Meditation for Preparation – Oct. 4th
THE POWER OF OUR WORDS If the three great virtues produced in a believer's life are faith, hope, and love, our speech and words may be the most powerful tool for exercising those virtues. Proverbs has a lot to say about the power of our words. Consider this small sampling. The Power of Our Words to Heal Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones (Proverbs 16:24). The Power of Our Words to Stir Up Trouble A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger (Proverbs 15:1). What you don't say is as
What I’ve Learned From My Muslim Neighbors
Written By: Rachel Conley (North Wake Far Flung Family) A few weeks ago, someone threw a homemade bomb through the window of the mosque dow the street from us. It was a hate crime. Thankfully, no one was in the building at the time. In the days that followed, imams, Christian pastors, Jewish rabbis, and local leaders stood together to condemn the attack and defend our neighbors' religious liberty. Members of the community showed up to help clean up the damage. My heart has been heavy, and it has given me a lot to process. Back in January I
Meditation for Preparation – Sept. 27th
The Heart is Like a Ship For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. -Jesus, Matthew 6:43-45 In the early church St. Augustine taught, “You have made us for yourself, O
Meditation for Preparation – Sept. 20th
You Hate What You Fear. But What About God? Read: Proverbs 9:10–12 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; if you scoff, you alone will bear it. “In time we hate that which we often fear.” This famous line from Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra has become proverbial wisdom, the subject of much psychological research, and the theme of many famous stories and
Meditation for Preparation – Sept. 13th
A Needy Group of Fools Read: Proverbs 30:1-6 The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle. The man declares, I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out. 2 Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man. 3 I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. 4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what
Meditation for Preparation – Sept. 6
I love definitions, which I find funny because in high school I had an English teacher, Mrs. Best, who made us do weekly word quizzes where we had a list of words we had to define. We weren’t allowed to repeat the definition we found in the book, and we weren’t allowed to use the word to define the word. So we couldn’t say something along the lines of: “Considering” means to consider the situation. Basically she gave us what I considered crazy, off the wall words we would never use, and she asked us to define them in
Meditation for Preparation – Aug. 30th
The Hymn of North Wake Read: Psalm 67 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah 2 that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. 3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! 4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth. Selah 5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! 6 The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us. 7 God shall bless us; let all the ends of
Meditation for Preparation – Aug. 23rd
As I write this meditation, I do not yet know what Bible passage will be at the heart of Sunday's sermon. But I do know that when we gather in Jesus’s name we are called to behold him, hear from him, and adore him as a church. That’s what the songs are meant to help us with this week. So to prepare your heart for Sunday, I invite you to take some time to listen to the songs we will be singing together. If you know them, sing along! If you don’t, get acquainted with them so that we
Meditation for Preparation – Aug. 16th
The Great Awakening I'm not sure how the idea of "every member is a missionary" became such a novel one. Perhaps it's how the word "missionary" has been used in our modern contexts to identify a particular group of people sent to specific places around the world in order to share the good news. But one cannot be transformed by the power of the gospel, raised to life and indwelt by the life-giving Spirit, given the universal command to go and make disciples and not understand themselves to be a missionary. Wherever God has placed you on this earth, you get to tell others about Jesus. I heard this song
Meditation for Preparation – Aug. 9th
Read: Psalm 90 Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 3 You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!" 4 For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. 5 You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: 6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the
