[Material in this GPS is mainly drawn, or slightly adapted, from The Wesley Challenge: 21 Days to a More Authentic Faith, by Chris Folmsbee, to be published by Abingdon Press in March, 2017.]
The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. from The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States "Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?" for Thursday, 17 November 2016
1 Timothy 6:7 For we have brought nothing into the world; and we can take nothing out of it; 8 so if we have food and clothing, we will be satisfied with these. 9 Furthermore, those whose goal is to be rich fall into temptation; they get trapped in many foolish and hurtful ambitions which plunge them into ruin and destruction.
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The underlying principle behind this question of Wesley’s is simply: Who or what owns us? What consumes us? Who or what do we allow to control our life? When we are a slave to something or someone, it clearly means that we take our direction from a controlling person or object that is not God. We are called toward a healthy, balanced life of serving the Kingdom virtues we see in the life of Christ.
• What controls your life? Be honest with yourself. What is the focus of most of your thoughts? What preoccupies you? How much time, effort and focus would be available for your participation in the mission of God if this factor did NOT preoccupy your life? Ask your spouse or a trusted friend to alert you when they notice you “feeding” this preoccupation in a way that limits your ability to allow God to control your life.
• One of the best ways to control or curb your enthusiasm for things in your life that consume you other than God’s mission is to consistently serve others. Find a place to serve regularly, to help rebalance the priorities in your life. (Go to www.cor.org/missions to view one good listing of lots of varied options for ways and places to serve.) Don’t put it off, and don’t wait for the ideal service situation to present itself. Try out a variety of service opportunities to find the place that captures your attention and focus.
Prayer: God, help me resist the desire to collect things I do not need, to resist the temptation to allow my impulses and obsessions to direct my decision-making. Help me to give you all I am and have. Amen.
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Insights from Janelle Gregory
Janelle Gregory serves on the Resurrection staff as a Human Resources Specialist.
If you’re like me, at some point or another you’ve found yourself in what seemed to be a hopeless situation – an unmanageable circumstance came crashing down upon you. Maybe it was a broken relationship, a diagnosis, or economic despair. I’m guessing that something comes to mind.
In times like these, I’ve often heard a knock on the door. On the other side is a very charismatic character named Control. He swoops in and sells us on a fix of whatever ails us. “Don’t worry. It will all be okay,” he tells you. “Just give me one hour of your time. Come to the mall with me, and I’ll show you how easy it is to fix everything.” You’re desperate. What else do you have to lose?
You find yourself walking out of Macy’s with a new outfit. Not that you needed one, but you heard Control cheering you on. “Look at you! What a stylish sweater. Such an improvement over your current wardrobe, and you bought it with your own money! You are unstoppable!”
You believe him. You ARE unstoppable. You walk confidently to your car, celebrating your victory. By the time you get home to put your new sweater away, you turn to high-five Control, but he’s nowhere to be found. It doesn’t take long before you feel the weight over your hopeless situation again.
Thankfully, as any good salesman does, Control left you his card. You give him a call as you’ve bought into his pitch. “I’ve got just what you need,” he says. “With the help of this handy-dandy checklist, you’ve got an abundance of power. Let me demonstrate. Walk the dog. Check. Organize the closet. Check. Vacuum the carpets. Check. Mow the yard. Check. Not only do you get to dominate this list, you get a clean house out of it! It’s a win-win!”
He’s right. You rule your house. You conquer the closet, rein in the laundry, and defeat the onslaught of dust bunnies. Check. Check. Check. You sit high in victory once again. That is, until your throne crumbles below you and you fall flat into your hopelessness.
You buy into Control’s ongoing plan. He’s got you on a regimen of working late, lashing out on social media, and playing online solitaire. You can instantly see results. Thank goodness for Control! Without him you might actually have to face your problems.
But then one day you slip up. You wake up in the middle of the night, face-to-face with your hopelessness. Terror strikes you, and you are unprepared. With Control on speed-dial, you call in desperation.
“I have seen this before,” he tells you confidently. “It’s time we turn to higher measures. I want you to come with me to my lavish retreat center for clients such as you. It’s called The Last Resort.” You immediately pack your bags. You’ll go wherever he tells you if it will get you out of your anguish.
But when you check into your room at The Last Resort, you are shocked at what you find – broken down furniture, a dripping faucet, cold floors, and worst of all, you’re sharing a room with the very problem you were trying to escape. You want out, but when you go to open the door, you find it’s locked. You pound and pound, but nobody is there to hear you. Control is long gone, off to sell his snake oil to the next sucker. He’s got you just where he wants you, and he finally has what he was always after – control.
Ever find yourself in that kind of situation? Control is a deceiver and a distractor. Sure, he can give you some relief, but he can’t solve or erase your problems. As Christians, we’re given another solution. Rather than buying into Control’s sales pitch, we’re asked to take a more daring route of surrender. Surrendering to God is a much scarier tactic, and the results are not always instant. But when we hand over our hopelessness to God, we are given a much greater power, that of an almighty Redeemer. It’s only then that we find real strength to face our hopelessness head-on. Remember – Control will always try to get what he wants, which is control over you. Whatever you do, don’t buy into his scam. Resist the urge to follow him, and instead follow and fall before the One who holds the real power. God won’t trap you, and He will never let you down.
