Category: Rambling

Monday Kfirst Kickstart: “Dirt and Dung” #TheTable

Symbols are common in the Christian’s world.

A crown – royalty; victory
A dove – peace; the Holy Spirit
A door – opportunity or closure
Fire – glory of God; Holy Spirit
A cross – love, hope, redemption

But there is an overlooked symbol taken for granted that is needed more than ever in our world: The Table.

What we find in most ordinary homes was a place of extraordinary opportunities. This often unnoticed instrument of intimacy is where bread was broken, hearts opened, and lives shared. The table made outsiders friends. The table healed family fracture. The table is where the empty was filled.And the table is what Jesus invites us to partake in, yet, it is His challenge to all of us to take into the world around us.

In December, we return to a familiar topic for our church community in a new teaching series called, “Remember the Table.” Together, we partake of the hospitality of Jesus in order that we would go and “do likewise” (Luke 10:37).

Check out the service from the website or from the Facebook livestream. 

Other thoughts from the Youversion notes from Sunday:

  • “Few acts are more expressive of companionship than the shared meal…someone with whom we share food is likely to be our friend, or well on the way to becoming one.” – Carolyn Steel
  • The gospel was never meant to sedate us but to activate us in abundant life in this world.
  • Nothing more than Jesus is required; nothing less than Jesus will do.
  • When you serve others, God changes lives—and the first life He often changes is yours.

Love you all!  See you this Sunday!

BTW: Here’s a great song for the week…

Monday Kfirst Kickstart: “Probably Both” #TheTable

Symbols are common in the Christian’s world.

A crown – royalty; victory
A dove – peace; the Holy Spirit
A door – opportunity or closure
Fire – glory of God; Holy Spirit
A cross – love, hope, redemption

But there is an overlooked symbol taken for granted that is needed more than ever in our world: The Table.

What we find in most ordinary homes was a place of extraordinary opportunities. This often unnoticed instrument of intimacy is where bread was broken, hearts opened, and lives shared. The table made outsiders friends. The table healed family fracture. The table is where the empty was filled.And the table is what Jesus invites us to partake in, yet, it is His challenge to all of us to take into the world around us.

In December, we return to a familiar topic for our church community in a new teaching series called, “Remember the Table.” Together, we partake of the hospitality of Jesus in order that we would go and “do likewise” (Luke 10:37).

Check out the service from the website or from the Facebook livestream. 

Other thoughts from the Youversion notes from Sunday:

  • “A shared meal is the world’s oldest social network.” – Dr. Caroline Leaf
  • Jesus interrupts what we are about to show us what He is about.
  • If following Jesus doesn’t cost you anything, you may be more of a fan than a follower.
  • You don’t need to have it all together to be around Jesus.
  • If Jesus wanted you at your worst, why would you conclude that He is growing disinterested in you now?
  • Your life bears fruit, not for yourself, but for others.
  • Your life is a table; a place to invite those who need to partake of Jesus’ love.

Love you all!  See you this Sunday!

BTW: Here’s a great song for the week…

Monday Kfirst Kickstart: “The Message is for Monday” #StayTrue

The book of Galatians is one of the clearest presentations of the Gospel in the scriptures. God redeems people irregardless of their “lostness” through trust in Jesus Christ. Mercy undeserved; matchless favor for the broken. This is the glory of God’s grace. Galatians is both a letter to a church and a glimpse into their story. A people who’ve received Christ’s grace are at a crossroads in their own trust in Him. Though they’ve discovered redemption in Jesus, they face the pressure to conform to someone else’s expression of that faith. And the Apostle Paul writes to them to stay true to what the Gospel is all about: Hope comes from trusting Jesus, not what we can earn by performance or achievement. Salvation is a gift. And this gift is meant to change us. This series is all about staying true. And we are going to dive into this book in the effort to draw from it’s depths in order to stay true to Jesus.

Check out the service from the website or from the Facebook livestream. 

Other thoughts from the Youversion notes from Sunday:

  • Salvation is more than an “escape” from hell—it includes the process of daily being made more like Jesus.
  • Being “in Christ” means:
    1.Our identity in Christ.
    2.Our imitation of Christ.
    3.Our participation with Christ.
  • Other people are not a threat to you being recognized and loved by Jesus.
  • Christ-followers are not rivals to compete for a prize but participants in a common life of following Jesus.
  • Being “in Christ” means that every resource that was available to Jesus is available to you.
  • Don’t give into what you face; press into what you possess.

BTW: Here’s a great song for the week…

Monday Kfirst Kickstart: “Law-less” #StayTrue

The book of Galatians is one of the clearest presentations of the Gospel in the scriptures. God redeems people irregardless of their “lostness” through trust in Jesus Christ. Mercy undeserved; matchless favor for the broken. This is the glory of God’s grace. Galatians is both a letter to a church and a glimpse into their story. A people who’ve received Christ’s grace are at a crossroads in their own trust in Him. Though they’ve discovered redemption in Jesus, they face the pressure to conform to someone else’s expression of that faith. And the Apostle Paul writes to them to stay true to what the Gospel is all about: Hope comes from trusting Jesus, not what we can earn by performance or achievement. Salvation is a gift. And this gift is meant to change us. This series is all about staying true. And we are going to dive into this book in the effort to draw from it’s depths in order to stay true to Jesus.

Check out the service from the website or from the Facebook livestream. 

