The Importance of Rhythm

Rhythm is the beat and tempo of a song. Drums, bass guitar, and the strum of a guitar set the rhythm while the chords or individual notes establish the melody. Rhythm provides us with a sense of continuity—we know the form of the song. Musical rhythms get us up on our feet to dance; they can encourage or inspire us, or cause us to feel mellow and relaxed. Such is the power of rhythm in our lives. Like music, our lives need rhythm and routine—otherwise we can lose track of our purpose, get bogged down and even depressed. 

Gen. 6:5-8 says: “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, ‘I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” God told Noah to build the ark to preserve a remnant of mankind and to save the animals. Once the ark was finished it began to rain—40 days and nights of constant rain. Can you imagine endless rain, so much that it covered everything? Life came to a halt for all of mankind.

Only eight souls were aboard the ark, and for them, everything they’d known was gone. But it lasted more than 40 days. They had to remain while the water slowly receded. It was a year before they were able to leave the ark. Once on dry ground, Noah offered up a sacrifice of thanksgiving and God established a promise. Gen. 8:22: "While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night, shall not cease." God established the covenant, and would preserve the rhythm of the seasons and the days so that mankind could thrive.

This year, nearly all of our normal rhythms have been disrupted—going to work, school, and church; when and how we get groceries; going to restaurants and coffee shops; enjoying friends and family; and now the holidays. The rhythms of our lives have been shaken. This has been difficult for all, and for some overwhelming. But there is hope in the story of the Flood. “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” is the first time grace is mentioned in scripture. It was grace that enabled Noah and his family to endure the flood. And the very same grace is available to you and me to endure this pandemic and the disruptions associated with it. I encourage you to look to God and find grace as Noah did. Let God’s amazing grace carry you through each day, and continue to offer up the sacrifice of thanksgiving!

"Look at the Birds."

Jesus gives us this simple command in Matthew 6:26: “Look at the birds.” I’ve always loved watching birds. Whether it is a flock of birds maneuvering as one mass, twisting and twirling through the air; a V-shaped flock of Canada geese flying; the gulls on the lakeshore; a hawk or eagle soaring high and alone—all are beautiful. Jesus likely said this to a group of people as he taught them on a hillside, possibly as a flock of birds flew by. He was saying we need to live without worry, like the birds. The birds aren’t even aware of the Covid pandemic. The birds haven’t been following the Tweet-storm related to the recent election. The birds, as The Message puts it, are “ free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God”. Careless in the care of God. The idea is that knowing how much God cares for us enables us to live a life free from anxiety and worry. 

This is not a command to be a bird-brain—someone who is silly or scatterbrained or simply being thoughtless. Birds do work constantly in search of food and water. They instinctively know when to migrate and how to build nests and care for their young. Crows, which are common in our area, are part of the Corvid (not covid) species that include ravens and a number of other birds. They are highly intelligent and effectively communicate details between birds. They’ve been shown to recognize themselves in a mirror (self-awareness) and they use tools—skills formerly thought that only humans and a few higher primates could do. When we cast our cares on the Lord, it doesn’t mean we no longer take care of ourselves and those around us. It means that we no longer worry about the outcome—we do our best and trust God to ensure the results.

In this year of tumultuous events and challenges that seem to be coming from all sides, it’s good for us to listen to the advice of Jesus: “Look at the birds … do not worry … But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Jesus is not advocating for apathy. Instead of wasting our energy with worry, we are to redirect it toward seeking the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Worry is most often a reaction to things outside our control. Seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness is something we can actively pursue. It changes us from being pursued to pursuing, from being chased to chasing after something worthy of our time and energy. I encourage you to pursue God through prayer, worship, soaking, fasting, digging into Scripture, Christ-centered fellowship, and in every way you can so that your life is too full to fit any worry in!

Worthy of Worship

God is truly worthy of worship! Can I get an AMEN?!

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)

In light of that truth, the question I’d like us to consider is: How does this pandemic season affect our worship of God?

