Finding Equilibrium

Balance is a word that I hear used often in conversation as people speak about busyness and life.  We seek balance between work and family, balance in our finances so we don’t overspend, and balance with our time, so that we can volunteer, but not burn out.  Yet I believe we also want to find that kind of balance, equilibrium, and peace in our spiritual lives.

A central place that we find balance spiritually is in prayer.  We see this example set by Jesus in his life, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35, TNIV)  Prayer was a key part of Jesus’ life and of those who followed him.  Prayer was a place to be centered, a place to discern God’s will, to hear his leading, and to grow in one’s relationship with God.

We can learn a lot about prayer in the life of the church in the book of Acts.  If you have time over the next few weeks take some time to read through Acts, paying special attention to the role of prayer in the early church.  We see the disciples pray over food and financial gifts to the church, travel safety for one another, healing, emotional struggles, casting out demons, wisdom before they meet with public and religious officials, and more.  Prayer was central to the direction and drive of the early church.  Prayer kept the early church focused on discerning God’s will and direction for their work.

As we look ahead this summer, we have a major concert June 26^th, Vacation Bible School in August, and continuing outreach in the local community.  It is important at a time as this, to take time to turn to God in prayer.  We turn to God to pray not just for these events or circumstances, but because we believe prayer is central to our relationship with God and all that we do.  As you pray, pray for myself, the consistory, and our ministry leaders, that we would be sensitive to God’s leading in our own lives.  As you continue to pray more and become sensitive to God’s spirit, God will place on your heart specific items to be in prayer for and when the Spirit does, following that leading and lift it up in prayer to God.  We are told in scripture, “We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” (Romans 8:26, TNIV)  Let’s be a church sensitive to the Spirit’s leading, and a church that covers one another in prayer, and finds our balance in God’s Spirit.

Rejoice, pray, encourage

This week I was reading through 1 Thessalonians and came across this verse, “Rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, TNIV) This is a part of Paul’s final instructions in the letter for his church in Thessalonica, and is written to a church known to have a number of new believers in it. Paul as their pastor is seeking to teach the new believers what Christian community looks like so they can embody it themselves. Take a moment, and reread these verses from Paul, hear Paul the pastor pleading with and encouraging his new community to take up these words, to embody this as a church.

Envision what this might look like for you. “Rejoice always.” Pay attention to your conversations this week and see if you hear fellow Christians rejoicing always. Paul is not suggesting that they need to always put on a happy face, but to be aware of all that God is doing all around you. Take a moment at the end of the day to ask this question of yourself or others, “How have I (or you) seen God at work today? What has happened today that is especially life giving?” It is amazing the power of remembrance, of taking a moment to think about that basic question. Suddenly we remember and notice the work of God all around us that we may have missed before.

“Pray continually.” Prayer is not simply a set of words that we use with our eyes closed in a dark room, but can be a conversation with God that continues throughout our days. Take a moment this week to pray for your pastor, that God would grant me discernment as I seek to lead Trinity, pray as we approach of 50th anniversary that God would use this as a opportunity to share fellowship with old friends and with new ones. Pray for our visitors who have been joining us in worship week after week, pray that God might meet them in a real and powerful way at our church, and pray that we might encourage them and help them grow in their faith.

Paul’s central point is that we are called to build up the body of Christ in all that we do. The body of Christ at its best builds up one another in our faith. We encourage one another of how we see God at work in our own and in one another’s lives. We cover one another in pray during the good times and the bad. We encourage each other to use our gifts for God’s glory, to build up and serve this body of believers.

Pastor Bill

Rejoice, Pray, Encourage

This week I was reading through 1 Thessalonians and came across this verse, “Rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, TNIV)  This is a part of Paul’s final instructions in the letter for his church in Thessalonica, and is written to a church known to have a number of new believers in it.  Paul as their pastor is seeking to teach the new believers what Christian community looks like so they can embody it themselves.  Take a moment, and reread these verses from Paul, hear Paul the pastor pleading with and encouraging his new community to take up these words, to embody this as a church.

Envision what this might look like for you.  “Rejoice always.”  Pay attention to your conversations this week and see if you hear fellow Christians rejoicing always.  Paul is not suggesting that they need to always put on a happy face, but to be aware of all that God is doing all around you.  Take a moment at the end of the day to ask this question of yourself or others, “How have I (or you) seen God at work today?  What has happened today that is especially life giving?”  It is amazing the power of remembrance, of taking a moment to think about that basic question.  Suddenly we remember and notice the work of God all around us that we may have missed before.

“Pray continually.”  Prayer is not simply a set of words that we use with our eyes closed in a dark room, but can be a conversation with God that continues throughout our days.  Take a moment this week to pray for your pastor, that God would grant me discernment as I seek to lead Trinity, pray as we approach of 50^th anniversary that God would use this as a opportunity to share fellowship with old friends and with new ones.  Pray for our visitors who have been joining us in worship week after week, pray that God might meet them in a real and powerful way at our church, and pray that we might encourage them and help them grow in their faith.

Paul’s central point is that we are called to build up the body of Christ in all that we do.  The body of Christ at its best builds up one another in our faith.  We encourage one another of how we see God at work in our own and in one another’s lives.  We cover one another in pray during the good times and the bad.  We encourage each other to use our gifts for God’s glory, to build up and serve this body of believers.

Pastor Bill