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This list is a few weeks late, but still worth thinking about.
Lent is the time that most of us know we "have to give up something." I hate that. First, no, we don't have to do anything. Second, Lent is a time when the church has traditionally taken up the practice of fasting. Of course, we can talk about and actually fast any other time of the year. But who wants to get carried away, really?
The distinction I want to make is this: Giving up something for Lent does not equal fasting. Get over your potato chips. Stop complaining because you haven't had a Coke. And, believe it or not, man cannot live on chocolate alone--so, giving it up is really not a big deal. You want to make Lent something you remember? Pray more and fast more.
And, you can try a few suggestions from the sarcastic Lutheran. Check out this link:
Did your read anything that would be difficult to do? Then you might want to try it. What actions seem out of place, or most difficult to you? How are you keeping a holy Lent?
Lent is the time that most of us know we "have to give up something." I hate that. First, no, we don't have to do anything. Second, Lent is a time when the church has traditionally taken up the practice of fasting. Of course, we can talk about and actually fast any other time of the year. But who wants to get carried away, really?
The distinction I want to make is this: Giving up something for Lent does not equal fasting. Get over your potato chips. Stop complaining because you haven't had a Coke. And, believe it or not, man cannot live on chocolate alone--so, giving it up is really not a big deal. You want to make Lent something you remember? Pray more and fast more.
And, you can try a few suggestions from the sarcastic Lutheran. Check out this link:
House for All Sinners and Saints’ 40 Ideas for Keeping a Holy Lent
Did your read anything that would be difficult to do? Then you might want to try it. What actions seem out of place, or most difficult to you? How are you keeping a holy Lent?
What is worship? Why do we worship? Who is worship for? When do we worship? Where do we worship?
Those are some of the questions I asked myself as I prepared this sermon for yesterday. The sermon is entitled Why Your Worship is Boring. In part it's boring, I suggest, because we focus way to much on music and stain-glass windows. Of course, there are other things, too. The psalmist said that "from you [God] comes my praise in the great congregation" (Psalm 22:25). Most of us still think our praise comes from being tradition or contemporary. No wonder our worship is boring.
What about your worship? How many dry spots do you have in worship? What elements of worship are most meaningful to you? And, perhaps most importantly, what does your worship say about God?
++If you are reading by email or news reader, click here to listen to the sermon.++
Those are some of the questions I asked myself as I prepared this sermon for yesterday. The sermon is entitled Why Your Worship is Boring. In part it's boring, I suggest, because we focus way to much on music and stain-glass windows. Of course, there are other things, too. The psalmist said that "from you [God] comes my praise in the great congregation" (Psalm 22:25). Most of us still think our praise comes from being tradition or contemporary. No wonder our worship is boring.What about your worship? How many dry spots do you have in worship? What elements of worship are most meaningful to you? And, perhaps most importantly, what does your worship say about God?
++If you are reading by email or news reader, click here to listen to the sermon.++
In a few months, our family is going to celebrate an undertaking we’ve been working toward for some time. I already know what I am going to do when it happens—it’s a Friday tradition. I am going to call into Dave Ramsey’s radio show and announce to the world that, “WE’RE DEBT FREEEEEE!” It's a Friday tradition. That may not sound significant to you, but it is something wonderful because we haven’t always been faithful stewards. People would ask what credit cards we had. Jokingly, my response was, “The mall.” We both had decent jobs, but it always seemed like we had no money.
When we went to one job that paid half of the others we really didn’t have any money. Through that, though, we learned to trust God. We had to. And the good news? We’ve never lacked for anything. Yes, we waited to buy what we thought we wanted and didn’t always get away like we deserved. But God has been too good to us to be foolish and selfish. We learned we are called to be financially responsible, and we must continue to give. There is freedom and a joy in that, and I hope you’ll yell with me!