For some of us it’s been almost a year since we’ve gathered corporately. For others we’ve popped in and out of gathering in person as things have ebbed and flowed. And still others have gathered whenever the option was available and have felt the impact of worshipping with many less in the room than before. 

How have these dynamics affected your expression of worship to God? I don’t think it’s reasonable to wait until things “get back to normal” to worship Him in all the various ways due Him. We don’t know when that will be, and yet God remains worthy of worship every day.

As we practice the Presence this month at New Day, I feel stirred to encourage us to make our homes a place of worship. Worship cannot be contained to the sanctuary inside our New Day buildings. If it ever was contained only there, it’s time for it to bust out. Our living rooms must now expand beyond being only a place to watch TV, nap, chat, or read.

Let’s consecrate our homes as places of worship unto the Lord and worship him there regularly using the nine expressions of worship from the Psalms that we are learning about this month. While these expressions are fitting for corporate worship, they are dynamic necessities for personal worship too! 

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.” (Hebrews 13:15)

Bless you, church, as you continue to navigate how to live wholeheartedly for God in every way during this unprecedented season.

Soaking

One of the reasons I love visiting Japan is the onsen: a hot spring or hot tub, but also much more than that. An onsen is a cultural experience. Smaller onsens will have two or three tubs, but larger ones may have up to ten. They are inside and outside, hot, very hot, cold, saltwater, sulfur water, and other varieties. The tubs can be the size of swimming pools and are often made of rock. Japanese will spend hours at the onsen, and often include relaxing times with friends and family. The water is all naturally heated by volcanic springs. Soaking in an onsen is a tremendously relaxing and refreshing experience. 

“Soaking prayer” is a modern term for an ancient practice called contemplative prayer and Biblical meditation. The term “soaking” began during the late ‘90s. In Charismatic meetings, people often fell to the ground while receiving prayer, but they’d hastily get back up. In this revival, people were encouraged to remain on the floor and spend time in prayer. Before long, people just lay down and focused on God as part of their prayer time. Soaking prayer as a spiritual discipline was a reintroduction of the ancient practice of contemplative prayer. 

Psalms 23:1-3: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.” Every Christian has heard this Psam, but what does it actually look like? Restoration of our souls and being led in righteousness is a result of being made to lie down. Just because this may not be culturally normal, we can’t overlook this mandate. 

Psalms 4:4: “Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah.” Here is another verse about engaging with God while lying down and being still. Quieting our minds and our bodies can be a powerful way to open our spirits to the presence and voice of the Lord. Throughout Scripture we are commanded to rest, quiet ourselves, and meditate on God and His Word. 

I like to think of soaking prayer as prayer without an agenda. It is time set aside to listen, wait, expect, rest, to create an opportunity to interact with God. Like any discipline, it takes practice. Start with 5- or 10-minute soaking times, but the benefits normally are found by spending extended periods such as 30 to 60 minutes on a regular basis. Life is busy; my life is busy; I understand how difficult it is. But if you plan it like a doctor’s appointment, you’ll find it is possible. Playing instrumental music helps some. Others find listening to an audio Bible helps. I keep a notepad handy to write down thoughts, so I don’t have to remember things and can keep my mind and spirit open to hearing God or simply enjoying silence. During this month as we explore Practicing God’s Presence, I encourage you to give soaking prayer a chance and see what happens!

Will You Be the Answer?

In the book of Ruth we find the Gentile woman, Ruth, working hard gleaning in the fields of Boaz. Boaz recognizes Ruth’s hard work and the way she is caring for her mother-in-law. He comes to her and says, “May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge” (2:12, NIV).

Later, Boaz goes to take a little nap at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approaches, uncovers his feet, and lies down. This, of course, surprises Boaz, who wakes up and asks, “Who are you?”

