Park Message today - Why do we work?

The girls - with their social life that I live vicariously through - are at a sleepover tonight.  The dear hubby and I had a date night.  He suffered through a night with his prego wife who had strange food aversions such as "nothing that is edible tastes good or looks good." 

We used our Groupon coupon to Barrio and decided we were glad it was a groupon coupon.  Sigh - while the food was different and they gave nice little portions, the service lacked a lot!  I had the opportunity to visit the bathroom (d/t the pea size of my bladder that the silly baby seems to think is his water bed) three times from appetizer to desert and wished I had before we left.  That was how long dinner dragged out.  Perhaps God was trying to get us to enjoy the time alone together - all a part of his master plan that we totally ignored. 

We came home to look over the Message from Park Church for Sunday, knowing we would enjoy the service to ourselves with our kids away.

I really liked this short theme - it has me thinking deeply about what work means to me.  I wish I could say I enter every work week with a renewed sense of purpose but find myself longing for something better as soon as I am five minutes into the Monday work day.  While work does give me a sense of purpose and I enjoy what I do - minor (and some major things) often irritate me so that I am not who I should be.  Sigh - I have a lot of work to do on this front. 

Ecclesiastes 1:3 :: Your Work Matters to God, Pt. 2

Ecclesiastes 1:3 ESV
What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 :: Your Work Matters to God

Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 ESV
And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

What does work mean for you?   

What is the MAJOR reason you work?

Today's Message at Park was utterly profound yet so basic and simple. 

Genesis 1:28 ESV

And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

I've never been the "lazy" person at work.  I might go through seasons where I feel blah about work but I always try to put my best work forward.  I don't think of work as an idol but after today's message I have to think twice about how I work.  I rarely have a "sabbath."  Rarely.  I am always checking email, even if it is just for personal emails.  You know how that ends up - you look for personal emails and then there is an email from work and you just have to read and possibly answer.  Then there are the charts I must go through, and often times, go in on the weekend to gather.  I always feel like things need to be done now, as opposed to later, well as opposed to just done and turned in and I always feel like I need to look for new things to tackle or improve.





I need to make a few changes in my life - which perhaps - would make me happier about my job, a better mom, a better wife and in turn a better woman of God.

1. I need to keep a sabbath - totally disconnect from my email/twitter/FB and VPN access to work?
2. I need to not push the envelope of time at work - do what's reasonably expected of someone within a normal work week and stop bringing work home, checking email at dinner and working on "work" at the dinner table.  
3. I need to learn to say "no" at work.  (I am not the only one that can do a task and do it well)
4. I need to give my career over to God.
   

At the end of the service there was a CHALLENGE  -  One sentence mission statement for MAKING YOUR WORK WORSHIP Just one sentence to summarize what you want to see happen in your life.

I have thought about it all day, and while I was going through charts as well, and came up with this.

I want to make an impact at work from the skills and calling that God has given me while showing my co-workers, and others I come into contact with, Christ's Love.

So what is the MAJOR reason YOU Work?

Operation Restore

First of all - after this last week the praise and worship at Park was just what I needed to wipe away the stress and fatigue so that I could be focused on the message. 

The message was filled with hope and urging to pursue those who have wandered.


James 5:19-20 ESV
My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Who do you need to pursue?

Heaven and Hell Revisited

Trying to reconnect and spend time in the word.  I thought I would make it easy and search Park's blog for recent posts. What I found was a discussion on the new book by Rob Bell that I refuse to buy.

I only refuse to buy it because it seems to be kicking up quite the controversy and I am not in the mood to be in the middle of a controversy.

I thought this was quite the blog post and confirmed my need to not read the book.  I think that Christians need to be cognizant of what they read and back it up with the Word.  This blog post says it all.   I encourage you to cruise over there and take a look. 

Praise God for the Living Word - to guide us and keep us. 

Park Message today - Prayer and Praise

I find it odd, knowing the grace and mercy of God, along with his power and glory, that I often forget to "pray." I praise - I even praise alot in times of trial - but prayer eludes me. Why is that?

The message today, at Park, once again reminded me how incomplete my journey in Christ is. (insert sigh here)

James 5:13-18 :: Prayer

James 5:13-18 ESV
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

I find it ironic - all those times we were trying to get pregnant (all five years of it) I praised God no matter each month.  I don't remember "praying" all that often the desires of my heart.  Don't get me wrong - I prayed, usually with each BFN or each failed attempt or more statistics thrown on our lap.  I never really just cried out to God the anger, hurt and longing of my heart.  However, as soon as we found out we were preggers - I have prayed and praised almost every day.  Did I fail this trial?  