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"How do I spend my spare time?" for Friday, 18 November 2016
2 Thessalonians 3:6 Now, in the name of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah we command you, brothers, to stay away from any brother who is leading a life of idleness, a life not in keeping with the tradition you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you must imitate us, that we were not idle when we were among you. 8 We did not accept anyone’s food without paying; on the contrary, we labored and toiled, day and night, working so as not to be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not that we hadn’t the right to be supported, but so that we could make ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: if someone won’t work, he shouldn’t eat! 11 We hear that some of you are leading a life of idleness — not busy working, just busybodies! 12 We command such people — and in union with the Lord Yeshua the Messiah we urge them — to settle down, get to work, and earn their own living. 13 And you brothers who are doing what is good, don’t slack off!
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A 2014 Bureau of Labor Statistics survey said that, on average, employed Americans age 25-54 with children sleep 7.7 hours a day. Of the remaining 16.3 hours, people in that group average 2.5 hours of leisure time, what we might assume Wesley meant by “spare time.”
1 It is essential to determine where in your day you have spare time. You must also find what you should do with that time. This is
not a time to answer emails you didn’t get to during your hours of work! Wesley proposed this as a key question for Christians so that we can determine which activities help us be refreshed, renewed and refocused on the essential priorities of our lives.
• Wesley (and Jesus) both want to make sure that we are not wasting time that we could be
using to strengthen our daily pursuit of becoming deeply committed Christians. What activities bring you the most enjoyment and make you feel the most refreshed and energized? How much of your spare time do you spend on these pursuits? If it’s less than you would like, how can you restructure your time so that you are spending it in ways that bring you life?
• Make a spare time “map” of your week. For one week, record everything honestly, (for only your eyes). Be specific enough so that you can spot spare time patterns to help you evaluate your map. Use the calendar or notes functions on your phone to help you, or jot down notes in your desk calendar or portfolio, if that works best for you.
Prayer: God, may I use my spare time in way(s) that please you. Help me develop the consistent practices needed to use the time I have wisely. Amen.
[1 http://www.bls.gov/tus/charts/]
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Insight from Darren Lippe
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The underlying principle behind this question of Wesley’s is simply: Who or what owns us? What consumes us? Who or what do we allow to control our life? When we are a slave to something or someone, it clearly means that we take our direction from a controlling person or object that is not God. We are called toward a healthy, balanced life of serving the Kingdom virtues we see in the life of Christ.
• What controls your life? Be honest with yourself. What is the focus of most of your thoughts? What preoccupies you? How much time, effort and focus would be available for your participation in the mission of God if this factor did NOT preoccupy your life? Ask your spouse or a trusted friend to alert you when they notice you “feeding” this preoccupation in a way that limits your ability to allow God to control your life.
• One of the best ways to control or curb your enthusiasm for things in your life that consume you other than God’s mission is to consistently serve others. Find a place to serve regularly, to help rebalance the priorities in your life. (Go to www.cor.org/missions to view one good listing of lots of varied options for ways and places to serve.) Don’t put it off, and don’t wait for the ideal service situation to present itself. Try out a variety of service opportunities to find the place that captures your attention and focus.
Prayer: God, help me resist the desire to collect things I do not need, to resist the temptation to allow my impulses and obsessions to direct my decision-making. Help me to give you all I am and have. Amen.
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Insights from Janelle Gregory
Janelle Gregory serves on the Resurrection staff as a Human Resources Specialist.If you’re like me, at some point or another you’ve found yourself in what seemed to be a hopeless situation – an unmanageable circumstance came crashing down upon you. Maybe it was a broken relationship, a diagnosis, or economic despair. I’m guessing that something comes to mind.
In times like these, I’ve often heard a knock on the door. On the other side is a very charismatic character named Control. He swoops in and sells us on a fix of whatever ails us. “Don’t worry. It will all be okay,” he tells you. “Just give me one hour of your time. Come to the mall with me, and I’ll show you how easy it is to fix everything.” You’re desperate. What else do you have to lose?
You find yourself walking out of Macy’s with a new outfit. Not that you needed one, but you heard Control cheering you on. “Look at you! What a stylish sweater. Such an improvement over your current wardrobe, and you bought it with your own money! You are unstoppable!”
You believe him. You ARE unstoppable. You walk confidently to your car, celebrating your victory. By the time you get home to put your new sweater away, you turn to high-five Control, but he’s nowhere to be found. It doesn’t take long before you feel the weight over your hopeless situation again.
Thankfully, as any good salesman does, Control left you his card. You give him a call as you’ve bought into his pitch. “I’ve got just what you need,” he says. “With the help of this handy-dandy checklist, you’ve got an abundance of power. Let me demonstrate. Walk the dog. Check. Organize the closet. Check. Vacuum the carpets. Check. Mow the yard. Check. Not only do you get to dominate this list, you get a clean house out of it! It’s a win-win!”
He’s right. You rule your house. You conquer the closet, rein in the laundry, and defeat the onslaught of dust bunnies. Check. Check. Check. You sit high in victory once again. That is, until your throne crumbles below you and you fall flat into your hopelessness.
You buy into Control’s ongoing plan. He’s got you on a regimen of working late, lashing out on social media, and playing online solitaire. You can instantly see results. Thank goodness for Control! Without him you might actually have to face your problems.
But then one day you slip up. You wake up in the middle of the night, face-to-face with your hopelessness. Terror strikes you, and you are unprepared. With Control on speed-dial, you call in desperation.
“I have seen this before,” he tells you confidently. “It’s time we turn to higher measures. I want you to come with me to my lavish retreat center for clients such as you. It’s called The Last Resort.” You immediately pack your bags. You’ll go wherever he tells you if it will get you out of your anguish.
But when you check into your room at The Last Resort, you are shocked at what you find – broken down furniture, a dripping faucet, cold floors, and worst of all, you’re sharing a room with the very problem you were trying to escape. You want out, but when you go to open the door, you find it’s locked. You pound and pound, but nobody is there to hear you. Control is long gone, off to sell his snake oil to the next sucker. He’s got you just where he wants you, and he finally has what he was always after – control.