“‘I am your servant Ruth,’ she said. ‘Spread the corner of your garment over me since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family’” (3:9). Now, this is a bit odd to our modern ears, but in Boaz’s world, the spreading of a garment over a widow was a way of declaring your intention to marry her. But here is what is truly interesting. In 2:12, Boaz prayed that the Lord would cover Ruth with his wings. The Hebrew word translated as “wings” here is kanaf. Then, in 3:9, Ruth asks Boaz to cover her with his garment. The Hebrew word translated as garment here is...wait for it...kanaf! Boaz prays for Ruth’s care and protection, and then Ruth asks Boaz to be the fulfillment of that prayer.

I saw this kanaf connection in a great book by Kaitlyn Shiess. When I read it, I was struck. So often I pray these grand prayers for God to do this thing or that. This is valid and important; we should be talking to God about everything. But there comes a time when God asks us, “Will you be the answer to that prayer?”

I am challenged by this, and I hope that you are too. Where is God calling you to put your time and attention during this season of your life? Where is God leading you to put your prayer into action? 

Practicing God's Presence

The Practice of the Presence of God is a well known book by Brother Lawrence, a 17th century monk. Our sermon series for November is not based on his book, but shares a common theme. We must regularly practice being in God’s presence. 

Anything we want to do well requires practice. It would be ridiculous to assume you could pick up a musical instrument and in just a few tries be able to play proficiently. Unfortunately, we don’t think of spiritual skills in the same way. Although some people may be more adept at certain spiritual disciplines in the same way some are more adept at musical talents or other skills, everyone requires practice to achieve their best. 

Our emphasis is to get practical. We’ve taught on many of these topics often, but this month we hope to not only communicate the ideas but also encourage and give examples of ways to implement these disciplines. We hope to find ways to engage in some of these skills during the services, as well as ways to incorporate them into our lives. Spiritual growth—like physical, intellectual, or emotional growth—is gradual. At times we may experience a growth spurt, but normally it is so gradual it can go unnoticed. We’ve all experienced seeing a niece or nephew or the child of a friend after several years and exclaiming, “Wow, how they’ve grown!” In the same way, we may not notice the small incremental growth in ourselves and those around us, but God is faithful as we give attention to the things that feed our souls. 

We will explore prayer, hearing God’s voice, worship, prophetic ministry, soaking (a.k.a. contemplative prayer), and fasting. This entire year has been about developing our spirituality. We started out with Joy Wins and Emotionally Healthy Communities. With the onset of the pandemic, we delved into the book of James to learn from the first century church’s experience with Living Exiled. This was followed with the Perseverance character studies and the Fear Not series. The S.O.U.L. Search really drilled it down to teach us a new way to measure and communicate where we are spiritually. 

Our hope is that this series on practical ways to practice God’s presence will further develop our spiritual health. In this year of extended stress and trials of dealing with all of the unknowns of the pandemic, election, racial tensions, economic challenges, etc., it is good to know that we can continue to prosper in our spiritual maturity. In fact, the outward challenges are some of the best motivators of growing inwardly. Let’s all “up our game” in growing closer to God.

Outreach

One of the primary objectives of Christianity is to make God’s name famous in our circle of influence, pointing everyone we can to the true King, Jesus. We have the answers to the questions that burden the heart of the unbeliever: Is there a God? If so, who is he? Does my life matter? YES! His name is Jesus! And YES!

Christians are God’s mouthpieces and get to share in the call to declare God’s truth and love to the world. We have been commissioned and equipped to do so! Commissioned in Matthew 28 when Jesus told his followers to “Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations…”; and equipped with the Holy Spirit inside of us. 

God declared this truth through the prophet Isaiah to the ignorant who carried around idols and prayed to gods that could not save them:

“There is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me. Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear, They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone are righteousness and strength.’” All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame.  Isaiah 45:21-24

Outreach is focused time spent pursuing those outside of our immediate family and church family circles. Time spent reaching that outer ring of people keeps us from living an overly selfish, me-focused life. Don’t get me wrong, we shouldn’t neglect the former in pursuit of the latter. Taking care of ourselves and investing time with other believers is key. But, if it stops there, we miss the point. 

