The teacher is in a boat, the students are on a shore and the lesson is about a farmer. Before the story begins the crowd hears a one-word summons, “Listen!”, and after the story is over they receive a one sentence appeal, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” We were created with ears to hear. Yet, with our world’s increasing level of noise and expanding access to so many voices, it can be hard to actually listen. In His training from the boat, Jesus acknowledges the reality of distractions and He declares to those attentive enough to listen that there is great reward for those who engage their ears to hear His voice.
Last week Arik preached, “On Earth as it is in Heaven.” Yet, recent world events may make us feel like Earth is rather more like Hell right now. A series of tragedies between police officers and African Americans has created a climate of judgment, condescension, fear, and apathy. How are we to proceed as followers of Jesus Christ? In Matthew 7, Jesus makes it clear that when we are tempted to judge and lash out, we are to do serious self-reflection. We are to mourn with those who mourn, lament like David in the Psalms, carefully listen to Jesus and others, repent of what gets exposed in us (especially fear!), act in love and out of faith, and develop habits to continue to Heavenize as Jesus’ agents of reconciliation, no matter the environment.
His kingdom is beautiful because he is there
Jesus has come to bring freedom for the captives and the prisoners. He has come to set us free. Yet we often choose to live in a prison cell and let the chains hold us back from the abundant life Jesus has set before us. Are you free? Will you let the Spirit of Jesus lead you to freedom?
Your steaming coffee left on a counter will always cool. A dropped pencil will always fall down. The speed of light is always 186,000 miles per second. The earth always rotates from west to east. 2 + 2 is always 4. And God always satisfies those who look to, long for, enjoy, receive from, meditate upon, love, worship, honor, submit to, obey, forsake distractions for, and rejoice in Him through delighting in His Word. Like the laws of nature God’s blessings, according to the first song in the Hebrew hymn book, are consistent and tangible in this life and the life to come for those who delight in His Word. Therefore, let’s be among those who embrace God’s law of gravity, God’s law of mathematics and God’s law of blessing.
Uriel Luebke shares his story from working the skating scene throughout the world to becoming the pastor at Skatuary.
Dreams, whispers, visions, open doors… How do you hear from God? While God communicates in numerous ways, He primarily reveals Himself, His will, His promises, His grace and His vision for our lives through His written Word which the Apostle Paul calls, “the sacred writings.” In this message we are encouraged, equipped and inspired to go beyond reading God’s Word to encountering its Author by listening for His voice as we read, meditate, memorize and apply His Word.
The subject of calling can be a confusing one. In common vernacular we talk about “finding our calling” and it mostly has to do with following our dreams. Many of us can feel a sense of angst if we haven’t “found” it. But if there’s a calling, then there is a caller. And if there is a caller, our part is listening…
Difference makers are not typically masters of many things but those who have been mastered by one thing. What has mastered you? What is your one pure and holy passion? For the past several months we have come to know the Apostle Paul as we have journeyed through the book of Acts. As we come to the close of this book we…