Summer’s over.
I’m already missing its light.
Did you take the summer off from worship and ministry? Church is a darker place without your light.
Matthew 5:15-16 (TLB)
Don’t hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly Father.
God uses us to build his Church.
Too often, I hear someone say, “What can I possibly do to help? I don’t have anything to offer.”
1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 (MSG)
Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other’s nerves you don’t snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.
I’m betting that there’s something on that list you can do.
When did you last say, “Let’s do lunch?”
Church . . . more than fun with friends, more than a business venture, more than an excuse.
You don’t “do church.” You are the Church.
Romans 12:5 (NIV)
In Christ we, though many, form one body,
and each member belongs to all the others.
I tend to take credit for the things I do well and blame God for my weaknesses (he could have tweaked my DNA in the better direction, right?).
Romans 12:3 (NIV)
Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought.
Thinking too highly of myself? Honestly, Lord, yes.
Let’s go back 1600 years for this week’s advice:
“If you plan to build a tall house of virtues,
you must first lay deep foundations of humility.”
St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430)
I know of a couple presidential candidates who could benefit from this advice. Come to think of it, couldn’t we all?
Synonyms for “humble” include meek, submissive, unassertive. Not exactly the words folks use to describe me.
But what does God say?
Matthew 5:5 (NIV)
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Ephesians 5:21
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Romans 12:3
Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
Hmmm, I’m having trouble with these instructions. I think it might be a humility problem.
What do you think? Is it good to be humble?
We Americans are scarcely known for our humility. But God says:
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Methinks we should give humility a try.
Next Saturday, we’re starting a new women’s Bible study at church. We’ll meet the 1st & 3rd Saturday of each month, 9:30 AM.
For those who can’t come in real time (or for men who’ve always wondered what it is the women talk about), I’ll be posting the Bible lessons in short daily snippets on my brand new Facebook writer’s page. I hope you’ll check it out.
I aim for deep thoughts that are easy-to-read–short sentences, simple words, just two or three paragraphs at a time. But if you’d rather read it all at once, the whole lesson will be posted here under Foundation Studies.