At New Day Nichols and Vandalia we deeply value both the people already in the family of Christ as well as those who may not know Him yet. We consider how we can impact those around us by making connections in the community and with the neighbors who pass our buildings each week. Our Nichols campus is holding a Candy Trail on Oct. 31st for this very purpose. We look forward to continuing to reach Cass county and the Nichols and Vine neighborhoods in 2021.

At New Day we will never give up this pursuit we’ve been called to and equipped for knowing our impact will be exponentially greater when we work together to make God’s name famous!

S.O.U.L. Search Questions

Our goal for the community groups is to provide an opportunity for everyone to have connections with others that are primarily focussed on meeting spiritual needs. It is difficult to form that type of relationship at Sunday services, and even more difficult in our current situation. 

The Bible is clear that we are to care for one another. Philippians 2:2-4 says, “Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” But how can we facilitate this with a diversity of people—some that are brand-new to the faith or to our church, and others who have been around for years or decades? 

When I shared the S.O.U.L. acronym as a tool to review how we are doing spiritually, I mentioned that in our small groups, and when used at church, our answers should be brief. Learning how to respond in a meaningful but also appropriate and brief way is a skill that needs to be learned. In most groups there are about 8 to 12 people. Our goal is to make the groups sustainable by limiting the time to one hour (1 ½ if a meal is served). This hour is to be divided into a third discussing a sermon highlight, a third sharing where we are spiritually, and a third in group prayer. This time limit means each person will only have a couple of minutes in each segment. 

This is not meant to limit depth or more lengthy discussions and relationship building. Rather it is meant to “prime the pump” and enable those who may be unfamiliar, or uncomfortable, sharing spiritually in a group. As the groups develop relationships and maturity, there will be opportunities for follow-up outside of the group setting that would allow for more in-depth ministry. But we want to maintain a safe atmosphere where people can share at the level they are comfortable with and not fear being obligated to divulge more. 

Over time, these simple questions with brief answers will build a regular spiritual checkup and create a community that is praying for one another and available for one another as we all journey together in the Kingdom. 

I encourage you to develop a habit of daily evaluating if you are moving away from God, stuck, or moving toward God in your relationship with Scripture, Others, Upward, and Life. And then let’s learn together how to share this with each other as a way to maintain a community in pursuit of spiritual growth. 1 Thessalonians 5:14 says, “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.”

Jump in the River

The presence of God is like a river. Ezekiel 47 paints a picture of the river of God flowing out of the temple, and transforming the Dead Sea from a lifeless body of water into a sea that is teeming with fish. Fishermen come running because there are so many. The borders of the sea flourish with every kind of fruit tree. These trees flourish so much that they bear fruit year-round. 

This river is available to each of us. We can receive the life and fruitfulness that the river brings by drawing close to Jesus in worship, in prayer, through studying the Bible, and any time that we turn our attention to God. Jesus says in John 7:38, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” The river is inside of us and brings fruitfulness to everything that it touches!

Are there places in your life that you want to be more fruitful? Do you want a greater sense of peace in the craziness of life? Do you want to walk in abundant joy even in difficult circumstances? Do you want to love people better? Anywhere you want to see life, abundance, and fruitfulness, invite the presence of God!

New Day is a river church. We pursue the presence of God every Sunday morning. This is a great opportunity to jump in the river. But it’s just the beginning. We don’t need to go far to encounter the presence of God. We can do it just by turning our attention to the Lord and inviting Him to flow into our lives every day.

Vision & Mission for New Day

The head of any organization is responsible for its vision and mission. Not merely a slogan, but the direction and its primary goals. “Christ is the head of the church, which is His body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So He is first in everything” (Colossians 1:18).

Christ’s vision is expressed vividly in Ephesians 5:25-27: “... Christ loved the church. He gave up His life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word. He did this to present her to Himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.” This is Jesus’ vision for the church: being holy, pure, and glorious. 

Jesus commissioned His disciples, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20). This must always be the primary mission of the church. 

Our mission must look like Jesus' mission: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor” (Luke 4:18-19).