Ever find yourself in that kind of situation? Control is a deceiver and a distractor. Sure, he can give you some relief, but he can’t solve or erase your problems. As Christians, we’re given another solution. Rather than buying into Control’s sales pitch, we’re asked to take a more daring route of surrender. Surrendering to God is a much scarier tactic, and the results are not always instant. But when we hand over our hopelessness to God, we are given a much greater power, that of an almighty Redeemer. It’s only then that we find real strength to face our hopelessness head-on. Remember – Control will always try to get what he wants, which is control over you. Whatever you do, don’t buy into his scam. Resist the urge to follow him, and instead follow and fall before the One who holds the real power. God won’t trap you, and He will never let you down.
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"How do I spend my spare time?" for Friday, 18 November 2016
2 Thessalonians 3:6 Now, in the name of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah we command you, brothers, to stay away from any brother who is leading a life of idleness, a life not in keeping with the tradition you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you must imitate us, that we were not idle when we were among you. 8 We did not accept anyone’s food without paying; on the contrary, we labored and toiled, day and night, working so as not to be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not that we hadn’t the right to be supported, but so that we could make ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: if someone won’t work, he shouldn’t eat! 11 We hear that some of you are leading a life of idleness — not busy working, just busybodies! 12 We command such people — and in union with the Lord Yeshua the Messiah we urge them — to settle down, get to work, and earn their own living. 13 And you brothers who are doing what is good, don’t slack off!
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A 2014 Bureau of Labor Statistics survey said that, on average, employed Americans age 25-54 with children sleep 7.7 hours a day. Of the remaining 16.3 hours, people in that group average 2.5 hours of leisure time, what we might assume Wesley meant by “spare time.”
1 It is essential to determine where in your day you have spare time. You must also find what you should do with that time. This is
not a time to answer emails you didn’t get to during your hours of work! Wesley proposed this as a key question for Christians so that we can determine which activities help us be refreshed, renewed and refocused on the essential priorities of our lives.
• Wesley (and Jesus) both want to make sure that we are not wasting time that we could be
using to strengthen our daily pursuit of becoming deeply committed Christians. What activities bring you the most enjoyment and make you feel the most refreshed and energized? How much of your spare time do you spend on these pursuits? If it’s less than you would like, how can you restructure your time so that you are spending it in ways that bring you life?
• Make a spare time “map” of your week. For one week, record everything honestly, (for only your eyes). Be specific enough so that you can spot spare time patterns to help you evaluate your map. Use the calendar or notes functions on your phone to help you, or jot down notes in your desk calendar or portfolio, if that works best for you.
Prayer: God, may I use my spare time in way(s) that please you. Help me develop the consistent practices needed to use the time I have wisely. Amen.
[1 http://www.bls.gov/tus/charts/]
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Insight from Darren Lippe
Darren Lippe helps facilitate Journey 101 “Loving God” classes, guides a 7th-grade Sunday school class, is a member of a small group & a men’s group, and serves on the Curriculum team.As we consider Wesley’s question of how we spend our time, I came across this “column” in the magazine “Cardboard Gems – Not Just For Bicycle Spokes Anymore” that I thought was interesting.
Editor’s Column: View from the Topps – Trey Dingcard
Long time readers know I love collecting all sorts of trading cards, be it baseball, basketball or football, hence my interest in preparing this publication each month. I can spend hours at a time sorting or reading about favorite players from the past or learning about new players. I’ve even created my own teams like “Players You Would Never Guess Were Athletes” or “Players Having a Really Bad Hair Day” or with the scruffy-looking players from the 1970’s, “The Team You Don’t Want to Make Any Sudden Moves Around.”
We all know the many benefits that can come from our diversions. They provide an opportunity to relax, they can help us form new friendships with fellow-enthusiasts, & they can give us the opportunity to discover new skills/talents.
But, upon reflection I’ve realized that I have another passion that I didn’t even consider as a leisure activity. But all the signs are there:
If there is a new book about my pastime, I’m buying it – even though my nightstand is already piled with books about my hobby.
I can while away hours chasing down rabbit-trails as I read through the book about my pastime & never even realize how much time I spent – nor even miss that time!
I carve out time each day to just sit & be still as I consider my hobby. Counter-intuitively this time that could be considered as wasted actually makes my day more efficient & effective.
I even gather with other aficionados every other Friday morning at 6:00 & my wife & I gather with fellow devotees each Sunday evening just to talk about their perspectives on our hobby & how we can get more out of it.
Even though I jealously guard my leisure time, I happily volunteer each week to help young people learn more about this interest. Because it is one of my favorite pastimes, it doesn’t seem like work or a chore.
As you may have guessed, I’ve discovered that my faith walk is actually one of my favorite ways to spend my time. Now, some may think it is demeaning to consider my faith as a hobby, but I would gently disagree. What if we thought of our faith walk as not a task or a “to do” but as a passion that we love to indulge any chance we can? Imagine the difference that could make in our every day routines as we seamlessly sought a closer relationship with God.
I’ve already pondering how I can combine my hobbies – maybe develop a trading card set of all the Biblical heroes with a picture or reproduced painting of their likeness on one side & pertinent facts on the other. I might even form a Bible baseball team: I’d have David as my starting pitcher (he’s be particularly good against the Giants), the Prodigal Son would bat clean-up (always good for a home-run) & I’d have to go with Jesus out of the bullpen – since He is the all-time leader in saves. See you at the next Card Show! – Trey
P.S.: And, yes, Samson would be captain of my “Bad Hair Day Team.”-------
"Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?" for Saturday, 19 November 2016
Philippians 2:3 Do nothing out of rivalry or vanity; but, in humility, regard each other as better than yourselves — 4 look out for each other’s interests and not just for your own.
