Have you ever considered why Jesus taught us to pray the way he did? In the first week of When You Pray we will explore Luke 11 and dive into the heart of Jesus’ lesson on prayer given to his disciples. We will discuss the importance of how we orient our hearts on our faith journey, ensuring our spiritual rhythms do not become empty repetition, wrestle with what role persistence has in our pursuit of God, and consider the relationship God has invited us to participate in.
Come and see! This week in our series, Forever Changed, we focus on Philip. Clearly, Philip was a visual learner. His desire to know God set him on a quest that started with his connection to John the Baptist but ultimately led to him being a disciple of Jesus. In this transition, Philip drug his friends along by inviting them to, “Come and see.”
Throughout the course of his life, Philip seemed to ask probing questions that stemmed from a desire to find a deeper connection to faith. On one such occasion, Philip asked Jesus to show him the Father. Philip’s question led to our deeper understanding that Jesus in fact was the revealing of the Father. His persistence in asking, his willingness to listen, and his heart to change ultimately led Philip to a place where he became one of the first apostles to carry the message to Samaria (Acts 8). This region received his message in such a way that it was said that people were hearing and seeing the signs that he did. Who would have guessed that a person so bent on seeing would be the one that others would gather to see?
What are we asking for God to show us? What is it that God has done that we are unable to see? And, How can we be more like Philip by inviting others to come and see?
This series will focus on the incredible transformation that takes place When You Pray. We will anchor our two week series around the The Lord’s Prayer found in both the gospel of Luke and Matthew. In the same way that Jesus instructed his disciples to pray, we start each service by aligning our hearts by praying the Lord’s prayer. We will explore how Jesus chose to equip his disciples to pray and explore the exponential impact prayer can have within our spiritual lives as well as that of those around us. Join us as we study the beautiful gift of Prayer as one of the most important pillars of our faith journey.
As we close out the Speak Life sermon series, we turn our hearts to Ezekiel 37. It is easy to mistakenly think that our ability to speak life is derived from ourselves. If we truly believe that Jesus is the author of life, then we must know that our capacity to Speak Life is derived from our obedience to say the words that God gives us to speak. God has Ezekiel survey a valley of dry bones and asks one simple question: Can these bones come to life? God’s question and Ezekiel’s response reveal the true source of life as found only in God. As we study this scripture, I pray that we focus not on the mere nature of Speaking but rather on Life.
In our study this week, we will focus on the transition of power from Moses to Joshua. What does it mean to Speak Life in crucial moments like this one? Our text takes us through Deuteronomy 31:1-8 and Joshua 1:1-9. The encouragement to be strong and courageous permeates the entire text. As we consider this encouragement, we must realize that in order to truly be strong and courageous we must anchor out strength and courage in the Lord. Speaking Life is not just being positive, it must be connected to the heart and nature of God. Moses is clear to Speak Life while reminding Joshua of the importance of allowing God to be the constant in the life of Israel. It seems that we should do the same.
Choosing to speak life is not always the easiest thing to do. In some instances, we may find that our voice is not heard or has even been marginalized. In our scripture this week, we will unpack a story in which voiceless servants are the ones that Speak Life. God uses these voices and their words to heal a person that you would not expect God to heal. 2 Kings 5:1-19 challenges all of the social norms about whether or not standing in society should limit your ability to speak or God’s ability to bring life.
Speak Life
Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” In an election year that will be full of divisive and hurtful political posturing, we commit to Speak Life. This series focuses on key moments in the Biblical text when life was spoken and God’s plan was realized.
New Year's Eve at CLC
New Year's Eve at CLC