Finally, the early church is important in understanding the Church. Acts 2:42-47 says, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” This is the basis and template we must follow to be a Biblical Church. 

Individual churches may tweak the wording and determine a particular emphasis, but the vision and mission cannot change, because God’s Word doesn’t change. We may express it meaningfully for our time, but must always remain true to Scripture. Any divergence from this Biblical mandate ends up diluting the power and purpose of the Church or, worse, deluding people into a false vision and mission that leads to division and, at worst, heresy. Let’s stay true to our calling and “Go, do, and be Christ in our community.”

Abide

What do you think when you see a guy like this walking through the airport? Nice suit! Maybe…but you also immediately realize this guy is only in town for a little while. He’s got some business to do, then he’s gone

Now check out the guy in this next picture...

He is moving in. He brought his wife, his dog, and all his possessions. He’s clearly going to spend the next couple days unpacking those boxes. Okay - let’s get real - he’s going to spend the next couple months unpacking those boxes. 

The point is this: there’s a real difference between a business trip and moving in.

In John 15, Jesus has a lot to say about “abiding”: 

• Abide in me and you’ll... 

• Those who don’t abide in me will... 

• Abide in my love…

• If you _______ you’ll abide in my love.

You get the idea. Jesus is really interested in this abiding thing. The word used in this passage is the same word used for living somewhere, staying with someone, or remaining in a place. Jesus wants you to move in. Move into Himself. Take up residence in His love.

It’s a lot easier to approach Jesus like a business trip. I have a few parts of my life packed in the carry-on and briefcase, and I’m going to see Jesus for a while. He has something for me to do this week, so here I go. That sort of thing. But after the trip is done, I’m heading back home to “normal life”. At home in normal life, I go to work, study for a degree, hang out with my friends, or have some hobbies…

Jesus is looking for something more personal, more expansive, more committed. I mean, think about it: my level of commitment to a three-day business trip vs. my commitment to the house I live in. I put my family in this house, my possessions are in here, and I committed to pay a mortgage every month to be here. I’m all in, and I’m not going anywhere. And at the end of every day, guess where I end up? Yep. Home. It’s where I abide.

Jesus invites us to abide in relationship with Him. To live in His love. Be honest with yourself and consider where you go to rest your head at the end of each day. Are you coming home to Him? Or have you made your home somewhere else?

The best place you could call home is in Jesus. He loves you. He gave His life for you.

“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.” (John 15:9)

Made to Worship

Mankind was made to share fellowship with God. We were made in the image of God, and while the Father and Son revel in love towards one another with the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, we are made to revel in love with our Creator in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Throughout Scripture, mankind demonstrates worship to God by bowing down, giving thanks, by the building of altars, by bringing sacrifices and with singing and praise. And in God’s goodness, he gives a promise to us that when we worship him, we’ll be blessed: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you….” (Exodus 23:25). When I lead worship, I’ll often remind people that God doesn’t need our praise, but he commands it because it is good for us! Getting our minds and focus off of ourselves and putting our focus on the Lord and his goodness creates a shift in our spirit. It builds us up as we declare our praise. As we humble ourselves and bow down, he lifts us up. We worship God in obedience and he responds with blessing and healing. 

If you search Scripture to find where God commands his people to worship, it is often accompanied first by a command not to worship other gods. “Do not forget the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. Rather, worship the Lord your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies” (2 Kings 17:38-40). When Jesus was tempted in the desert, Satan showed him the kingdoms of the world and said:  “‘All this I will give you,’ he said, ‘if you will bow down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only [Deut 6:13].”’ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him” (Matthew 4:9-11). We worship God in obedience, and he responds with deliverance and care.

As humans, we’re going to worship something. It’s what we’re designed for. If we don’t worship God, we’ll be worshipping something or someone else. Giving our worship to anything else creates a void—it’s a robbery. Let’s give thanks to the Lord that we serve the One who responds to our worship by blessing and filling!