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It is healthy to be self-aware. However, being too aware of self can make us self-absorbed if we’re not careful. Wesley wanted us to reflect on the question, “Am I self-conscious, self-pitying or self-justifying?”
so that we confront our human penchant to be so concerned with “self” that we lose sight of the “others” in our lives. Do yourself a favor. Reflect carefully and act swiftly on the core of what Wesley was getting at in today’s question. Watch it change the way you see the world and also the way others see you.
• How often do you attempt something you will be “bad” at? If your answer is “rarely,” why do you think that is? Are you afraid of being embarrassed or looking foolish to others? Are you worried about criticism, or is it because you have an excessive need to always be the “best”? Has anyone ever told you that you are self-absorbed, self-pitying, or self-justifying? What were the circumstances of that encounter? What, if anything, did you learn about yourself as a result?
Prayer: God, teach me to serve you first and to seek your kingdom. Help me to be less concerned about myself and more about you and your mission for this world. Help me not to be so concerned with myself that I forget your purpose for me. Amen.
Family Activity: Did you know that God wants us not only to care for others, but to also care for ourselves? Prepare a piece of paper with the headings Physical, Emotional, Spiritual and Mental. Down the left side of the paper, write the name of each family member. First, talk together about how we can each care for ourselves. Are we getting enough rest and eating healthfully? Do we express our emotions in helpful ways? Are we reading our Bible, attending worship and praying? Have we learned any new information recently? Encourage each person to choose one way from each category to commit to growing this year. Pray and ask God to help each of you as you better care for yourselves.
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Insights from Lori Trupp
Insights from Lori Trupp
Lori Trupp is the Director of Children’s Ministries at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection.“At this very moment you and I are either committing [selfishness], or about to commit it, or repenting it.” – C.S. Lewis
You are selfish. And so am I. We all are. This is our disposition; it is part of our operating system. However, our disposition is something we can control. We have a choice. The issue is that because we have free will, and struggle with things like ego, pride, greed, and envy (to name a few), our operating system often defaults to selfishness.
The good news is that God knows this is our default and has given us a “plug-in” to help us enhance our current operating system, to change our disposition. In order to develop this new disposition we must choose to plug in to Him with all our hearts so that He can infuse in us the very mind and nature of His Son Jesus Christ.
As we plug in to God and His Holy Spirit, a miraculous change occurs in our lives. We take on a new heart, nature and outlook. We become kinder, more thoughtful and compassionate. We become less selfish and more selfless!
What about self-care and self-awareness? Aren’t those things selfish? The answer is yes, they can be. Self-care and self-awareness when explored in isolation rather than partnership with God open us up to potential selfishness. Again, this is because selfishness is our default disposition. However, when self-care and self-awareness are explored in partnership with God, when we are “plugged in”, when we invite God in to the process, wow. There is nothing more powerful.
When we have partnered with God, cared for ourselves, and really explored who we are in Christ, God can use us to impact the world in even more powerful ways. It’s as if we become super computers with an incredibly advanced operating system. We are more selfless than we ever dreamed we could be. We are even more kind, more thoughtful, and more compassionate. We see the world and the people in it in a whole new way. This is true transformation, a complete overhaul of our disposition.
Take some time to explore how you can plug in to God today and every day. Partner with God to care for yourself and explore who God has called you to be in Christ. Allow God to enhance your operating system and transform your disposition. And then get ready, because you are about to experience and impact the world in a whole new way. And it is going to be super awesome!-------
Prayer Requests – cor.org/prayer
Prayers for Peace & Comfort for:
• Marsha Monica and family on the death of her father Dale Dixon, 11/5
• John DeVera and family on the death of his mother Kitty Juanita DeVera, 11/3
• Deb Wertin and family on the death of her mother Donna Bracken, 11/3
• Ty Cowan and family on the death of his son Evan Cowan, 11/1
• Victoria Edmondson and family on the death of her ex-husband Mike Edmondson, 11/1
• Friends and family on the death of Lester “Les” Pebley, 10/31
• John Yost and family on the death of his sister Dorothy Plum, 10/31
• Megan O’Neill and family on the death of her grandfather Nelson Ball, 10/30
• Jane Berry and family on the death of her mother Shirley Conway, 10/30
• Randy Weast and family on the death of his father Max Snodgrass, 10/29
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Sunday, 20 November 2016 - "Do I thank God that I am not like others?"
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Sunday, November 20, 2016 – "21 Questions, 21 Days to a More Authentic Faith"
Scripture for “The Greatest of These Is…” – I Corinthians 13:1 I may speak in the tongues of men, even angels;
but if I lack love, I have become merely
blaring brass or a cymbal clanging.
4 Love is patient and kind, not jealous, not boastful,
5 not proud, rude or selfish, not easily angered,
and it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not gloat over other people’s sins
but takes its delight in the truth.
7 Love always bears up, always trusts,
always hopes, always endures.
8 Love never ends; but prophecies will pass,
tongues will cease, knowledge will pass.
13 But for now, three things last —
trust, hope, love;
and the greatest of these is love.
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"Do I thank God that I am not like others?"
