Shout for Joy (Sept 5)

Posted on September 5, 2014 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Shout for Joy

September 5
Shout for Joy

Scripture Readings for Today: Psalms 100:1-5 | Ecclesiastes 10:1-12:14 | 2 Corinthians 8:1-15| Proverbs 22:20-21

Today’s Scripture Focus: Psalms 100:1-5

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. (Psalm 100:1-2 NIV)

The most enthusiastic worship experience I’ve ever seen took place in the fall of 1987. I lived in Minnesota then. The Metrodome in Minneapolis was the site of the worship experience. For weeks leading up to the event, there was talk about the possibility of this event happening. As the day arrived, it was all that people could talk about. People waited in long lines in order to get tickets to be a part of the experience, but there were too many people and not enough seats. The rest of us had to worship at home in front of our TV’s.

Usually stoic Minnesotans were screaming, shouting, jumping up and down in excitement. They clapped, they “high-fived,” they waved banners. They were really into it. They were pegging the needles on the decibel meters. Everyone talked about how loud it all was—how exciting it all was.

For weeks following the worship event, it was all that people could talk about. It had made quite an impression. Unfortunately it was not the worship of our God. It was the worship of another kind, the worship of baseball: The World Series where the unlikely Twins surprised everyone and won it all.

Now I have no particular problem with people enjoying sports, I do too. But the irony in this situation is that if you were to see the same people in their churches, there would be no excitement–no joyful shouting. I often wonder why.

In light of the greatness of our God, in light of what Christ has done for us, should there not be a little shouting when we get together to celebrate his greatness and declare his worth?

Worship is not a time to mumble. It’s a time for joyful shouting—a time for joyful singing. We serve a great and awesome God and he is so worthy of our praise. Let us come with thanksgiving and praise in our hearts and let’s celebrate the greatness of our God!

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The Right Response (Sept 4)

Posted on September 4, 2014 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

rightresponse

September 4
The Right Response

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 99:1-9 | Ecclesiastes 7:1 — 9:18 | 2 Corinthians 7:8-16 | Proverbs 22:17-19

Today’s Scripture Focus: 2 Corinthians 7

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. (2 Corinthians 7:10 NIV)

How do you respond to your pastor’s message? It’s an important question. When God speaks to you through his word—and especially through the preaching of his word—how do you respond? Unless you respond—and respond rightly—you’ve missed out on a vital part of your worship experience.

Worship is our response to God’s glory. He is always the audience in worship. It’s easy to see how that works through singing. We sing to Him; praising for who he is and thanking him for what he has done. But the whole worship service is a response to God as he reveals himself to us. Even the message—or sermon—or whatever your pastor calls that time when he talks and you doze in and out (I’m teasing, I hope). But worship isn’t really happening through the preaching of the word until we respond.

As scripture is read and explained and applied through preaching, God speaks to us. His word to us requires a response. That response is an important part of our worship.

Paul was encouraged by the way the Corinthians had responded to his earlier letter. He had to say some tough things—and he hoped they would receive his words in the right spirit. More importantly, he hoped that they would hear and respond rightly.

Their godly sorrow is the evidence that they had heard and responded to the message they received. The Holy Spirit brought conviction. They knew what Paul was saying was true. The words cut like a sword and they had to respond. Godly sorrow led to repentance: A total change of mind about sin—a determination to turn in the other direction.

Each week, we come expecting God to confront us with his truth, and to point us to some needed changes. Godly sorrow leading to repentance is always evidenced by obedience to the truth revealed.

Worship doesn’t happen by just sitting in a pew; it doesn’t happen only through the singing. An important and often neglected part of the worship service takes place as we hear and respond to the Word of God as it is read and expounded—such a response is a pleasing sacrifice of worship that is sure to bring God delight.

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Good Friends (Sept 3)

Posted on September 3, 2014 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

goodfriends

September 3
Good Friends

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 98:1-9 | Ecclesiastes 4:1 – 6:12 | 2 Corinthians 6:14- 7:7 | Proverbs 22:16

Today’s Scripture Focus: Ecclesiastes 4-6

“Two are better than one…if one falls down, his friend can help him up.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NIV)

It’s a dangerous thing to try to live the Christian life on your own. You really do need some friends for the journey; Friends who will be there to encourage you when you get down; Friends who will keep you accountable and speak the truth in love when you are tempted to fall; Friends who will be faithful even when you do fall; Friends who will accept you and love you through it all.

Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto, his faithful sidekick. Yet many today try to live the Christian life on their own, without a group of faithful friends to come alongside them to help them on the journey. Two really are better than one…and a cord of three strands is not easily broken. There is strength in the fellowship of good friends.

Christianity is best lived out in “one another” relationships with other friends. Too often we have viewed church as “sitting in a pew listening to a sermon.” I’m certainly not against doing that, but Christianity is so much more. We need to connect with each other on a deeper level. We need to laugh, cry, share and pray with one another. The journey is not always an easy one. But good friends are gifts from God that help us along when we get to the tough spots.

Thanks for traveling with me on this journey, thanks for being a friend.

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I’m Bored (Sept 2)

Posted on September 2, 2014 by pastorjeffsneighborhood
Quote from Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

Quote from Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

September 2
I’m Bored

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 97:7-12 | Ecclesiastes 1:1 – 3:22 | 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 | Proverbs 22:15

Today’s Scripture Focus: Ecclesiastes 1:1 – 3:22

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher “Utterly Meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” “All things are wearisome; more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2, 8 NIV)

The Teacher is bored. “Everything is meaningless” “All things are wearisome.” He has tried stimulating every one of his senses with the best life could offer. Where did it take him? Nowhere. He was bored.

In these chapters, he describes a search for meaning in life through education, money and possessions, power, position, relationships (hundreds of them—the most beautiful women of all the earth), and the pursuit of pleasure. He had it all, by the world’s standards, and still he felt that he was coming up short.

Somehow, he knew that there must be more to life than hedonism and materialism. Ecclesiastes is about that pursuit for life’s meaning and purpose. It speaks about the dead end of trying to live life “under the sun”—in the pursuit of money, pleasure and things. If it seems a little hopeless at times, perhaps that is because life lived that way is hopeless, meaningless and indeed, boring.

But the Teacher points us to another way of life—a way worth pursuing: “To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness” (2:26). Where is purpose and meaning in life to be found? Pleasing God. All other pursuits only lead to a dead end. Pleasing God brings wisdom, knowledge and happiness.

Many of us live as the Teacher did, pursuing life’s meaning and purpose through the pursuit of money, pleasure and things. Perhaps we haven’t gone done that road far enough yet to realize that it is a path that goes nowhere. But the Teacher had tried it and found it a journey that leads to meaningless and hopelessness. We do well to heed his words and seek the wisdom, knowledge and happiness of pleasing God.

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What is that Fragrance You Are Wearing? (Aug 28)

Posted on August 28, 2014 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

whatruwearing

August 28
What is that Fragrance You Are Wearing?

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 94:12-23 | Job 28:1 – 30:31 | 2 Corinthians 2:12 – 17 | Proverbs 22:7

Today’s Scripture Focus: 2 Corinthians 2:12-17

“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.” (2 Corinthians 2:14 ESV)

“What is that fragrance you are wearing?”

“It’s called ‘fragrance of the knowledge of Christ.’ Do you like it?”

As we know and walk in the fullness of Christ, we begin to take on an aroma– the sweet fragrance of the knowledge of Christ. Wherever we go, that pleasant aroma follows us. Just by being around us, people sense Christ’s joy, or his love, or his kindness, or one of his other winsome character qualities. As Christ lives out his life in us, we become more and more like him, and people begin to notice the difference.

It is this fragrance of Jesus that we should bring with us everywhere we go. Then doors open to share the hope we have in Christ. We no longer need to be peddlers who force our way intrusively into every conversation in a “telemarketer” fashion–which only turns people off anyway.

Paul looked for open doors (and prayed for them), and remained sensitive to the Spirit’s leading. He sought to share the hope he had in Christ, but knew that he was not a peddler on a sales call, he was a sincere lover of Christ who wanted to bring the fragrance of Jesus wherever he went–hoping it to be the fragrance leading to life to everyone in the room. Not everyone finds the aroma to their liking, but those whom God has prepared are bound to notice and ask about the fragrance we are wearing.

One of the best parts of the fragrance “knowledge of Christ” is that as we wear it, the aroma rises to heaven and brings a smile to the face of our heavenly Father. “For we are the aroma of Christ to God” (2:15 ESV). Isn’t it good to make God smile?