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

Many of us are familiar with the wisdom passed to Peter Parker—a.k.a. Spider-Man—from his Uncle Ben: “With great power comes great responsibility.” These are important words for Peter as he tries to bring his newfound superpower to bear in his life. But where did Uncle Ben get such wisdom? I don’t know if Uncle Ben and Aunt May regularly went to church, but here is what Jesus says in Luke 12:48: 

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

As Christ-followers, we have been given much! We have been given love, acceptance, reconciliation, hope, forgiveness, and more. It is our responsibility to give out what we have received. This Sunday, in our series Soul Search, we will be talking about our relationships with others. These relationships should be saturated with these gifts. None of these things are supposed to stop with us. We are to be conduits of the gifts of God.

Look at Matthew 6:14-15. Jesus says:

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

We see something similar in the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Matt. 18:21-35). After the unmerciful servant is forgiven a huge debt and then demands repayment of a small debt, he is dragged before his master, who says, “You wicked servant. I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” In anger, his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he should pay back all he owed.

With great power comes great responsibility. We are the Lord’s ambassadors on the earth. We carry the name and authority of Jesus everywhere we go. This does not put us in positions of pride and arrogance, but recognizing that we have a responsibility to serve others as we have been served, to love others as we have been loved, and to forgive others as we have been forgiven.

Soul Search

Probably the most-asked question is “How are you?” It’s more of a greeting than a true inquiry. And is answered simply like, “Great, and you?” But how do you answer the question “How are you doing spiritually?” That question implies something deeper, and we should be able to respond in a meaningful, appropriate way. 

Most Christ-followers lack two important skills: the ability to measure where we are spiritually—we don’t have a gauge or reference system to evaluate the state of our soul—and we lack language to express where we are spiritually. Our September series “Soul Search” will address these two things.

Several years ago, I became aware of this idea through my work with Kaleo Ministries. Some of the leaders had been trained using material developed by John & Charles Wesley during the revival that birthed the Methodist church. It was the biggest revival there had ever been, and it significantly shaped the culture of both England and the early USA. The Wesley brothers held massive revival meetings where tens of thousands were saved, healed, and transformed. But they credited the lasting transformation of individuals and communities to the development of small groups and a simple discipleship practice that helped individuals measure and communicate their spiritual condition. 

I was challenged by this testimony. For over two years, I have been prayerfully determining a way we can implement a similar way to measure and communicate the condition of our souls. It has to be simple and memorable, something that we all can use without having to read a book or take a test. 

Over the next four weeks, in services and in our new Community Groups, we will be introducing this idea. My hope is to create a shared understanding and language so that when we ask one another “How is your soul?” we will know how to respond in an appropriate and meaningful way. In doing so, we will create a deeper level of community and support for one another. Keep in mind that this question isn’t meant to open up a long, probing discussion into our spiritual lives. It’s meant to briefly communicate some aspect of our spiritual state in the present or recent past. It gives us a way to keep tabs on one another, not counsel one another or overexpose our hearts. Additionally, we will share other guidelines that help keep this functional, meaningful, and sustainable. 

As we teach through this, please attend our services—by coming on Sunday, tuning into the livestream, or watching on YouTube. I truly believe that this has the potential to help us grow spiritually and better reach our community with the Gospel of Jesus our Lord!

Wowza!

Do you ever read a familiar Bible verse in a different translation and have it speak to you in a new way? That was my recent experience with this verse about peace.

“Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.” (1 Peter 3:11, NLT)

Search! Work! These are active words. It struck me that pursuing peace is not a passive endeavor. This verse tells us to search for peace. If we are asked to search for something, it likely means it is not obviously lying in front of us. When we walk into a situation, we must be prepared to actively seek out peace, looking for where peace can be found in that particular scenario. 

This verse also tells us to work to maintain peace. It’s work! Peace brings a tranquil end, but getting there often is not tranquil. After all, it can be easier and less work to avoid or distance ourselves, but that only brings a façade of peace. The kind of peace Jesus represents will require purposeful, often difficult actions and conversations. It requires a willingness to go toward people in humility: a willingness to first seek to understand, then share truth with love and reconciliation as our motivation. 