Sunday, 20 November 2016
Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with feelings of compassion and with kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Luke 18:9 Also, to some who were relying on their own righteousness and looking down on everyone else, he told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Parush and the other a tax-collector. 11 The Parush stood and prayed to himself, ‘O God! I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity — greedy, dishonest, immoral, or like this tax-collector! 12 I fast twice a week, I pay tithes on my entire income, . . . ’ 13 But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes toward heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God! Have mercy on me, sinner that I am!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his home right with God rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but everyone who humbles himself will be exalted.”
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We can draw many insights from Jesus’ story in Luke 18. Chief among them is this: we are not to compare ourselves to others. Comparing our situation to others’ is not healthy. Whether thanking God for not being like others, or wishing God would give us what others have, we are discrediting God. We need to come before God in a similar spirit as the tax collector in Jesus’ story.
• To whom do you most often compare yourself? Is there one particular person, or group of
people, that most often draw this tendency out in you? Why is that the case? When you
compare yourself to others, are you more likely to find yourself lacking in some way, or do you tend more to feel superior and grateful that you are not like them?
• Identify the “triggers” for the times you compare yourself to others. Perhaps certain
contacts’ Facebook posts leave you feeling somewhat self-satisfied, or conversely feeling inferior to them. Perhaps a club you’re involved in causes you to feel “less than” others in some way. Remove these triggers from your life for a period of time, and assess the result. Does not comparing yourself to others impoverish your life, or make it better?
Prayer: God, teach me to see others as you see them—through a lens of love, compassion
and mercy. I pray that I might always remember that we are all lost without you. Amen.
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"Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I am? In
other words, am I a hypocrite?"
Monday, 21 November 2016
Philippians 2:5 Let your attitude toward one another be governed by your being in union with the Messiah Yeshua:
6 Though he was in the form of God,
he did not regard equality with God
something to be possessed by force.
7 On the contrary, he emptied himself,
in that he took the form of a slave
by becoming like human beings are.
And when he appeared as a human being,
8 he humbled himself still more
by becoming obedient even to death —
death on a stake as a criminal!
2 Timothy 1:6 For this reason, I am reminding you to fan the flame of God’s gift, which you received through s’mikhah from me. 7 For God gave us a Spirit who produces not timidity, but power, love and self-discipline. 8 So don’t be ashamed of bearing testimony to our Lord or to me, his prisoner. On the contrary, accept your share in suffering disgrace for the sake of the Good News. God will give you the strength for it, 9 since he delivered us and called us to a life of holiness as his people. It was not because of our deeds, but because of his own purpose and the grace which he gave to us who are united with the Messiah Yeshua. He did this before the beginning of time,
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This is a hard question to ask yourself, but Wesley prompted it for a very good reason. Faking it—pretending to be better than we are—actually keeps us from knowing who we are and how we are doing. You don’t need to create an impression that you are better than you are. God’s grace says that you, as you are, with all your cracks and flaws and blemishes, are amazing.
• Who do you have in your life who knows the real you? Seek one or more trustworthy
people who can know you honestly and caringly, and give you honest feedback and
guidance. Also remember that you need to do all you can to know the “real you” yourself.
Write a letter to yourself identifying three areas of your life you would like to see grow. Seal it and save it (or e-mail at futureme.org).
• Are there particular environments where you feel as though you have to fake it? What are
the factors that make you feel that you have to hide some part of the real you in those
settings or relationships? Identify two or three steps you could take to be more real with people, either in seeking different settings or in challenging some of your own inner fears.
Prayer: God, help me to see myself as I truly am. Keep me from creating false versions of
myself, and let me surround myself with people who I can be real with. Amen.
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Insights from Dan Williams
Sunday, 20 November 2016 - "Do I thank God that I am not like others?"
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Sunday, November 20, 2016 – "21 Questions, 21 Days to a More Authentic Faith"
Scripture for “The Greatest of These Is…” – I Corinthians 13:1 I may speak in the tongues of men, even angels;
but if I lack love, I have become merely
blaring brass or a cymbal clanging.
4 Love is patient and kind, not jealous, not boastful,
5 not proud, rude or selfish, not easily angered,
and it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not gloat over other people’s sins
but takes its delight in the truth.
7 Love always bears up, always trusts,
always hopes, always endures.
8 Love never ends; but prophecies will pass,
tongues will cease, knowledge will pass.
13 But for now, three things last —
trust, hope, love;
and the greatest of these is love.
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"Do I thank God that I am not like others?"
Sunday, 20 November 2016
Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with feelings of compassion and with kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Luke 18:9 Also, to some who were relying on their own righteousness and looking down on everyone else, he told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Parush and the other a tax-collector. 11 The Parush stood and prayed to himself, ‘O God! I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity — greedy, dishonest, immoral, or like this tax-collector! 12 I fast twice a week, I pay tithes on my entire income, . . . ’ 13 But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes toward heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God! Have mercy on me, sinner that I am!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his home right with God rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but everyone who humbles himself will be exalted.”
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We can draw many insights from Jesus’ story in Luke 18. Chief among them is this: we are not to compare ourselves to others. Comparing our situation to others’ is not healthy. Whether thanking God for not being like others, or wishing God would give us what others have, we are discrediting God. We need to come before God in a similar spirit as the tax collector in Jesus’ story.
• To whom do you most often compare yourself? Is there one particular person, or group of
people, that most often draw this tendency out in you? Why is that the case? When you
compare yourself to others, are you more likely to find yourself lacking in some way, or do you tend more to feel superior and grateful that you are not like them?
• Identify the “triggers” for the times you compare yourself to others. Perhaps certain
contacts’ Facebook posts leave you feeling somewhat self-satisfied, or conversely feeling inferior to them. Perhaps a club you’re involved in causes you to feel “less than” others in some way. Remove these triggers from your life for a period of time, and assess the result. Does not comparing yourself to others impoverish your life, or make it better?