About a two weeks ago I had a scare at work - thinking it was just one more miscarriage.  I immediately started praising and praying till I was home in bed and praying more.  I did turn to praising and have been praising every day since knowing my hope lies in Christ not in the certainty of statistics and doubt of man.  I feel maybe I grew this this last trial - but how do I learn from this and grow?  How do I chose to pray first and then act?  I always seem to "act" first not pray.

My confession is that I do not rely on God for all, everything, anything.  My confession is that I worry, fear, fret and become anxious over everything - most of which is not in my control.

My prayer is that I grow to rely on God more, that I am quick to prayer and slow to action, that I be more mindful of where I am at all times.

Heaven and Hell

Tomorrow's message at church - been reading it tonight.  I have a feeling, while it will be presented quite well, it will be heavy!

Luke 16:19-29 :: Heaven & Hell

What is biblically supported in the narrative?: - Background - Details of the rich man - Details of the poor man - Lazarus in the place of God - Where Abraham is now - Reclining at the table – what is to come - Hades – torment - No second chance once you die - There is a chasm between heaven and hell - The Bible is more than enough for folks to make wise, Spiritual decisions about God and Jesus - Seeing a miracle is no guarantee someone is going to be believe What is not biblically supported in the narrative?:

- Do angels come and take us to heaven – Bible does not say - No indication we can see the other side - No indication that those who are in Hades can talk to those who are in the presence of God WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE? WHERE DO YOU GO?

- Soul Sleep WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HADES – SHEOL – GEHENNA - PARADISE? - 2 Peter 2:9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous UNDER PUNISHMENT UNTIL THE DAY OF JUDGMENT FOR THE FOLLOWER OF JESUS:

- Philippians 1:23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and BE WITH CHRIST, for that is far better. - 2 Corinthians 5:6 - Luke 23:43 FINAL JUDGMENT –GREAT WHITE THRONE: - Acts 17:30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because HE HAS FIXED A DAY ON WHICH HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD - Romans 2:5 - Revelation 20:11-15


After the Great White Throne or Final Judgment, all humanity will either live in the new heavens and the new earth or in hell I HAVE HEARD THAT HELL IS REALLY JUST NOTHINGNESS IS THAT TRUE? - Annihilation: God does not delight in the thought of hell. GOD DOES NOT DELIGHT IN THE THOUGHT OF HELL

- 1 Timothy 2:4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. - Ezekiel 33:11 - 2 Peter 3:9 WHAT IS HELL? - Isaiah 66:24 “And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.” - Matthew 13:49-50 - Revelation 19:20 - Revelation 20:13-15 - Revelation 21:8


ARE THERE DEGREES OF PUNISHMENT IN HELL? - Luke 12:47 And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. - Matthew 11:22 - Revelation 20:12


SOME OF YOU RIGHT NOW ARE THINKING THIS ISN’T FAIR WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE WHO ARE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS? - HEAVEN - Revelation 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. - NEW HEAVENS AND NEW EARTH - Wedding Feast – Banquet - Matthew 26:29 - Revelation 19:9 - IT IS A CITY WE WILL LIVE IN - Revelation 21:15-25


ARE SOME CHRISTIAN REWARDED MORE THAN OTHERS IN HEAVEN? - Revelation 11:18 The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants . . . - 1 Corinthians 3:12-15

WHAT ARE WE GIVEN AS OUR REWARD? - A CROWN - Revelation 4:10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, IS THERE SUCH A THING AS A LOVED ONE LOOKING DOWN FROM HEAVEN? - Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses . . .

WILL I KNOW LOVED ONES AND FRIENDS IN HEAVEN? WILL I STILL BE MARRIED IN HEAVEN? WILL I GET MARRIED IN HEAVEN?
(MY FATHER AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS VERY THING LAST WEEK – MY MOM AND MY SISTER AND MY SON) - Matthew 22:29 But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. - 1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

WHAT WILL PREVENT ME FROM GOING TO HELL FOR WHAT I HAVE ALREADY DONE?

How Patient is your Heart?

I can tell you that I am not very patient...  many things annoy me but slow people really annoy me.  I just got through telling my daughter today - people who walk through life like they have all the time in the world really annoy me.  This is where I tell you that I confessed this to her AFTER the message today. 