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Purer Than Gold (Aug 27)

Posted on August 27, 2014 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

puerthangold

August 27
Purer Than Gold

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 94:1-11 | Job 23:1-27:23 | 2 Corinthians 1:12-2:11 | Proverbs 22:5-6

Today’s Scripture Focus: Job 23-27

“But he knows the way I take; When he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”(Job 23:10 NIV)

Job was wrestling with feelings of abandonment from God. He wanted to state his case before the Almighty, but he seemed unable to find him. Often the trials of life bring on such feelings of abandonment. “But if I go to the east, he is not there, if I go to the west I do not find him. When he is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.”

We all have these “dark nights of the soul” where God is teaching us to trust him in the dark. They are difficult times because they stretch our faith, but they can be times of incredible growth.

Job was also wrestling with feelings of injustice. He didn’t understand why he was enduring all these trials: hadn’t he been faithful to the Lord? He thought that if he could only argue his case with God, he could show his integrity and blamelessness and that the trial would be over. Of course, Job didn’t understand the underlying theme which we saw in the early chapters. He was going through these trials not because of disobedience, but because Satan was testing the character of this righteous man, hoping to prove that difficult times could shake him from his trust in God.

God saw the integrity of his character and allowed the test to take place. What Satan meant for evil, God planned to use for good. He always does.

Tough times are a test of our faith, and an opportunity for growth. Conventional wisdom (Bildad and Eliphaz) assumes that the tests come because of our disobedience. Job reminds us that this is not always the case. Sometimes the tough times are tests of our faith given to us so we can grow and mature in the faith.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, [3] because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. [4] Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4 (NIV)

These have come so that your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. [8] Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. 1 Peter 1:7-8 (NIV)

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; [4] perseverance, character; and character, hope. [5] And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:3-5 (NIV)

Despite the feelings of abandonment and injustice, Job continued to trust God and persevere in his faith. His statement is an amazing one, filled with wisdom: “But he knows the way that I take; When he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”

God knows all your ways, he sees you in your trial. He hasn’t abandoned or forgotten you. He is using this tough time to test and refine your faith. When he has tested you, you too, will come forth as gold.

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Comfort Received, Comfort Given (Aug 26)

Posted on August 26, 2014 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

comfortreceived

August 26
Comfort Received, Comfort Given

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 93:1-5 | Job 20:1 – 22:23 | 2 Corinthians 1:1-11 | Proverbs 22:2-4

Today’s Scripture Focus: 2 Corinthians 1:1-11

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, [4] who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. [5] For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5 NIV)

God reveals himself through his names. It is good to meditate on them to find a fresh revelation of the truths they contain. Think on these: “God is the Father of compassion,” He is “the God of all comfort.” We all do well to allow those truths to sink deeply into our hearts. While life is difficult and there is more than enough suffering for all of us, he is the Father of compassion and the God of all Comfort who comforts us in all our troubles. That is good news.

In our readings in Job, we see a man struggling to understand the sufferings he is going through. The answers seem hard to come by, especially with the “many words” of his “miserable comforters” who don’t understand a thing about his situation. But in the text here in 2 Corinthians 1, we learn something about the mysteries of the ways of our God of compassion and comfort.

Even our suffering is not lost on God. As we draw to him through the trial, he gives comfort and grace and peace. He even gives us joy to strengthen us as we walk through the circumstances we cannot understand.

The comfort God gives is meant to overflow. He comforts us not only that our need is met, but also so that we have comfort to give away to someone else in need. As he fills you with his comfort, you become one he can use to comfort others.

Our God of comfort beckons us to cry out to him in the midst of troubles that we may receive his presence which comforts us. Our Father of Compassion holds out his arms ready to embrace us and uphold us without regard to where we’ve been or how we’ve failed. It is good to have a friend in Jesus who joins us in our times of suffering. The Holy Spirit, the comforter, is also there pouring out his love into our hearts (Rom. 5:5). Yet even with all of that comfort, God also knows that we sometimes need a shoulder to cry on, someone to encourage. That’s where you and I come in. The wounded healers who’ve found comfort and healing in the arms of our loving Father, allow the comfort of Christ to overflow through them to bring healing to others.

Receive His comfort today; allow it to overflow and bring comfort to others. It’s one of the ways he “works all things together for good.”

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Refreshing (Aug 25)

Posted on August 25, 2014 by pastorjeffsneighborhood
Quote From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

Quote From Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

August 25
Refreshing

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 92:9-15 | Job 16:1 – 19:29 | 1 Corinthians 16:1-24 | Proverbs 22:1

Today’s Scripture Focus: 1 Corinthians 16

I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, [18] for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such men. (1 Corinthians 16:17-18 ESV)

Some people refresh the soul. Others drain it of all energy. Paul here admonishes the Corinthians to give recognition to three who were “soul refreshers.” Why? Because “they refreshed my spirit as well as yours.”