Prayer: God, teach me to see others as you see them—through a lens of love, compassion
and mercy. I pray that I might always remember that we are all lost without you. Amen.
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"Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I am? In
other words, am I a hypocrite?"
Monday, 21 November 2016
Philippians 2:5 Let your attitude toward one another be governed by your being in union with the Messiah Yeshua:
6 Though he was in the form of God,
he did not regard equality with God
something to be possessed by force.
7 On the contrary, he emptied himself,
in that he took the form of a slave
by becoming like human beings are.
And when he appeared as a human being,
8 he humbled himself still more
by becoming obedient even to death —
death on a stake as a criminal!
2 Timothy 1:6 For this reason, I am reminding you to fan the flame of God’s gift, which you received through s’mikhah from me. 7 For God gave us a Spirit who produces not timidity, but power, love and self-discipline. 8 So don’t be ashamed of bearing testimony to our Lord or to me, his prisoner. On the contrary, accept your share in suffering disgrace for the sake of the Good News. God will give you the strength for it, 9 since he delivered us and called us to a life of holiness as his people. It was not because of our deeds, but because of his own purpose and the grace which he gave to us who are united with the Messiah Yeshua. He did this before the beginning of time,
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This is a hard question to ask yourself, but Wesley prompted it for a very good reason. Faking it—pretending to be better than we are—actually keeps us from knowing who we are and how we are doing. You don’t need to create an impression that you are better than you are. God’s grace says that you, as you are, with all your cracks and flaws and blemishes, are amazing.
• Who do you have in your life who knows the real you? Seek one or more trustworthy
people who can know you honestly and caringly, and give you honest feedback and
guidance. Also remember that you need to do all you can to know the “real you” yourself.
Write a letter to yourself identifying three areas of your life you would like to see grow. Seal it and save it (or e-mail at futureme.org).
• Are there particular environments where you feel as though you have to fake it? What are
the factors that make you feel that you have to hide some part of the real you in those
settings or relationships? Identify two or three steps you could take to be more real with people, either in seeking different settings or in challenging some of your own inner fears.
Prayer: God, help me to see myself as I truly am. Keep me from creating false versions of
myself, and let me surround myself with people who I can be real with. Amen.
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Insights from Dan Williams
Dan Williams serves in The Well Bookstore where he supports Resurrection’s online bookstore and coordinates sermon DVD and CD duplication.Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
When I think about this question I am reminded that, yes, I have been a hypocrite, and yes, I am a hypocrite. We all are at one time or another. It is a tough fault to admit. It is in our nature as humans to want to be perceived as favorably as possible. Sometimes hypocrisy creeps in before we even realize it. Other times it is more obvious.
I remember a former boss and would be mentor who counseled me to “fake it until you make it.” I had been hired into a leadership role that was above my skill level. It was a big boost to my ego, until I found myself nose to nose with the first big challenge. I was struggling and my boss knew it. “You just have to be seen as the authority in the room,” he said. “If anyone gives you guff, pound your fist on the table and raise your voice to demand respect from them.” As I turned his advice over in my head, I couldn’t help but feel icky. Was this really what I’d signed up for? Had I sold my scruples for a bigger payday? Was I actually going to put on an act every day at work?
Young and unwilling to admit defeat, I pulled on the prescribed big bad expert suit and waded into ever deeper complications. All the while I was sure that my team could see right through the façade I had created. It didn’t matter whether they actually could or not. I was feeling guilty about trying to deceive my way to success, and I was paranoid that everyone knew it. Inevitably it became too much of an act to keep up and I fell flat on my face. I had failed the job miserably, but more importantly, I had failed myself and I had failed my Christian values. If only I had trusted my gut feeling that said ‘don’t do that,’ I would have spoken up when my boss told me to project a false impression that I was better at my job than I really was. I would have saved myself the embarrassment of failure. It was a long time before I could confidently hold my head high again, shake off the icky-ness, and be proud of an honest job done well.
Yes, I have been a hypocrite, and yes, I am a hypocrite, and furthermore, undoubtedly I will be a hypocrite again. John Wesley knew this to be true of all people, and that is why he posed this question. If I am to overcome this weakness, I must strive daily to be genuine. I must work hard to avoid the temptation to make people think that I am better than I am. I must follow the example of Jesus and humble myself. I must live into the grace that is offered me by God in Jesus’ sacrifice, by confessing when I fall short and repenting of my sin. Finally, I must ask the question of myself over again.-------
"Do I confidentially pass on to others what was told to me in confidence?"
Tuesday, 22 November 2016
Proverbs 11:11 By the blessing of the upright, a city is raised up;
but the words of the wicked tear it down.
12 He who belittles another lacks good sense,
whereas a person of discernment stays silent.
13 A gossip goes around revealing secrets,
but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.
6:3 (2) with three chiefs over them, of whom Dani’el was one, so that these viceroys could be responsible to them and so that the king’s interests would be safeguarded. 4 (3) But because an extraordinary spirit was in this Dani’el, he so distinguished himself above the other chiefs and the viceroys that the king considered putting him in charge of the whole kingdom.
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We know that trust is fundamental to establishing and sustaining strong relationships. So why do we feel the need to break trust by sharing matters told to us in confidence? Usually we feel the urge to relay private information because information is power. Humans love to let others know that we have access to powerful information. But when as Christians we cannot keep secrets or hold confidential matters private, we sabotage the very sense of community Jesus came to create.
• Has anyone ever betrayed your confidence? What happened after you discovered that your
trust was broken? How did that experience affect that specific relationship, other
relationships (especially if they were touched by the information wrongly shared), and your overall willingness and ability to trust others?
