A Summer to Remember Part 5 – Pastor Melissa Deuel
We all long for the kind of faith that can move mountains. But are our prayers bold enough to see God move them?
What would happen if we started praying bold prayers? What would happen if we started praying God’s word, and started claiming the promises God has for us? Maybe then we would discover that the God who parted the sea and walked on water is still active in the world today.
I love the stories of the disciples’ failures. They did not get it right all of the time. In Matthew chapter 17, we come to one of those moments where the disciples come before Jesus in humility to ask, “Jesus, what did we do wrong?” A man had brought his son before them to be healed, but the disciples could not heal the boy. When they were alone, they asked Jesus, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” And He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” But the problem is, we don’t always have the kind of faith that can move mountains.
Do you ever find yourself reasoning away your faith? When someone asks for healing we add qualifiers to our prayer, things like, “God if it is your will….” instead of claiming the Lord as our healer, and the one who has carefully crafted our bodies. Or maybe when things are tight financially we may ask God for some grace and mercy but we forget that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. WatchNotesDownloadDateTitle
- Jul 15, 2018A Summer to Remember Part 5 – Pastor Melissa Deuel
A Summer to Remember Part 5 – Pastor Melissa DeuelWe all long for the kind of faith that can move mountains. But are our prayers bold enough to see God move them?What would happen if we started praying bold prayers? What would happen if we started praying God’s word, and started claiming the promises God has for us? Maybe then we would discover that the God who parted the sea and walked on water is still active in the world today. I love the stories of the disciples’ failures. They did not get it right all of the time. In Matthew chapter 17, we come to one of those moments where the disciples come before Jesus in humility to ask, “Jesus, what did we do wrong?” A man had brought his son before them to be healed, but the disciples could not heal the boy. When they were alone, they asked Jesus, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” And He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” But the problem is, we don’t always have the kind of faith that can move mountains.Do you ever find yourself reasoning away your faith? When someone asks for healing we add qualifiers to our prayer, things like, “God if it is your will….” instead of claiming the Lord as our healer, and the one who has carefully crafted our bodies. Or maybe when things are tight financially we may ask God for some grace and mercy but we forget that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills.
- Jul 8, 2018A Summer To Remember – Part 4
A Summer To Remember – Part 4I believe God gives us seasons like summer for a reason, and no, it’s not just our reward for surviving a Minnesota winter. Summer is a great opportunity to slow down, to rest, and draw closer to God. That’s why we have begun summer with our series, A Summer to Remember, hopefully helping you make the most of the opportunities you have. The weedy season of my garden is not my favorite. I don’t mind pulling the thistles, but it seems like an endless battle some days. There are so many things I would rather be doing, more important things than pulling weeds. Yet, it’s the very thing that will make a big difference on the outcome of my garden. Do you ever look at things in life and say, “I’m too busy for that?” Are there tasks you sometimes feel are below your abilities? In our key text this week, the Apostle Paul writes a letter to the church in Thessalonica. This important, prominent city was home to many wealthy citizens. The thought of pulling weeds would have been well below them, for manual labor was something for others to do, something for those of a lower class or even slaves. Yet Paul commends the church for their service, saying, “We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” As Christians, we serve not to earn God’s favor, but because God has loved us. We work with faith, recognizing God has called us to use our gifts and talents for his Kingdom. Our labor is motivated by love, because when we serve others in love it is a witness to our faith. And we can endure for the long haul because we keep the end in mind, trusting that Jesus will one day return and grant us eternal life. So, even though we may be entering a weedy season of our lives, may you continue the hard work of faith, serving one another with faith, hope and love as you grow in your faith.
- Jun 10, 2018A Summer to Remember – Part 2
A Summer to Remember – Part 2What kind of block are you? Are you the kind of block that builds others up, or causes them to stumble? What if we stop living, and thinking only of ourselves and really consider, “What kind of neighbor do you want to be this summer?” Do you want to be the kind of person that builds up others and builds up the Kingdom of God, or do you want to be that stone you didn’t see, stub your big toe on and causes someone to trip and fall? Don’t you think we have enough judgments and stumbling blocks out there?As Christians, we should be building up one another. Helping each other find that place where we can connect, and use our gifts for God’s purposes. We can't allow our own judgments and assumptions to get in the way of being a good neighbor.
- Jun 3, 2018A Summer to Remember Part 1
A Summer to Remember Part 1Summer is a great time to simply be, to make the most of the opportunities you are given. So how can you make the most of the time you have? How can you make it a summer to remember?
