Happy New Year!

Time Magazine reported "When it comes to New Year's resolutions, our self-improvement efforts often focus on getting a better body. And we ignore that other, equally important part of our wellbeing: our mental health."

As most are discovering the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical are all connected in our lives.  

One person commented "One of my 2015 resolutions is to get back into church..."

I just had to ask what that means?

"Well, get back into church means basically 3 things to me; 1) getting more positive influence in my life, 2) getting free from unhealthy stuff, and 3) rebuilding my relationship with Jesus.  God knows I need all of those...!"

Hmmmm. What an honest answer will do to kickstart things in the right direction!

Get a fresh start! Join us January 2015 at SHV for the "REBUILD: Time for Action" series! Sundays 9:00 & 10:45 am.

Check out new classes and groups.

Real Life | Community | Mission

When Walking Together Works

Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. 1 Thessalonians 5:14 NLT

What happens when we enable destructive behavior instead of challenging it? Or we scream so loud that our voices are tuned out?

What happens when we challenge the timid instead of encouraging them? When we push the weak instead of holding them up? 

Patience runs thin and we don't end up walking together for very long... 

It can only work as we yield to Jesus and approach each other in humility, even when we mess it up.

Jack was a unique character, his piercing eyes could see right through you. He challenged me when I got off track. And when he prayed for me it was as though God was holding me up, I was lifted from my fears and energized with hope. Funny, all those things could happen in the span of an hour. I was able to walk "in sync" with Jesus. Oh, for more people like Jack...

Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins (forgives and disregards the offenses of others). 1 Peter 4:8 Amplified

Paying Attention to Discontent

To live well means to be "in sync" with Jesus, following Him and drawing our life from Him. What happens when you lean in to following Jesus?  When you experience discontent is that always negative?

When discontent is an invitation to more...

Sometimes there is a growing discontent with things that can never substitute for His life.  It's like drinking seawater.  Trying to draw life from things like success or more stuff, medicating emotional pain, harboring bitterness, etc., we get dehydrated, more thirsty and experience spiritual death.

Thankfully discontent can be a sign on the path to finding Jesus. Jesus said "If anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink."  John 7:37

My mom and I were talking about this season, how her prayer life is morphing into more silent waiting before Jesus and being with Him. Awkward, unfamiliar, and beautiful!

When discontent is an invitation to inner transformation...

We can easily misinterpret discontent as a need to change our external surroundings when Jesus is drawing us into something deeper.

Many marriages and relationships are destroyed by discontent. Rather than learning "the grass is greener where you water it"people run to something new and novel (seawater).  

On the other hand, discontent in a relationship can drive us further into Jesus and His peace. And into necessary change and sacrificial love- resulting in real happiness. Relationships are much healthier when we draw life from Jesus and serve one another versus drawing life from others and asking Jesus to serve us...

Experiencing discontent? Can you hear Jesus inviting you to drink? Spew out the seawater. Don't run away.  Taste and see that the Lord is good.  

Trust and Thanksgiving

"The more intimate we are with Him the firmer our trust shall be." (Charles Spurgeon commenting on "I have found shelter in You, Eternal One" Psalm 71:1)

Interesting that physical or spiritual proximity does not indicate intimacy. Judas saw fish and loaves of bread multiply in his hands as he distributed to groups of 50 along with the other disciples. Can you imagine that experience?  The miracle?! The nearness of Jesus?! What it would do to your heart and mind?!

Though his hands were part of the miracle, His heart wasn't completely present and available to Jesus. The others in this band of followers weren't aware of Judas' problem.  While others struggled to connect the miracle to future challenges (Jesus reminded them "How many baskets of leftovers did you collect?"), Judas wrestled with deeper unbelief.

Reflect on the invitation to trust, look at your own hands and remember times the bread has multiplied (God has provided). Turn your heart to acknowledge, and to yield, to give thanks.  Take that step toward Jesus. Let trust take the place of doubt.

A Cure for Drama

One practical cure for drama is to enlist the support of a trusted friend.  Whenever they see you start (or enter) the drama, ask them to gently, yet firmly, let you know its happening. "You seem like you're getting amped up?"  "This is that thing you were talking about..." "I know that whole thing sounds crazy, but are you aware its happening...?"

