Mark's Journey

Like your home

If you are someone who regularly attends The Journey or if you are still kind of new, but have come a few times, I got some thing for you to think about today.

#1 Invite someone to come with you.  There are people all around us who would be encouraged and find hope for their life by their experience at The Journey.  God wants more to do with our life than we realize and we can give that opportunity to others.  Look around your workplace, neighborhood, friends, and family.  Who could you invite to join you some Sunday?

#2  If (and when) they come with you to The Journey, or you meet them there, treat them like you would in your home.  Welcome them at the door, walk them in and show them around.  Take them to the coffee bar, and if they have kids, show them the kids rooms.  Sit with them in the auditorium.  This will help give them a sense of belonging and that they kind of know what to do and where to go.  It could make all the difference in their experience to have a relationship with God, not religion.

Monday Mind Dump

• Since January 1, I have been working hard at the exercise thing.  I hope it lasts and I can keep it up, but some days I hate it.  I have been hard core for 4 weeks and my old knees are starting to hurt.  But otherwise I feel pretty good right now.
• Lots of people have signed up for Journey Groups this month.  The winter semester is about to get started.  I am really excited about the steps people are taking.
• I love the Journey Group I am in.  We laugh, eat good food, learn together, and have great conversation.
• I am planning a big date for later this week with Jen.  SHHHHH.  Don't say anything.
• We are trying to get some Network plans for the next month.  We are still knew at this and trying to make some more connections.  We have lots of willing people to serve.
• Yesterday I saw some Journeyers, who had invited and brought friends, give a tour and welcomed them just like they were in their home.  Way to go!

Who's calling the shots in your life?

Someone is...or something is calling the shots.  We all base our lives on something.  Our decisions come from somewhere.  Maybe it is our upbringing, or the way we've always done it, or what others say or do.  Maybe the media influences or decisions.  But we all make decisions based on something or someone.  The question is "how reliable is your source?"  Are you basing your life decisions on what is dependable?

God has given us the opportunity to base our life on the most reliable source of all...himself!  God knows everything, is all-powerful, and is the smartest person...He made a universe!  And He has given us the opportunity to rely on Him for decisions for our life.  It is through the Bible.  He gave us His words for us to know Him and how to live in His ways.  His ways are the wisest.  It is the best thing to revolve our life around.

Take a step to let God (and His words) in the Bible call the shots in your life more and more.

Today's Prayer from Proverbs

If you are reading through Proverbs this month with The Journey, today is chapter 16.  This morning a verse that stood out to me was verse 3... "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."

In my role at The Journey, as one of the guys on staff trying to lead, I often feel like I don't know what I am doing.  I don't feel like an expert in anything, really.  I am just trying to follow Jesus and lead in a way that is based on the Bible.  I am trying to follow his ways in what a church should be like and in how we live.  I don't know exactly what the Networks will become, or exactly the best way to do Groups, or the perfect way to help people follow Jesus.  And, to be honest, I don't think there really is an exact, perfect way to do it.

But according to this verse, I need to be committing my ways to the Lord.  Give my very best, but in the end commit the outcomes to Him and trust Him.  It isn't about me succeeding, but about Jesus.  It is offering our plans to Him to succeed in helping others follow Jesus.  Then trusting in Him.

How do you see the Bible?

One thing that can help us grow in our relationship with Jesus is to have a correct view and understanding of the Bible.

We believe that the Bible is God’s Words to us, and because of that, it is true and it provides us what we need to live life faithfully and fully.  The Bible, we believe, is not only true, but it works in real life.  It is a guide for us.  The Bible claims about itself, that it is God’s words to us (see 2 Timothy 3:16, and 2 Peter 1:21 – speaking of the Old Testament books).  It not only makes the claim for the Old Testament books, but also those in the New Testament (see 2 Peter 3:15 and 1 Timothy 5:18, which clearly align the NT books with the same authority as the Old Testament books). 

We also believe in the authority of the Bible because God’s Spirit speaks to us through the pages of the Bible.  (John 10:27).  There is incredible reliability when it comes to the validity of the Bible.  From the commitment of copyists to be incredibly detailed, to the eye-witness testimony and accounts of the New Testament writers, and the early dates of those writings (which would have given people the opportunity to refute what they disagreed with).

It at times can feel like circular reasoning, but that doesn’t necessarily make it untrue.  The Bible tells us that God cannot lie (Titus 1:2).  Therefore, if the Bible is God’s Words to us, then they are true words. 

We do not have a fairy tale, or a best guess when it comes to the Bible.  We have God’s Words to us, and because they are God’s words, they need to hold ultimate authority in our lives.  The reality is, that when we live how the Bible calls us to live, it works.  We live out life and faith in a healthier, more productive way.  We can experience the life that God wants for us.

Groups 2012

Leave a comment if you are interested or sign up this Sunday at The Journey.

The month of Proverbs

Today's reading is Proverbs 11.  Verse 2 says: When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

OK.  So we want to be humble and not prideful. So what does that look like in my life?  As I reflected on that this morning here's some thoughts that came to my mind:

• Pride is thinking I am better than others.
• Pride is being unwilling to learn or make changes in my life and thinking I am fine.
• Humility is being willing to do things that are difficult, yet benefit others
• Humility is sacrficing my time and desires
• Pride is assuming others will step up to the job instead of me stepping up.
• Humility is following Jesus and letting Him lead my life
• Pride is believing I know as much as God or that I don't need Him.

You gonna get FAT this year?

Most of you would say no...that you don't want to be FAT this year.  But at The Journey we talk about how we should all be FAT.   FAT is good for you.  Being FAT, getting FAT, and even praying to be more FAT is encouraged.

OK, so I am not talking about body fat.  No one wants that.  But I am talking about a different kind of FAT.  F.A.T.  Each letter stands for something.  It is actually a step to pursue to develop our relationship with Jesus.  Willingly grow with God to be F.A.T. (Faithful, Available, Teachable).

• Faithful in following Jesus and growing in relationship with Him
• Available by making time to make a difference and take next steps
• Teachable by being humble and willing to learn and receive training

As you think about your relationship with Jesus, what step could you take?  Do you need to be more F, A, or T?

3 Relationships

One of the things we encourage at The Journey is that each of us focus on developing 3 key relationships in our life.  We see this focus in the Bible and want to have it in our life as well.  First, we want to focus on developing our relationship with Jesus.  We want to learn about him, begin to follow him, and take steps to grow in our relationship with him.  Second, we want to develop our relationship with others who are in that relationship with Jesus.  They can help us grow and we can learn from each other.  And, third, we want to develop relationships with those who are not in a relationship and are not following Jesus.  We can be a light in their life and help them take steps.  We can share with them things we are learning and growing in.

With all three of those kinds of relationships, what is a step you need to take to develop them?  What do you need to do to develop your relationship with Jesus, with others who follow Jesus, and with those who are far from Him that you can help?  If you need ideas or help, ask.  Or, go to our website and check out resources to help you. The Journey

 

Thank you Journey!

Hey Journey!  On Sunday Matt said that we'd give you the total of our Hope Project in December.  And we will still be doing that.  But I just want to say thanks to those of you that have been generous with finances to make a difference in others lives.  Many of you gave generously to the Hope Project.  Others of you give generously on a regular basis to be a partner with what's happening at The Journey and in our community.  If you are living generously I pray that you feel the blessing of giving and impacting the lives of others.  I hope you find joy in giving as well.  Thank you for how your generousity impacts lives, and how you have impacted mine as well as we do life together.  Your example of generousity encourages me to be generous as well.  Thank you!