• Have you ever betrayed someone’s confidence? What were the circumstances? If you have ever betrayed someone’s confidence, how did you feel after you shared that person’s confidential information? Are you still in a relationship with that person? Why or why not? If you have never betrayed someone’s confidence, how was this principle of trust instilled in you?
Prayer: Help me, God, to control my desire to reveal information that was told to me in
confidence. Guard my tongue, and help me to think before I speak and act. Amen.
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Insights from Brandon Gregory
Brandon Gregory is a volunteer for the worship and missions teams at Church of the Resurrection. He helps lead worship at the Vibe, West, and Downtown services, and is involved with the Malawi missions team at home.“Knowledge is not for knowing: knowledge is for cutting.” Those are words from Michael Foucault, a 20th-Century postmodern philosopher. He wrote at length about the link between knowledge and power, even saying that authorities used knowledge more for control than for truth. You may agree or disagree with his assertions, but I think we can all agree that knowledge can give us a lot of power and it can be very dangerous.
Now, I love the postmodernists. That’s my favorite era of philosophy. I believe that they, like philosophers from all eras, got a lot of things right, but they also got a lot of things wrong–particularly with overly-cynical views of humanity. Foucault’s statement is worrisome because it frames knowledge as an inherently evil thing, and that’s a very dangerous line of thought. I know of many times when knowledge has helped me improve relationships or solutions, and I wouldn’t trade that knowledge for anything. But his statement perfectly illustrates a choice we must all make when we gain knowledge: will we use it for knowing or will we use it for cutting?
When someone gives you privileged information, that’s powerful knowledge. When we face the choice to betray their confidence, that’s a power struggle, pure and simple. Very few of us would claim to want to hold power over others because that’s a statement that’s generally frowned upon; but when we don’t have to phrase it that way, the thought becomes much more tempting. When the thought is gaining some acceptance by sharing a tiny bit of knowledge, that seems much more acceptable, and it’s much easier to rationalize.
When we hold onto privileged information, the promise of power is tantalizing and seemingly harmless. But good relationships are built on sharing power, not grasping at it or sacrificing others to gain it. Remember, when someone trusts you with a secret, you face a choice to hold onto that power as equals or push them down to push yourself up. Always choose to protect the people who trust you. Betraying trust to gain power may seem safe, but it will eventually leave you with neither.-------
"Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?"
Wednesday, 23 November 2016
2 Corinthians 7: Therefore, my dear friends, since we have these promises, let us purify ourselves from everything that can defile either body or spirit, and strive to be completely holy, out of reverence for God.
Proverbs 14:29 Being slow to anger goes with great understanding,
being quick-tempered makes folly still worse.
30 A tranquil mind gives health to the body,
but envy rots the bones.
31 The oppressor of the poor insults his maker,
but he who is kind to the needy honors him.
32 The wicked are brought down by their wrongdoing,
but the righteous can be confident even at death.
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The behaviors John Wesley named in this question live inside all of us. We don’t like that we possess these types of behavior, but we do. We work on becoming less of all of the above, because when we express them, they have an adverse impact on our life and the lives of others around us. That’s why God calls us to grow in our capacity to live above and beyond the above characteristics, and ones like them.
• Do you know people who “fly off the handle?” What drives their behavior? Do you have a close relationship with anyone who displays any of these behaviors regularly? What is the impact of that person on you when they behave in these ways? How do you manage your interactions with them?
• Which of the characteristics John Wesley calls out in today’s question do you struggle with most? The next time you find yourself reacting irritably, or feeling jealousy towards another person, take the time to question yourself and understand what is triggering your negative responses. Then identify healthy outlets for your negative feelings—like exercise (even a quick walk around the block), breath prayers, meditation, a gratitude journal, or playing with your dogs.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, breathe in me so that my thoughts may be pure. Move in me so that my
work may be pure. Pull me into your love so that I love only what is pure. Give me strength to guard my heart so that all I do is pure. Amen.
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"Am I honest in all my actions and words or do I exaggerate?"
Thursday, 24 November 2016
Colossians 3:9 Never lie to one another; because you have stripped away the old self, with its ways, 10 and have put on the new self, which is continually being renewed in fuller and fuller knowledge, closer and closer to the image of its Creator. 11 The new self allows no room for discriminating between Gentile and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, foreigner, savage, slave, free man; on the contrary, in all, the Messiah is everything.
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On this Thanksgiving Day, Wesley’s question can help you evaluate your level of contentment with life. It can help you be true to your identity in Christ, remembering that Christ loves you for who you are as a child of God, not for what you do or have. And it can challenge you to reflect on your character, to discover how free you are to be content, be grateful, be you—and live
inspired by your heavenly worth!
• The next time you are tempted to lie or exaggerate, stop to notice what is driving this temptation. Are you intimidated by the group or person you are with? Do you feel “less than” them in some way? Are you trying to impress someone? Tomorrow is “Black Friday.” As you think about your Christmas giving plans, are any of them at least partly meant to implicitly exaggerate your wealth and ability to give to the recipient?
• Is there a truth about yourself that you need to tell someone? Is there something you need to “come clean” about, some exaggeration or falsehood that takes more and more energy
to maintain? Set aside some private time with that person or group, confess your truth
honestly, and set yourself free.
Prayer: Jesus, you modeled honesty—from your birth to your death, burial and resurrection. I pray that honesty may become one of my most valued and tangible virtues. Amen.
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"Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward or
disregard?"
