Renewing the Center

Ephesians 3v14-21 – strengthened, rooted and grounded, and empowered.

Ephesians 1v3-14 God wants to gather up the parts of your life

St Patrick!

Psalm 32v1-7 the pain of conviction and the Joy of receiving Forgiveness

Matt. 19v13-22 moving beyond our competency and control

Exodus 17v1-7 if you cannot be with the one you blame, blame the one you’re with!

Matt. 17v14-21 confronting overwhelming need is a primary way to grow

Matthew 15v10-20 Your insides say a lot about you

Matthew 13v44-52 aligning your life around the value of God’s kingdom.

Romans 13v8-10 What is love after all?

Psalm 139 God sees us – and this is a good thing!

Exodus 3v1-12 Heeding the burning bush – experiencing God as ‘near’ and ‘other’

Exodus 2v11-25 Moses – from possibility to disqualification and back again!

Luke 11v5-13 we must be persistent in our pursuit of the Holy Spirit

Luke 18v9-14 Seeing our need and learning to pray

Matthew 5v13-16 You are salt and light! Are you living like it?

Psalm 106v6-15 learning to stand with your wicked ancestors as you ask for forgiveness!

Psalm 103v1-5 - We must remind our souls of God’s benefits

John 20v19-31 – The goodness of waiting in our doubt

John 18v33-37 Barabbas is who we get when we don’t listen to Jesus.

John 17v6-19 Jesus is praying for you because He knows how difficult life can be.

1 Corinthians 15v19-26 Jesus’s resurrection must mean something for our everyday lives

John 15v1-8 pruning and fruitfulness go hand in hand

How do we learn to abide?   Time with God – prayer/reading/silence and solitude    Time with others who invite us to move and grow   Time engaging in faithful action – doing the next right thing

Genesis 26v12-25 digging wells and finding room to grow

Some questions to consider:    Where do you sense a need to find satisfaction?    Have you lost sight of some of the things that belong to you as a child of God – even if you’ve never personally experienced the water at the bottom of those wells?    Are there places of contention in your life right now – contention concerning satisfaction and provision?    What might Rehoboth look like? God making room? 

1 Corinthians 9v24-27 Questions to help you run the race

1/ What do I need from God right now? What do I desire for God to do for me/in me?  2/ What kind of person am I meant to be right now? What attitudes/characteristics/values am I meant to embody in this season, regardless of my circumstances?  3/ What work is being set before me? What tasks/responsibilities am I meant to engage in the days ahead? 

John 11v32-37 What happens when God seems late?

John 10v11-18 Jesus is a Good shepherd. I am a fragile (and stubborn!) lamb.

Matt 16v13-20 Who do YOU say that I am?

John 7v37-39 Where are you looking for satisfaction?

John 6v56-69 What does it mean to digest (eat and drink) the life of Jesus?

John 6v16-24 -Jesus is able to walk upon that which overwhelms us.

John 4v46-54 – The Second Sign of Jesus – healing of the official’s son

Matthew 2v1-12 Epiphany – learning to see Jesus

Genesis 4 - conflict and sin puts us east of Eden

Luke 2v8-20 having eyes to really see Jesus in 2021

Revelation 21v15-22v5 there is something good waiting for you after heaven!

Zephaniah 3v14-20 – experiencing the goodness of life on the other side of darkness

John 1v1-18 Christmas - God has moved into the neighborhood!

Luke 1v39-55 - having eyes to see Jesus when others miss Him.

Matthew 11v2-11 doubt is normal – and it should spark questions for God.

Spiritual Practice - Joy!

Mark 1v1-8 - Preparing for Jesus – and advent reflection

Galatians 4v4-7 – An Advent reflection – Jesus comes the fullness of time to move us from slave to daughter to heir!

Spiritual Practice - Advent Two - Love

Isaiah 6v1-8 - moving from feeling disqualified to ‘send me!’

Psalm 25 The ways that God guides and leads us

Spiritual Practice - Advent One - Hope

Psalm 12 - Crying out to God when things are bad, and seem to be getting worse.

Psalm 4 – You gave me room when I was in distress

Rich Villodas – the pastor at New Life Fellowship in NYC – has a great tool for what to do whenever a disproportionate reaction arises in your life. He invites us to ask these questions.    1.    What happened?  2.    What am I feeling?  3.    What does the story I’m telling myself?  4.    What does the gospel say?  5.    What is the counter instinctual act that is required? 

Psalm 141 Our words and our friends - Speaking the truth in love is essential for spiritual growth.