In contrast we have been reading about Job’s “miserable comforters” who are probably trying their best, but still end up draining Job of any remaining energy his soul might have.

It’s good to have people like Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus. We all need the encouragement that such people bring. An encouraging word, a helping hand, a willingness to serve where needed: these things refresh the soul of one who is in ministry.

Life has a way of sapping our energy. There are more than enough “Soul drainers”. Be a soul refresher. An encouraging word goes a long way toward refreshing a tired soul.

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Under His Wings (Aug 22)

Posted on August 22, 2014 by pastorjeffsneighborhood
Quote from Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

Quote from Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

August 22
Under His Wings

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalms 91:1-8 | Job 4:1-7:21 | 1 Cor. 14:18-40 | Proverbs 21:27

Today’s Scripture Focus: Psalm 91

“Under his wings you will find refuge” (Psalm 91:4 ESV)

I was struck by the contrast between Psalm 91, which looks with hopeful expectation for God’s protection and blessing and the readings in Job where he is trying to make sense of a situation where he feels abandoned and beat up by the circumstances of life.

Psalm 91 is filled with wonderful promises of God’s protection and blessing for the one who loves him and holds fast to him. He describes his protection like a bird gathering up her young in her wings to protect them from danger. “He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.”

It’s a beautiful picture of God’s protection and faithfulness. And we’ve all walked with the Lord long enough to know that what the Psalmist says is absolutely true. God does watch over us. He does protect us. He is faithful.

Job reminds us that while all that is true, life is difficult. It’s sometimes hard to understand. We may love God deeply and be holding fast to him, only to find the trials of life intensify rather than diminish. Job wrestles with the questions brought on by his devastating circumstances but he refuses to lose hope; he continues to trust God even when he doesn’t understand. It didn’t come easy, and his friends weren’t much help in the process. But we all know that Job ultimately perseveres in his faith. And in the end, God’s blessings were poured out into his life.

Somehow I wonder if it isn’t in the circumstances like Job’s where the truth of Psalm 91 becomes most obvious. It is when life becomes dangerous and hard when protection is needed. It is then that the mother hen gathers her chicks and covers them with her wings. So in our lives, it is in the midst of the trials that God gathers us close and protects us in the refuge of “his wings”.

“It doesn’t matter, really, how great the pressure is; it only matters where the pressure lies. See that it never comes between you and the Lord–then the greater the pressure, the more it presses you to His breast.” –Hudson Taylor–

He is our refuge. Let him pull you close today.

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Hard Times (Aug 21)

Posted on August 21, 2014 by pastorjeffsneighborhood
Quotes from Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

Quotes from Open Up Your Heart by Jeff Syverson

Aug 21
Hard Times

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 90:11-17
 | Job 1:1 – 3:26 | 1 Corinthians 14:1-17 | Proverbs 21:25-26

Today’s Scripture Focus: 
Job 1-3

Bad things do happen to good people. Job is a perfect case in point. He was a blameless and upright man who feared God and shunned evil. Scrupulous about sin, he tried hard to follow God. God had blessed him with a great family. He lived comfortably and well. Then one day he lost it all.

Similar things happen everyday. People who seem to be living well, feeling secure, find themselves dealing with unimaginable tragedy. It all seems so unfair; a point that this book seems quite willing to concede.

How do we handle unimaginable tragedy? What do we do when our worst nightmares come true? This is the stuff that Job had to deal with. This is the stuff that this book deals with.

Some would like to follow Job’s wife’s advice: “Curse God and die.” When things get this bad, it may not seem like a crazy option at all. But Job would have nothing to do with her advice. He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (2:10).

Instead of following conventional wisdom, Job fell down to the ground and worshiped God: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised” (1:21).

That doesn’t mean he didn’t struggle. That didn’t mean he didn’t have questions. That didn’t mean he didn’t cry and lament the loss. He certainly did. He struggled, a lot. His friends try to comfort him with weak advice and empty clichés. They didn’t help.

If the book didn’t already raise enough questions, God shows up and asks Job a bunch of his own. In the end, the book gives no easy answers. Are there any? But it does demonstrate the struggles, the questions and the ultimate perseverance of a man of faith. A man who demonstrates how to open your heart to God in the midst of the worst this life has to offer.

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