Friday, 25 November 2016
1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient and kind, not jealous, not boastful,
5 not proud, rude or selfish, not easily angered,
and it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not gloat over other people’s sins
but takes its delight in the truth.
7 Love always bears up, always trusts,
always hopes, always endures.
8 Love never ends; but prophecies will pass,
tongues will cease, knowledge will pass
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Today’s question covers a lot of ground. Taking into account the people we fear, those we feel disdain or indifference towards, and the people we resent can add up to a few people, or for some of us, many. We cannot fully live the Christian life, as Jesus meant us to, until we are at peace not only with God and our self, but also with others.
• Have you created or kept separation between yourself and another person because you
simply don’t like them? If so, ask yourself what is driving this dislike. More broadly, would you say you are at peace with God, self and others? Why or why not?
• Read Romans 12:9-17[Romans 12:9 Don’t let love be a mere outward show. Recoil from what is evil, and cling to what is good. 10 Love each other devotedly and with brotherly love; and set examples for each other in showing respect. 11 Don’t be lazy when hard work is needed, but serve the Lord with spiritual fervor. 12 Rejoice in your hope, be patient in your troubles, and continue steadfastly in prayer. 13 Share what you have with God’s people, and practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you — bless them, don’t curse them! 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be sensitive to each other’s needs — don’t think yourselves better than others, but make humble people your friends. Don’t be conceited. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but try to do what everyone regards as good.] (aloud if possible). Reflect on how living out those Scriptural principles can produce a positive response to today’s question. As first steps, sometime in the next week, if the occasion presents itself, speak with a person who “rubs you the wrong way.” Find a moment today to say something kind to someone you dislike or have intentionally steered clear of.
Prayer: Lord, change me. Replace comparison with compassion in my heart and mind, and
make me more like Christ is—loving to all. Amen.
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"When did I last speak to someone about my faith?"
Saturday, 26 November 2016
Matthew 28:19 Therefore, go and make people from all nations into talmidim, immersing them into the reality of the Father, the Son and the Ruach HaKodesh, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember! I will be with you always, yes, even until the end of the age.”
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When John Wesley challenges us with the question, “When did I last speak to someone about my faith?” he is directly encouraging us to take up the challenge Jesus gave his disciples in Acts 1:8ff[Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Ruach HaKodesh comes upon you; you will be my witnesses both in Yerushalayim and in all Y’hudah and Shomron, indeed to the ends of the earth!”], to be his witnesses or storytellers. In Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-16, Luke 24:46-49, and John 20:21-22[Matthew 28:18 Yeshua came and talked with them. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore, go and make people from all nations into talmidim, immersing them into the reality of the Father, the Son and the Ruach HaKodesh, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember! I will be with you always, yes, even until the end of the age.”, Mark 16:5 Then he said to them, “As you go throughout the world, proclaim the Good News to all creation. 16 Whoever trusts and is immersed will be saved; whoever does not trust will be condemned., Luke 24:46 telling them, “Here is what it says: the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day; 47 and in his name repentance leading to forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed to people from all nations, starting with Yerushalayim. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 Now I am sending forth upon you what my Father promised, so stay here in the city until you have been equipped with power from above.”, and John 20:21 “Shalom aleikhem!” Yeshua repeated. “Just as the Father sent me, I myself am also sending you.” 22 Having said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Ruach HaKodesh!,], we also read that Jesus challenged his followers to continue the mission and message of God’s work. To respond faithfully to Wesley’s question is to live a life of going, obeying and listening to the Holy Spirit, realizing that each one of us is sent into the world to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
• When did you last speak to someone about your faith? Do you show your faith more
through your words or deeds? How can you balance both of those sides of the gospel
“coin” in your day-to-day life? Think through your story of personal transformation. How has your faith in God changed your life and made you a better person, who has a better effect on the lives of others? Spend some time writing your story down.
Prayer: God, you sent Jesus to show us the way. I pray that I would profess my trust in the saving grace of the gospel with courage and direction from the Holy Spirit, helping you draw my family and friends to your transforming love. Amen.
Family Activity: John Wesley’s rule stated, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can.” As a family, talk about each of these phrases. What does the word “all” mean? Are there any exceptions? Compare Wesley’s rule to Jesus’ greatest commandments found in Matthew 22:37-40[Matthew 22:37 He told him, “‘You are to love Adonai your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.’[Matthew 22:37 Deuteronomy 6:5] 38 This is the greatest and most important mitzvah. 39 And a second is similar to it, ‘You are to love your neighbor as yourself.’[Matthew 22:39 Leviticus 19:18] 40 All of the Torah and the Prophets are dependent on these two mitzvot.”]. Identify ways your family can grow to follow Jesus’ and John Wesley’s rules more completely. Share and celebrate your stories at the dinner table or at bedtime. Pray and ask God to help you love others as God loves you.
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Prayer Requests – cor.org/prayer
Prayers for Peace & Comfort for:
• Marsha Monica and family on the death of her father Dale Dixon, 11/5
• John DeVera and family on the death of his mother Kitty Juanita DeVera, 11/3
•Deb Wertin and family on the death of her mother Donna Bracken, 11/3
•Ty Cowan and family on the death of his son Evan Cowan, 11/1
•Victoria Edmondson and family on the death of her ex-husband Mike Edmondson, 11/1
•Friends and family on the death of Lester “Les” Pebley, 10/31
• John Yost and family on the death of his sister Dorothy Plum, 10/31
• Megan O’Neill and family on the death of her grandfather Nelson Ball, 10/30
• Jane Berry and family on the death of her mother Shirley Conway, 10/30
•Randy Weast and family on the death of his father Max Snodgrass, 10/29
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13720 Roe Avenue
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