In fact, reconciliation is so important to God that he teaches us in Matthew 5:23-24 to go reconcile with the person who has something against us before we offer Him our worship. Wowza! Yup, that’s where the title came from.

Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. He is the person who made peace between mankind and God. He is described by this word and says we are to be peacemakers too. Did you know that Jesus said we are blessed when we work for peace?

“God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.”
(Matthew 5:9, NLT)

Christians ought to be the people who are able to make peace with almost anyone. Even if people disagree with us, we are to be the peacemakers. We ought not categorize ourselves so deeply into a corner that we are unable to do this. When we enter a conflict-ridden moment in our culture, in our families, or with our friends, we should be the ones who walk in and everybody takes a breath of fresh air because we have been mentored in peace by the Prince of Peace. 

Jesus teaches us not to fuel the conflict in the world we are living in, but to bring peace into it through following Him. Let’s be people who are active in the pursuit of peace by searching and working for it, knowing that peace is what God has called us to.

Politics, Media, Pandemic, Masks, Riots, Elections ... What Should We Do?

Paul was in prison facing a death sentence because of his faith. At the beginning of the letter, we see his desperation. He expresses that he’d prefer to die and “be with Christ.” But for their sake, he would press on and continue the battle. Never forget the context that most of the New Testament writers were enduring. Persecution and martyrdom were common, and opposition from the community and even family was pervasive. Yet throughout the Bible, there is not once where we are instructed to act in rebellion to the established authorities. Even though these authorities were literally anti-Christ in that the Romans and Jewish religious leaders had conspired to crucify Jesus. 

What are we called to do in such dire times? Paul says in Philippians that he is glad he was imprisoned because through it the church was motivated to preach Christ. Philippians 1:18 reads: “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.”

Communicating the gospel of Jesus Christ must be every Christian’s primary agenda. Any cause that becomes more important than Jesus has become an idol. We must ensure that the issues we fight for never supersede our calling to be ambassadors for Christ. Every other agenda must remain at a much lower level of significance. 

As Christians and citizens of our nations, we are called to influence our communities by promoting godliness in every sphere of life. Certainly we need to be involved in politics and other ways of shaping our society. Thankfully we have the ability to be an active part of the governance through voting, freedom of speech, supporting those individuals or groups that are advocating for godly governance, and in many other ways. In everything we do we must reflect the character of Christ and not be drawn into a reaction based in fear or anger. 

Paul’s exhortation to the church is as important today as it was when he wrote it. “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” (Philippians 4:4-8)

The Corporate Pursuit

In July I had the opportunity to share briefly on what worship looks like in a “Presence-Based” church, how I prepare when I lead worship, and how we, as a team, seek the Lord for what he wants to do during the worship service. We prepare prayerfully, and we are led by the Holy Spirit both before and during the service, so that we can facilitate what He wants us to accomplish and release what He wants us to release. But even more importantly, being a presence-based church is the direct result of the members leading presence-based lives. 

Read Psalm 34. David exhorts us to extol the Lord at ALL times. It is important that we worship the Lord throughout the week, with His praise always being on our lips. “Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.” When we do, look at the results that unfold in this chapter. He answers us, delivers us from our fears, and we are radiant and never covered with shame. It is promised in this passage that those who fear him lack nothing, that He will deliver them from trouble, and that He’ll be near and save those who are crushed in spirit. Not only do we really need that right now, but the whole world needs that! If this is the fruit of our lives, I can’t imagine how we wouldn’t be having an impact on those around us who really need that kind of help. 

For me, this is the vision for our corporate worship. We seek the Lord daily as individuals, worshipping him and praying and growing in relationship with Jesus. We pursue an intimate walk with Him, seeking His will for our lives. Then, when we come together as a church, and we bring our worship as a whole, we experience the rich presence of God together. We have genuine, life-changing encounters with Him and enjoy that majestic overflow of the Spirit because we have all sown into pursuing Him! 