Then make the decision to stop talking, stop texting, stop posting, stop tweeting. Fill those uncomfortable moments of silence with prayer.  "Lord Jesus, have mercy on me..."  Learn how to pray about the thing you naturally get tweaked by. Try it a dozen times and see what happens.

Adventurously Expectant

This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. – Romans 8:15  The Message 

The baptism celebration was amazing; new life in Jesus!  A new beginning, coming out of the water...

But we can easily miss out on going forward, like a scuba diver retrieving from the waters what has died with Christ.  What are you tempted to pull back out of the water? Anxiety? Unbelief? Bitterness? Lies? Rejection? Drama? Lust? Pride? 

Take off the scuba gear. No need to tend that watery grave of baptism. You're a new creation in Jesus and the old nature has died. Time to move on with Jesus and with others, adventurously expectant.

Good News

Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see –how good God is. Blessed are you who run to him. –Psalm 34:8 The Message

Is the Good News really good? How good?  

Good enough to keep me coming back for more, every day? Good enough to occupy my thoughts?  Good enough to fill my heart with gratitude? Good enough to spill over into conversation? Good enough to cause me to yield, or to propel me forward?  

Yep!

Get Quiet and Connect

This is what Stacy shared in her response to “How do I Get in Sync with Jesus?” Simple and profound.

How can you get quiet and connect when the days roll by, when activity fills every space?

To be in sync with Jesus doesn’t mean eliminating activity, it means walking with Him in the middle of it. Can I get quiet and connect while working? While driving? While hanging out with friends? While on my phone? While golfing?

It seems Jesus needed to get away regularly to do this, and as a result He was able to live in connection with His Father (God) when with people!

What happens when I let days turn into weeks without unplugging from activity? I lose my reference point for connection, and for the trust that results. “Be still and know that I am God” is a distant guilt-producing reminder- or an invitation to drink from the relationship where I find real life.

Take a moment to get quiet and connect, right now. Pause. Hear the invitation from Jesus. Whew.

The Noise of Life

Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” John 5:17

Why is it so hard to live in that reality? One author says its because we can’t break free from our internal reactive commentary…

“The reactive life is strengthened by those sudden spasms of talking, talking, talking, talking to ourselves about life and love and how everybody ought to behave and vote. This twittering chatter keeps the attention riveted to and identified with objects that appear in our minds.” p. 18, The Sunlit Absence, Martin Laird

He goes on to say that learning to be present to God in prayer is what sets us free.

How can we do that? He tells the story of a guy who tried to learn this by going on a silent prayer retreat. The only problem, every day a neighbor would fire up his saw in the garage and it literally rattled the walls of his room. He got so ticked off he almost exploded. Finally, after a few days another person (on his own prayer retreat in another room) went over and confronted the guy, yelling and screaming…

But something happened. The first guy began to see that knowing God is always working can happen in the midst of noise. The “loudest saw” can be our own internal commentary. Laird says in prayer we can “gradually move from being agitated victim to silent witness” meaning we can experience God at work.

Most days I’m like the guy who went over to confront the neighbor. I’m learning by experience- to witness God at work comes from being present to Him in prayer, all through the day. Easier said than done.

“Satan blocked our way” 1 Thess. 2:18

Jesus said in Matthew 13:19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart.

Whenever we attempt to practically follow Jesus we will encounter obstacles.

When have you experienced a nudge, an impression to take a step forward with Jesus?

Set aside some time to pray and read the Bible?

• Have you ever been more exhausted? More distracted?

Connect with your neighbor?

• Could life be any more busy? Why am I so drawn to other stuff?

Make amends with someone?

• What’s up with the increased bitterness and indifference?

Serve outside your comfort zone? Dreams in your heart to make a difference?

• Why the waves of anxiety? Inadequacy? Fear of the unknown?

Take a few moments to get in sync with Jesus and identify the nudge or impression. Receive His strength. Take a step forward today!