More importantly - where is my heart on patience?  I would like to think that I am patient, five years of patience (lol)....  but I wonder if I could have handled the last more year with more praise and grace than the heart ache I felt and expressed.

I need to work on my patience.  I need to realize that my life is on God's time table not on mine.  I need to realize that God has a master plan for my life and my family's life.  I am such a control freak this is gonna take alot of prayer...  alot of prayer....  Praise God for his Mercy and his Grace. 


James 5:7-11 ESV
Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

To look at notes check out Park on YouVersion

What do you do with your Wealth?

Another Great Message today....

James 5:1-6 ESV
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.

Notes from the message....


Context - Who is James speaking of in this passage? This is written like a prophetic piece from the Old Testament Matthew 19:23 And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the EYE OF A NEEDLE THAN FOR A RICH PERSON TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD.” 1st of 3 reasons why these rich are in trouble 1 - These rich hoard their wealth 2 "Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten." 3 "Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days." REASON 2 - These rich got richer by defrauding their workers 4 "Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts."

The poor have no where to turn for help – No power to resist so they turn to the greater authority Leviticus 19:13

Deuteronomy 24:14

“You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns.

V 15 You shall give him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets (for he is poor and counts on it), lest he cry against you to the LORD, and you be guilty of sin.

REASON 3 - These rich use what they make off defrauding their workers to follow a self-indulgent lifestyle 5 "You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter."

REASON 4 - These rich use their power to oppose the righteous

V 16 "You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you." Instead of HOARDING OUR WEALTH we wisely seek TO GIVE IT AWAY Instead of SEEKING TO GAIN THROUGH FRAUD we STRATEGIZE HOW TO BE MORE GENEROUS Instead of being SELF INDULGENT we seek to be RESTRAINED Instead of using our POWER TO OPPRESS we seek to use our POWER TO HELP

Remember - you can always catch up on Park's Message YouVersion Live!

Hope Lies in Christ

James 4:13-17 ESV
Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Speaking Ill of each other

I am so excited - we were unable to make it to church today - because Rowan woke up with a  fever and I with unbelievable morning sickness.  That's not why I am excited - I am excited because Park has their messages on YouVersion now!!!!!  I can access them on my iphone!  KEWL


James 4:11-12 ESV
Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

They even come with notes!!!  And you can add your notes!!!!

HOW DO WE SPEAK AGAINST – SPEAK EVIL OF SOMEONE? 

James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. - 

WHAT DO YOUR WORDS PRODUCE? - WHY DO WE DO IT? - HERE IS HOW IT WORKS Matthew 15:18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the HEART, and this defiles a person. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, FALSE WITNESS, SLANDER. - LITTLE DO WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE JUDGE & SPEAK AGAINST SOMEONE WE PLACE OURSELVES OVER GOD - HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU ARE NOT GOD? 

12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? Isaiah 33:22 For the LORD is our judge; the LORD is our lawgiver; the LORD is our king; he will save us. - SAVE James 2:8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your NEIGHBOR as yourself,” you are doing well. Leviticus 19:18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your NEIGHBOR as yourself: Matt 22:39 And a second is like it: You shall love your NEIGHBOR as yourself. Rom 13:10 Love does no wrong to a NEIGHBOR; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. - Loving our neighbor is obedience to the law - Loving our neighbor is works that shows our faith How do we love our neighbor? - By understanding how God has loved us as His NEIGHBOR 12 He (GOD) who is able to save and to destroy. -

DESTROY Matthew 12:36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, Matthew 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather FEAR HIM WHO CAN DESTROY BOTH SOUL AND BODY IN HELL. - BUT, there is MORE GRACE 

Vs. 6 – There is more grace for the humble - LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR DOES NOT MEAN WE AVOID SPEAKING THE TRUTH TO THEM - It is how we speak the truth - WE SPEAK TO OUR NEIGHBOR WITH HUMILITY - 

Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. - 

WE SPEAK TO OUR NEIGHBOR IN LOVE WITH A PURPOSE Ephesians 4:15 Rather, speaking the TRUTH IN LOVE, we are to GROW UP in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, -

WE SPEAK TO OUR NEIGHBOR COMMITTING OURSELVES TO THEM - IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO MAKE IT RIGHT - REPENT – CONFESS IT - APOLOGIZE to the one you shared with concerning someone - When appropriate APOLOGIZE to the one you trashed

KEWL