needs of the poor best met when we address spiritual need, rather than putting food in the bellies of lost souls?
(more…)

Steve McCoy over at the Reformissionary blog recently pointed me to an article entitled “A 12 Point Cure for Complaining” on the website of Christian Communicators Worldwide by Bill Izard.  The article takes the truths of Scripture and applies them to our complaining tendencies- pretty powerful.  Now the trick is to remember these truths when you feel a complaint coming on.

1. GOD COMMANDS ME NEVER TO COMPLAIN.

Do all things without complaining and disputing. Philippians 2:14(NAS)

2. GOD COMMANDS ME TO GIVE THANKS IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE.

In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

3. GOD COMMANDS ME TO REJOICE ALWAYS, AND ESPECIALLY IN TIMES OF TRIAL.

Rejoice in the Lord always. Phil. 4:4; Rejoice always. 1 Thessalonians 5:16; Count it all joy when you fall into various trials. James 1:2

4. I ALWAYS DESERVE MUCH WORSE THAN WHAT I AM SUFFERING NOW- IN FACT, I DESERVE HELL.

Why should any living mortal, or any man, offer complaint in view of his sins? Lamentations 3:39 Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Luke 13:2-3

5. IN LIGHT OF THE ETERNAL HAPPINESS AND GLORY THAT I WILL EXPERIENCE IN HEAVEN, THIS PRESENT TRIAL IS EXTREMELY BRIEF AND INSIGNIFICANT, EVEN IF IT WERE TO LAST A LIFETIME.

The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Rom. 8:18; For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 2 Corinthians 4:19

6. MY SUFFERING IS FAR LESS THAN THAT WHICH CHRIST SUFFERED, AND HE DID NOT COMPLAIN.

Who when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when he suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously. 1 Peter 2:23

7. TO COMPLAIN IS TO SAY GOD IS NOT JUST.

Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right? Genesis 18:25

8. FAITH AND PRAYER EXCLUDE COMPLAINING.

I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered from all my fears. Psalm 34:4

9. THIS DIFFICULTY IS BEING USED BY GOD FOR MY GOOD AND IT IS FOOLISH FOR ME TO COMPLAIN AGAINST IT.

And we know that all things work together for the good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

10. THOSE MORE FAITHFUL THAN I HAVE SUFFERED FAR WORSE THAN I, AND DID SO WITHOUT COMPLAINT.

…and others were tortured, not accepting their release, in order that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. All these, having gained approval through their faith… Hebrews 11:35-39

11. COMPLAINING DENIES THAT GOD’S GRACE IS ENTIRELY SUFFICIENT.

My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9

12. THE GREATEST SUFFERING, THE WORST TRIAL OR DIFFICULTY, CAN NEVER ROB ME OF THAT WHICH IS OF GREATEST VALUE TO ME AND MY GREATEST JOY, NAMELY THE LOVE OF CHRIST.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39