Everyday Reminders

What if Jesus pointed to something you saw everyday and connected it with following Him? That's how he taught. Whenever you saw it in the future all the emotion would come rushing back, the sights, the sounds, the smells, the meaning, the message. You'd remember the inflection of His voice, the piercing and pleading of His eyes, the intensity and lightness of His manner.

Imagine today, Jesus might say "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Get in sync with me and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. You were made for my operating system, it has no flaws and it’s made perfectly for you, it’s not taxing but life-giving.”

Whenever you see a computer or sync devices you'd remember, that's like my connection with Jesus. We all are invited to get in sync with Jesus. What does it look like for you? That place where you connect with Him and experience His life? The place you get in touch with the sights, sounds, and meaning of His living Word.

Here are a few examples (check out more on SHV's Facebook page):

Chrissy Utesch: One of the ways I sync with Jesus is by getting out and enjoying His creation. He speaks and I am eager to listen.

Middleton Family: Family Bible reading and listening - the kids draw their responses to what Jesus is stirring in them.

Email your picture and tell us how you get in sync with Jesus or post a comment on SHV's Facebook.

In sync with Jesus

Sync /siNGk/  short for synchronize, is defined as to match up, or when people or things move together.

Last week I finally resolved to fix my calendar problem after missing an important date.  My calendar was in the "failure to sync" mode across all my devices.  Back in the old days I kept everything in one place, a "Day-timer."  Now because it's soooo much easier, I can enter a new event on my computer and it shows up on my iPad and my phone and I never forget.  Unless there is a failure to sync... 

To "live well" before God is to live in a synchronized relationship with Jesus, as Eugene Peterson says to live "in equilibrium." 

Here's what it looks like for me to get in sync with Jesus.

getting quiet, reading, listening, engaging

What about you?  How do you get in sync with Jesus?

25 Potential Benefits of Spiritual Attack

Jesus said “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.” 
Matthew 5:11 NLT

Being attacked or slandered is not fun, it stinks, but in fact, though unexpected and not sought after there can be many benefits! 

1.     You learn to receive God’s affirmation in new ways

2.     The Psalms become your prayer book and songbook

3.     You get weaned from being a people-pleaser

4.     You more readily empathize with those who suffer

5.     Your learn to forgive and not live in the prison of bitterness

6.     You learn the power of prayer and worship

7.     Your discernment increases when you get free from people-pleasing

8.     You become more resolute in following Jesus

9.     You have a new appreciation for the cross, suffering of Jesus and communion

10.   You see how the kingdom advances through godly suffering

11.   Your self-reliance decreases and trusting God increases

12.   As you experience mercy you find it can flow more freely through you

13.   You learn when to speak and when to be silent

14.   You grow in speaking the truth in love for the sake  of others

15.   You learn true humility and obedience whether you want to or not

16.   You experience an increase in the power of Christ working in and through you

17.   Your love for the world decreases and desire for heaven and the new earth and God’s restoration increases

18.   You experience a deeper reality of Rom 8:28, all things work together for good

19.   Attacks reveal chinks in your armor, and God is able to do a deeper work of transformation in you

20.   When you run into the devil face to face its a good sign you’re not walking with him

21.   You show that you belong to Jesus

22.  You learn to yield to authority- God’s authority and that of the people he has placed in your life

23.   You find out who your friends are

24.   Your hatred of evil increases

25.   Your grip gets stronger as you learn to hold on to what is true through hard times

The power of worshiping Jesus together

We were sitting outside in the rain with a few hundred people waiting on the concert to get started.  A guy was telling me about his brand of following Jesus...  "I don't need the church.  I can watch a great message on youtube and get all I need.  I believe in Jesus, but I might be different than some people, I hate worship.  Getting together with people to sing songs is such a bore and makes no sense to me..."

After a few moments of pause- did he just say what I think he said?  "hate worship?" - we went on to discuss the implications of his statements.

It is easy to vote no on the whole menu when you taste something you don't like.  But that is the cultural bleed which can so powerfully taint us when it comes to following Jesus.  He was clearly missing the why, the who and the what of worship.

