Marysville Nazarene

The Book of James is a letter written to the Church, and we see in Chapter 4 an unflattering portrait of some things taking place... some of which are still happening today. No matter where you are in your faith journey, everyone faces temptation, every day. These temptations come from our own desires--the pleasures of this world that we're often drawn toward--and feeding them leads us away from God. When was the last time your mourned the separation between you and God? Perhaps it's time to take that first humble step in allowing Him to draw you close so you might walk in the light as He is in the light. 

Today's culture is heavily influenced by voices that are earthly, unspiritual, disordered, and evil. But "wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere." 

The tongue is mentioned in all five chapters of James. Words matter! What we say has the power to build up or to tear down, to bring death or to bring life. Once something leaves your mouth, it's both uncontainable and uncontrollable, so choose your words carefully.  

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress AND to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."  Ours is a hands-on faith--it is not enough to simply give, no matter how much, or to send someone else, no matter how well intentioned. WE are to go to others in the midst of their desperation and JUST DO SOMETHING about it. Grace moves us toward compassion...and then compels us toward purity. For faith, absent of action, is dead.

The conclusion of our "Hand Crafted" series on spiritual formation.  We are molded, fired, and filled for a reason--to be poured out! And the deepest love poured out comes from the most complete sacrifice. Love that heals. Forgives. Welcomes. And prepares a seat at God's table. So the question is not WILL your life be poured out, because it inevitably will. Instead, the question is on WHAT will you have it poured out?

From the "Hand Crafted" series on spiritual formation. The Potter takes a prepared, shaped, and fired vessel and fills it... to fulfill its intended purpose. For us, as living vessels, this filling occurs from the inside out, as we empty out ourselves and are permeated and saturated--filled--by the Holy Spirit. What would happen if we looked at our lives with this in mind? How should this change our approach to life, ministry, and worship?

From our "Hand Crafted" series on spiritual formation. Even though clay has been prepared, molded, and shaped on the wheel, it's not yet ready to be used. There are still important steps it must go through before it (we) can bring ever-increasing glory to God. Fire is necessary for others to see our transformation from mud to something useful, but we often miss out on glorifying God because we can't take the heat. When we choose to be clay in the Potter’s hand, we accept that there will be times we're exposed to the fire in order for God to finish in us what He's started. If we are not fired, we won't be capable of being filled, of being poured out, of being useful. And these fiery-furnace moments require us to lean upon GRACE, upon our faith, and to trust as we have never trusted before. Scripture Reference: Daniel 1-3

From the series, "Hand Crafted." God is intimately involved in our formation, having created us in His image from the inside out. We are a marred clay that God is shaping into something beautiful, but when we allow ourselves to be transformed from within, the process is often uncomfortable. The Father has his hands on us! In us. Are we willing to be molded to reflect Him? To be emptied, open and surrendered to the Potter?  

Scripture is filled with examples of God doing extraordinary things through ordinary people, but we don't always see every detail of their lives. Such is the case of Joseph in the New Testament. An average guy whose life changed after encountering Jesus!

Is there anyone more ordinary than Peter? Jesus invited Peter--the same way he's inviting us--to go into deeper water, cast a wide net, and search for BIGGER fish. Again. And again. So often we miss the miracle because we don't obey--we're tired, caught up, distracted, overwhelmed, and chained to whatever it is we're fishing for. But even in our weariness, God can do more.

Though part of one of the most familiar accounts in scripture, today's focus is on a character that is unnamed. He was an ordinary boy with an ordinary lunch who was willing to give everything he had to an extraordinary God.  It's the only miracle included in all four gospels, and it started with surrender. Jesus can do anything with whatever we have...but first we have to let it go. 

As a Church of the Nazarene, we believe in sanctification and holiness. But sanctification is meaningless apart from mercy and grace, and holiness is impossible apart from forgiveness and reconciliation. As we see in the story of Joseph, mercy and grace (sanctification) are best exemplified through forgiveness and reconciliation (holiness). If we are not reconciled with each other, in time we will not be reconciled with God. It's time to let go... 

Noah walked in step with God and out of step with the culture around him. Faithfully, he completed his work, fully understanding what was to come. This act of faith, of choosing to obey God, was motivated by his love for God and influenced by how closely he walked with Him. So the question for us today is, "Who are we in step with?" Are we surrounded by the people we need when the rains come and the waters rise?

What you pray for reflects what you believe about God. Selfish prayers reflect the belief that God exists for us. Small prayers reflect our lack of faith in a big God. And if we rarely pray, it's most likely because we don't believe God answers prayer.  As God is stitching us together, it's important to remember that our kingdom impact is directly linked to how many and how often we pray together. So let us not hesitate to pray big prayers, together, with both expectation and power. And may we grow in a faith that understands when the answer reflects His will over ours.

Compassion interrupts. Compassion costs. Compassion also changes lives. True, Christ-like compassion demands action. To say that we care and not act is to not care at all. Caring draws us closer to Christ, which increases our capacity to care. What matters to him, matters to us. Are you looking for opportunities to show compassion? Can you see the possibilities?

The mission (and commission) of every Christian church is the same... we are called to make disciples. How do we do this? By following the example of Christ. 

Bryan Knurek shares a message the Lord laid on his heart for this morning. 

As God has, and continues, to "stitch" us together into a beautiful tapestry that He has designed for us, He's calling us toward compassion, generosity, and discipleship. Do you desire to love one another the way Jesus has loved us?

From our "Stitches" series. As seen through the example of Eli, Hophni, and Phinehas, we either bring God glory...or we don't. God is glorified through the faithful hearts of his people. We are ONE BODY, stitched together to glorify Him. Are you--intentionally or unintentionally--a glory-taker? Or a glory-giver? Ref: 1 Samuel 4:12-22

From our "Stitches" series w/ Pastor Brian Richardson. The Church is a patchwork of different preferences, styles, and personalities. Each patch, or pattern, or block, is stitched together by God into this body, but apart from Christ, we are unable to see the beauty in what God brings together. The good news is, our quilt is not yet finished, as God takes our offerings and stitches a tapestry of ministry and mission together.