8 Overarching Principles for Spiritual Vitality

 

This week, as we thank God and celebrate the 3rd anniversary of PoC's launch, let's review what He has called us to do...

PoC's 8 Overarching Principles for Spiritual Vitality

1:
GET PEOPLE MOVING.
"So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ." Colossians 1:28

2:
EMBED THE BIBLE IN EVERYTHING. READ MORE OF THE BIBLE THIS WEEK THAN LAST WEEK.
"All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right." 2 Timothy 3:16

3:
CREATE OWNERSHIP OF THE MISSION. START LOCALLY, THINK GLOBALLY."Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ." Ephesians 4:11-13

4:
PASTOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. EVERY MEMBER IS A MINISTER.
"You are the light of the world--like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden...in the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." Matthew 5:14,16

5:
LEAD FROM A CHRIST-CENTERED HEART.
"Love the Lord your God will all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength." Mark 12:30


6:
NOTHING WITHOUT PRAYER. THE PRAYER SERVICE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SERVICE OF THE WEEK.
"Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

7:
FUN IS RELEVANT. IF THE JOURNEY ISN'T FUN, NOBODY WILL WANT TO GO.
"I am the door. If anyone enters by me, they will find pasture (refreshment). The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. But I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10:9-22
"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up."
1 Thessalonians 5:11

"The joy of the Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song." Psalm 28:7-8

8:
EMPHASIS ON DAILY PRESENCE WITH GOD AND HEALTHY PRESENCE WITH OTHERS.Key study and focus on:
- Luke 15:1-32 (The Prodigal Son)
- John 15:1-11 (I am the Vine)
- John 15:-12-27 (Loving Others)
- Matthew 18:15-20 (Conflict Resolution)
- Matthew 18:1-14, 21-35 (Forgiveness)

Living On Mission with James, John, and Jesus

I sometimes see the earthly ministry of Jesus through rose colored glasses, as if everything was perfect. The crowds loved Him.  The disciples adored Him.  He healed people.  He fed people.  He brought goodness everywhere He went.  What’s not to love, right?  Well, the truth is that Jesus really was loved, but He faced opposition. Sinners loved Him. Religious people, not so much. He messed with their beliefs and traditions and that was very upsetting.  He rocked the boat.  He upset the apple cart—right along with the tables of the money changers.

Earlier this week, Pastor Amy pointed out that one of the reasons that the Samaritans didn’t welcome Jesus was because He was going to Jerusalem instead of worshipping at their beloved Mount Gerizim. Were they offended?  Could they have been hoping that Jesus would endorse their religious traditions?  Perhaps they decided that their way was the only right way and that everyone else must therefore be wrong.

Whatever their reason was for opposing/rejecting Jesus, James and John decided that it was judgment time.  They wanted to call down fire from heaven to burn up those rotten Samaritans.  But, Jesus rebuked them and made it very clear that judgment was NOT their job.  It’s not our job either.  In fact, Jesus is so very patient that He is not in a hurry to bring judgment to anyone. In 2 Peter 3 we learn that His judgment is coming and it is inevitable, but verse 9 says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”  He is delaying judgment.

Living missionally means we are joining with Jesus, acting as agents of redemption; wanting everyone to come to repentance instead of judgment. Just like Jesus, we may also encounter opposition and/or rejection, and it might come from religious people. They might not agree with the way we raise our hands, love our neighbors, feed the poor, welcome strangers, or with our stance on certain social justice issues.  We may not like or agree with their dress code, politics, the way they sing their hearts out in raucous praise, or the way they cut their grass on Sunday. But, we must remember that it is not our job to seek or pronounce judgment on people or to call for their destruction. We love, we pray, we ask for salvation, we always seek redemption.

So, the next time we face opposition, go ahead and call down fire from heaven!  Let’s just make sure we’re asking for the fire of the Holy Spirit out of love and for the purpose of redemption.  I often pray, “Pour out your Spirit, Lord, on your people. With your Holy fire, burn away everything that isn’t of you. Draw us to saving faith and fill us with Your presence.”

Let’s practice living on mission and get caught RedHanded – LovingOurCity.

Pastor Angela

Thursday Bible Readings

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Overarching Principles for Spiritual Vitality

/ 1:	GET PEOPLE MOVING. "So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ."  Colossians 1:28
/ / 2:	EMBED THE BIBLE IN EVERYTHING.  READ MORE OF THE BIBLE THIS WEEK THAN LAST WEEK. "All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.  It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right."  2 Timothy 3:16
/ / / 3:	CREATE OWNERSHIP OF THE MISSION.  START LOCALLY, THINK GLOBALLY. "Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.  Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.  This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ."  Ephesians 4:11-13
/ / / / 4:	PASTOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.  EVERY MEMBER IS A MINISTER. "You are the light of the world--like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden...in the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father."  Matthew 5:14,16
/ / / / / 5:	LEAD FROM A CHRIST-CENTERED HEART. "Love the Lord your God will all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength."  Mark 12:30
/ / / / / / 6:	NOTHING WITHOUT PRAYER.  THE PRAYER SERVICE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SERVICE OF THE WEEK. "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
/ / / / / / / 7:	FUN IS RELEVANT.  IF THE JOURNEY ISN'T FUN, NOBODY WILL WANT TO GO. "I am the door.  If anyone enters by me, they will find pasture (refreshment).  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  But I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."  John 10:9-22  "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up." 1 Thessalonians 5:11 "The joy of the Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.  My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song."  Psalm 28:7-8
/ / / / / / / /8:	EMPHASIS ON DAILY PRESENCE WITH GOD AND HEALTHY PRESENCE WITH OTHERS. Key study and focus on:      - Luke 15:1-32 (The Prodigal Son)      - John 15:1-11 (I am the Vine)      - John 15:-12-27 (Loving Others)      - Matthew 18:15-20 (Conflict Resolution)      - Matthew 18:1-14, 21-35 (Forgiveness)