Sure there are a lot of adjustments which can be made in local church worship.  Some examples of cultural bleed include: self-absorption which results in singing way more about my feelings than the greatness of God; shallow interaction with God and His book which results in shallow lyrics; passively watching other people sing or perform; songs so creative and complicated they are impossible to follow; repetition of the same phrase for 5 minutes which leads to 5% experiencing bliss and 95% thinking about lunch.  What a challenge for worship leaders, musicians and pastors!

Eugene Peterson's gives a beautiful picture of the WHO and WHAT of WORSHIP.

"Common worship, that is, corporate worship (worship 'in common'), gives the basic form and provides the essential content for this aspect of 'growing up' to the 'full stature of Christ.'  Private worship while alone in semi-paralysis before a TV screen is not mature worship.  Certainly we can worship in solitary.  Some of our richest moments of worship will come while strolling on a beach or wandering in a garden or perched on a mountain peak.  What we must not do is deliberately exclude others from our worship or worship selectively with like-minded friends...  Maturity develops in worship as we develop in friendship with the friends of God, not just our preferred friends.  Worship shapes us not only individually but as a community, a church.  If we are going to grow up into Christ we have to do it in the company of everyone who is responding to the call of God.  Whether we happen to like them or not has nothing to do with it."  p. 36, Practice Resurrection

What would happen if we approached worship this way?

What if we committed to this type of maturity, which is like applying a Tide stick to cultural bleed?

What if we keep adjusting how we worship in order to please God more?

Just think of the amazing potential to change the world when Jesus is exalted and we love one another...  

Broken relationships are healed and captive people are set free.

That's what I signed up for.

Jesus, again and again

For a few days in August we enjoyed the crisp mountain air and a cabin at 9,200 feet.  With a cup of hot coffee one morning, I took some time to read and reflect on the Bible, specifically the letter to the Colossians.  It was as though every statement about Jesus jumped off the page and grabbed hold of my heart and mind.  Jesus, again, and again, and again, Jesus… 

Colossians 3:4 says “He is your life”

What we believe about Jesus determines how we live, and whether we really live.  

We can easily latch on to one thing we like about Jesus, but it may only be part of the picture and easily misapplied.

“Jesus is a great example” is true, but by merely emulating what I know of him I can miss out on relationship and the life he gives. 

Believing “Jesus is a prophet” I can reduce him to pronouncing judgment on things I don’t like, and “pick and choose” what I’m comfortable with him saying.

Thinking Jesus is only “a great teacher” I can easily trust more in what I know (and my ability to know) than I trust Jesus.

I can use “Jesus is my Lord and Savior” as a magical phrase, a get out of jail free card, somehow concluding I’ve covered the spiritual bases, the journey is over and I’m just waiting on heaven.

“Jesus is all about love and acceptance” can lead to relativism, where anything goes just so long as I’m not hurting anybody else.

It helps to keep coming back to what Jesus said about Himself, and to what God says about him (in places like Colossians). 

Recently I was talking to a guy and asked if he had any spiritual belief.  He told me about still being a member of a church in another state (he had not attended in over 30 years).  But when I asked him about Jesus something happened.  He started to talk about his current struggles.  I encouraged him with a related story of how Jesus broke in to someone’s situation to bring hope and change.  Then we got to pray together and invite Jesus to come and do the same thing in his life.  Somehow the detached perspective of Jesus was overcome in a few moments of talking about who Jesus is, and inviting Jesus to take action.  It never gets old...

I’m excited about this next season, because Jesus; again, and again, and again; keeps grabbing hold of my heart and mind with who he is.  Jaw dropping, eyes lifting, hope springing… 

Check out these phrases about Jesus from Colossians in The Message.  Maybe good material for praying, singing, meditating, sharing...

We look at Jesus and see the God who cannot be seen.

We look at Jesus and see God’s original purpose in everything created.

Everything got started in Jesus and finds its purpose in him.

Jesus was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment.

Jesus was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end.

From beginning to end Jesus is there, towering far above everything, everyone.

All the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of Jesus’ death, his blood that poured down from the cross.

You don’t need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him.

…the source of life, Christ, who puts us together in one piece, whose very breath and blood flow through us.

He is your life.