In Ephesians 3, Paul is praying for the Church, asking God that they “may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God”. Read that whole chapter. I’m convinced that we won’t experience that fullness unless we seek it TOGETHER. I believe when we come together in one accord, it will create an atmosphere of power and authority in our meetings and we’ll experience his FULLNESS. Let’s sow in prayer together so we may reap the manifestation of that answered prayer in our corporate meetings. 

Carrie Miller is the Worship Director at New Day’s Nichols campus. She has been a worship leader for over 20 years, and has been a member at New Day since 1986. She is married to Greg Miller and they have four amazing children.

Do Not Worry

Matthew 6:25-34 says:

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

The life of the Christ-follower is a life of faith. Jesus tells us not to worry about material things like food, clothing, and shelter—not because they are unimportant, but because there are more important things that we should be concerning ourselves with. Our worry for physical things can distract us from running after Jesus’s kingdom and righteousness.  According to Jesus, if we run after his kingdom and his righteousness, He will take care of everything else. 

In the midst of this season, let’s seek first Jesus’s kingdom and righteousness as a community, and trust that the Sovereign King is going to take care of everything else.

Don't Panic

A favorite sci-fi story is “The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy,” originally a BBC radio broadcast. On the cover of the book featured in the story are the words “Don’t Panic.”  Of course the entire story is filled with scenes in which panicking would be the natural response, and the comedy is in how the characters deal with the absurd adventures.

If I were to write a book about 2020, I’d put those same words on the cover - “Don’t Panic.” I certainly didn’t foresee the events that have transpired, nor could possibly imagine a year ago all of what has happened. I did not know, but God did. And the reason for not panicking is not some science fiction comedy but the reality that we serve a God that is in control. 

Psalms 60:12 declares, “Through God we will do valiantly, for it is He who shall tread down our enemies.” With the same confidence that David sang this song, we can sing it today. Our confidence is in the mighty God we serve, and we fear no enemy. We do not fear the Covid virus, nor the media’s influence, nor the political partisan division, nor the requirements of state (whether or not we agree with them), nor the economy, nor the future. 

Romans 8:35-39 says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE KILLED ALL DAY LONG; WE ARE ACCOUNTED AS SHEEP FOR THE SLAUGHTER.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded 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, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Our victory is not determined by the state, the economy, the media, or anything that can or will happen. Our victory is ensured by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We can endure all things because He already has overcome them. John 16:33 says, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Join me in being CHEERFUL and GRATEFUL that we have the peace of Christ in us, and through Him we have overcome every threat in this world! 

Rooted

Last October, Micah and I took to the trail in search of father-son time and some cool pictures. We got both in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. One of our favorite spots was Chapel Rock—a place where you find a tree that seems to laugh in the face of wind and erosion.

This white pine sits atop a rock formation that is freestanding from the rest of the shoreline. The tree has these roots that shoot out across the free air and find their home in the soil on the mainland. It’s nuts! Just take a look for yourself...

Apparently there used to be an archway supporting these roots. It collapsed in the 1940s, leaving this 250-year-old tree to survive on the strength of its roots or fall into Lake Superior.

It’s a modern-day picture of what the Apostle Paul wrote about in the letter to the church in Ephesus...

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

(Ephesians 3:16-19)

Paul’s prayer for his church family is that they would be rooted and established. POWERFUL. This power comes from the love of Jesus Christ.

This passage pushes us to be powerful at a deeper level than intellectual agreement with who Christ is. It challenges us to have knowledge and faith—yes. And then to push deeper into Christ—into the place where we have learned about Him, believed in Him, and now share a relationship of love with Him.

Dear church, grasp His love with your mind. Encounter His love with your heart. And serve Him with all your strength.

There are forces in this world that would see you blown into the lake, forces that would erode the ground beneath you. But you have the power to stand the test of time. You have the opportunity to send your roots deep into a relationship with Jesus—to grab hold of his deep, rich love for you. That’s a picture worth taking!