Under the Surface

What Saul-ish parts do you have in your life? My first response is, “I don’t know and I don’t really want to know.  I am just fine not digging under the surface until I absolutely have to.”  This attitude is the reason why deep character, emotional maturity and contemplative spirituality are such weaknesses among Christians today.  We only deal with these areas of life when things get painful, especially when things are painful due to the lack of character.  How do we motivate ourselves to work on these beneath the surface issues before we get to the end of our rope?  Lets start training, equipping and addressing our character now so when life hits us with a hook/uppercut we are prepared to not only endure, but to fight back and engage with a godly character. I have heard it said, “Faith always fights” through the hardships and realities of life.  It would be great to say at the end of our life what Paul said to Timothy “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim. 4:7 NIV). 

This series will give us the space and time to look beneath the surface.  I ask that you will engage your heart and engage each other over the next few weeks in the Discovering Character series.

This week we will be looking at David and his battle with Goliath in 1 Samuel 17.   David didn’t just fight Goliath.  He fought through family dynamics.  He fought through the doubts of others.  He fought through his own fears.  We will be talking about how David knew his true self and how this helped him to know the true God.

Resources you might be interested in:

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality By Peter Scazzero

Changes That Heal By Dr. Henry Cloud  

Don’t forget:

The imagination station is this Sunday from 9am – 12:30pm in the Atrium of the Family Center. Stop by and see God’s Creativity in the lives of our children!

Reminder! Please bring your directory information form to church THIS SUNDAY or email carrie@wabashfriends.org to confirm what will be printed in the church directory.

Day of Healing is just around the corner. (Nov 5^th)  This is Wabash Friends’ own personal growth conference dealing with those “under the surface” issues in life.  I hope it is on your calendar to attend. Sign up this week! 

The problem

Thank you for your grace in last week’s sermon on stewardship.  I know the area of money is not an easy one to look at on Sunday morning, but I think it honors God to take an honest look at our stewardship.  Takeaways for me include:

• When we have open hands and an open heart concerning what God has given us, we are also open to His blessing.
• When we are generous, we are more like the image we were created in…God's.
•  The word tithe means tenth
• Tithe is a reminder of who the owner is. We are stewards or managers of everything God has entrusted us with.

This next week we will start the “Discovering Character“ series.   Week one we will look at the problem.  Saul’s life gives us a good look at the problem.  Read 1 Samuel 15:20-24 in preparation. 

Here is a top ten symptoms of emotionally unhealthy spirituality or unhealthy character outlined in the book, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality:

1.   Using God to run from God
2.  Ignoring the emotions of anger, sadness and fear
3. Dying to the wrong things
4. Denying the past’s impact on the present – family of origin issues
5. Dividing life into “secular” and “sacred” compartments
6. Doing for God instead of being with God
7. Spiritualizing away conflict
8. Covering over brokenness, weakness, and failure
9. Living without limits or boundaries
10. Judging the spiritual journey of other people

See you Sunday,

Alex

Discovering Character

Nehemiah taught us some great principles about rebuilding our walls.   I hope you will continue to work toward the rebuilding of your broken down walls.  I also hope that you will join me as we fast and pray for a youth pastor.  I have chosen Thursday lunchtime to fast and pray.  Feel free to choose what time works well for you.  

The question I have about Nehemiah is what helped him become the kind of leader he was?  Was his leadership just a part his DNA or was it learned?  Did God give him the wisdom and strength overnight or was it something developed over time?  We do not learn much about how Nehemiah developed his character, but we do see how other biblical characters develop their character or ignore their character.  

We are starting a new seven-week series called “Discovering Character”.  I am guessing that each one of you wants to be known as a man or woman of godly character, but godly character does not just happen when you become a Christian.  In fact you and I know lots of Christians that on the outside look all put together but on the inside they are emotionally immature and have little to no character.

One cannot grow spiritually without addressing under the surface issues of character and emotional maturity.  During this series we will explore God’s Word, Peter Scazzero’s book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, and other works by Cloud and Townsend that will dig deep under the surface of who we are becoming as God’s people.  I am looking forward to the journey.

Don’t miss it!

-       Come see our tent at the Chili Cook-off tomorrow.  If you want to help, meet us down at Paradise Springs at 7:00am!

See you Sunday,

Alex

Five building blocks to rebuilding your life.

When we survey our life, it does not take long to see broken down walls.  Broken walls represent anything that is not the way it is supposed to be…..broken marriages, estranged family members, harbored unforgiveness, hopelessness, drug addictions, bitterness, violence and abuse.  The reality of our world is that we live among the rubble just like the people of Jerusalem during Nehemiah’s life. “The wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates have been burned with fire.”  Nehemiah 1:3b

What would it take for you to start rebuilding the broken walls in your life? Do you sense a discontentment with the rubble around you?  If you want to be known as a “Rebuilder of Broken Walls” then Nehemiah is a great man to model.  Nehemiah shows us 5 building block principles he used in rebuilding the walls:

Block #1 -Get real –  In order to rebuild what is broken you must face the reality of the situation head on.  This is often a very hard thing to do.  When Nehemiah learned that the city where his ancestors were buried had broken walls and burned gates he wept.  You may need to face some painful circumstances in your life and that may stir up emotions like anger or sadness.  Part of rebuilding is grieving what isn’t right.

Block #2 - Go to the source – Nehemiah spent four months in prayer and fasting regarding the broken down walls.  God is the source of all life.   He created you and me.  He knows our situation and our pain.  When we go to the source we are given the cornerstone, Jesus Christ.  When we put our trust in Christ and his body, the Church, we have a solid foundation to build upon.

Block #3 - Create a blueprint – While Nehemiah was in his time of prayer and fasting, he developed a blueprint or vision.  He knew exactly what and how he was going to present to the king.  Nehemiah had a blueprint that he and God created.   You need a blueprint or a vision for rebuilding your wall.

Block #4 - Use your resources – Nehemiah used every possible resource he could find to get the job done.  Letters of permission, lumber, armies for safe travel and people who were ready to work.  You have to take inventory of your resources and you need the guts to ask to use them to fuel your vision.

Block #5 – Be as diligent as an Ant – Nehemiah had many negative obstacles to overcome in rebuilding the wall.  He experienced ridicule, assault, poverty, and low moral.  Nehemiah did not loose hope nor did he become defeated as the obstacles arose.  He adjusted his plan to overcome the obstacle and pressed on by encouraging people and addressing the people head on until the finish.

The outcome of Nehemiah’s story was an impossible task completed by a bunch of struggling people.  They rebuilt the wall in 52 days and celebrated what the Lord had done through them.  God is a good God, but he is not just going to rebuild our broken down walls.  We are co-laborers with Him.  Let’s strive to described as the people talked about in Isaiah 58:12 “Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls and a restorer of homes.” NLT






FYI - some resources for your walls.

• All men are invited to attend a special 4-week study, Courageous Living: Honor Begins at Home, led by Phil Boone and Eric Dale. Men do not need to have seen the movie to take part in this series.  Starts October 30th.
• Get registered for Day of Healing.