Other thoughts from the Youversion notes from Sunday:

  • We’re accepted not based on our performance but on the finished work of the cross.
  • “We are more sinful and flawed than we imagine, yet we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” – Tim Keller
  • God doesn’t unconditionally accept our behavior, but He does unconditionally accept us.
  • The law (of God) points us toward grace; grace empowers us to live out His law.
  • The law is doing what is expected so that you can be accepted.
    Following Christ is about being accepted so that you can live what is expected.
  • Following the law is about completing what you began.
    Following Jesus is about continuing what He completed.

Love you all. Have a great week.

BTW: Here’s a great song for the week…

Monday Kfirst Kickstart: “My Importance” #StayTrue

The book of Galatians is one of the clearest presentations of the Gospel in the scriptures. God redeems people irregardless of their “lostness” through trust in Jesus Christ. Mercy undeserved; matchless favor for the broken. This is the glory of God’s grace. Galatians is both a letter to a church and a glimpse into their story. A people who’ve received Christ’s grace are at a crossroads in their own trust in Him. Though they’ve discovered redemption in Jesus, they face the pressure to conform to someone else’s expression of that faith. And the Apostle Paul writes to them to stay true to what the Gospel is all about: Hope comes from trusting Jesus, not what we can earn by performance or achievement. Salvation is a gift. And this gift is meant to change us. This series is all about staying true. And we are going to dive into this book in the effort to draw from it’s depths in order to stay true to Jesus.

Check out the service from the website or from the Facebook livestream. 

Other thoughts from the Youversion notes from Sunday:

  • I am in Christ and He is in me.
  • Where we see the most Church divide is when we have something outside of Christ that has become more significant than Christ.
  • Our identity in Christ has to become much greater than any other identity we possess.
  • The gospel is not just about me being in Christ, but Christ being in me and His gospel working through my life.
  • You are complete in Christ. Quit acting like someone else.
  • God will never give you a life that makes Him unnecessary.
  • The way you begin in the Christian life is also the way you continue in the Christian life.

Love you all. Have a great week.

BTW: Here’s a great song for the week…

Monday Kfirst Kickstart: “Measuring Up” #StayTrue

The book of Galatians is one of the clearest presentations of the Gospel in the scriptures. God redeems people irregardless of their “lostness” through trust in Jesus Christ. Mercy undeserved; matchless favor for the broken. This is the glory of God’s grace. Galatians is both a letter to a church and a glimpse into their story. A people who’ve received Christ’s grace are at a crossroads in their own trust in Him. Though they’ve discovered redemption in Jesus, they face the pressure to conform to someone else’s expression of that faith. And the Apostle Paul writes to them to stay true to what the Gospel is all about: Hope comes from trusting Jesus, not what we can earn by performance or achievement. Salvation is a gift. And this gift is meant to change us. This series is all about staying true. And we are going to dive into this book in the effort to draw from it’s depths in order to stay true to Jesus.

Other thoughts from the Youversion notes from Sunday:

  • Measurement follows grace; grace doesn’t follow measurement.
  • Jesus is not sill making up his mind about you.
  • Jesus is the SOURCE, the SUBSTANCE, and the SCOPE of the Gospel.
  • The Gospel should point us to the problem within ourselves and then point us to the only solution, which is outside of ourselves – Jesus.
  • “No ritual and no commandment and no good deed of any kind can ever be a prerequisite for salvation, because the grace offered to us by Jesus is our only hope.” Craig L. Blomberg
  • The dominant voice of the gospel is Jesus. Anytime there is a voice louder than His within the Gospel, it is not the Gospel.

Love you all. Have a great week.

BTW: Here’s a great song for the week…

Monday Kfirst Kickstart: “The Soundtrack to My Waiting” #TrailLeader

Hitting the trail with a group of people is a fantastic way to strengthen friendships or get to know new people. While you’re putting in the miles, the person at the FRONT has a vital role in keeping the group together, focused, and safe. That person is known as the Trail Leader. A good Trail Leader will: 1. Keep an eye out for trail markers to navigate the journey. 2. Manage the group’s pace 3. Pause at crossings and junctions to regroup. 4. Recognize and maneuver through challenges. That brings us to the Old Testament figure Moses. For his story can be summed up as the story of a Trail Leader. His life is an epic tale of one who faces personal challenges while leading an entire nation along a journey of twists and turns, freedom and challenges, failures and victories. Our series will follow this Trail Leader from the beginning of his path to the end. And I hope this series will not only help us come to know Moses, but see how the trail he follows speaks into our lives today.

Check out the service from the website or from the Facebook livestream. 

 

Other thoughts from the Youversion notes from Sunday:

  • Whenever I face a season of transition, I must remember: God is present, His promises are true, and He always provides.
  • “Waiting is the in-between time; it calls us to be in this moment this season without leaning so far into the future that we tear our roots from the present. When we learn to wait, we learn to experience where we are as substantial and precious in our life.” Book – “When the heart waits” by Sue Monk Kidd
  • A season of waiting is the opportunity God uses to help us loosen our grip from control and let Him be God in our lives.
  • Waiting is God’s invitation for us to actively engage into a spiritual formation experience.
  • When God invites us to wait, He invites us to release our demands to His desires.
  • What if “waiting on God” was not some grand inconvenience, but rather the very tool God wants to use to shape & change us?
  • God’s transition seasons are packed with Kingdom purpose. We can trust Him in the waiting.
  • I will work with God by waiting on God. (Psalm 130:5-7)

Love you all. Have a great week.

BTW: Here’s a great song for the week…