belonging

God Loves Gatherings

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” – Matthew 18:20 Yesterday, we talked about the amazing truth that Jesus chooses to make His home in us, His followers. Thus, when two or more of us gather together, we experience His presence and see new facets of His love through others. In fact, as I write this, I can’t help but remember the wonderful get-togethers at my Grandpa and Grandma Schuller’s house as I was growing up. Though ours was a big family and we didn’t all see each other often, when we gathered at Christmas and Easter, there was a wonderful sense of warmth and worship (my Grandma even had an organ built in the dining room so we could sing together at meals). I dealt with a lot coming from a divorced household and going back and forth between two parents, but

September 5, 2021 1 Comment

Sons and Daughters of God

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” – 1 John 3:1 If we know Jesus, we’ve been adopted into the family of God and nothing can take that from us. I once heard a story about a young girl who was in the foster care system. She was constantly being bounced from house to house, because any time she did something wrong or got out of hand, she’d be sent back and placed with a different family. After enduring great instability for so long, she finally found her forever home, and her new parents made it clear that no matter what she did, she was not just a well-behaved guest — she was their daughter. They assured her that even if she behaved poorly, though she might be reprimanded, she would not be

August 6, 2021 No Comments

Perfection Not Required

“On hearing this, Jesus said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’” – Mark 2:17 It’s probably unorthodox for a pastor to say this, but I want to have a church filled with sinners. There are plenty of congregations filled with saints and people pretending to be perfect, but I don’t believe that’s what the Body of Christ is supposed to look like. The church is not meant to be a country club of righteous friends who meet to pat each other on the back, but rather a gathering of thirsty, weary souls yearning for His Living Water. As disciples of Jesus, we’re broken people who want to be better, and we strive toward sanctification, righteousness, and Godliness. But most importantly, we receive the Lord’s love so we can love each other, especially

August 4, 2021 No Comments

The Community of Jesus

“The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.” – Mark 6:30 For the last couple of days, we’ve talked about two of the three habits we see Jesus model as we study His life — solitude and Scripture memorization — and today, I want to talk about the third practice He exercised consistently, and that is gathering in community. Our Lord was not a loner. While He enjoyed extended periods of solitude, the purpose of those times was to bring Him back to people. He came to lay down His life for others, and He continually poured Himself out to His followers and gleaned strength from being with friends. His first miracle was performed at a wedding feast, and there He joined in a joyful days-long celebration and partook in all the festivities. He clearly understood the importance of having fun, but He

June 6, 2021 1 Comment

A Place to Belong

“Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.” – John 8:35 The powerful heart of the Gospel message is that God made a way for us when there was no other way. No amount of good or righteous deeds could build a bridge back to right standing with Him — we needed Him to do the work, and He did. We were infected by the poison of sin, and we were helpless to heal ourselves until He stepped in and made Himself the antidote; all we had to do was say “yes” and partake. At the moment we received Jesus as our Lord, we belonged to His family, and our souls breathed a sigh of relief. No longer did we have to seek a place to call home, for as His children, we inherited the love of a perfect Father and

May 29, 2021 No Comments

Careless Toward Convention

“When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.’” – Luke 19:5,6 Yesterday, we learned about a stubby tax collector named Zacchaeus and how he went to great lengths to see Jesus. Today, I want to examine the Lord’s unconventional response to his effort. Though he was a member of a hated and immoral profession and was held in low esteem because of his short stature, Jesus stopped right under the tree into which he had climbed. Rather than reprimand or judge him, He instructed him to come down, because He was going over to his house that very day! This was shocking not only because of who he was, but also because Jews typically didn’t invite themselves to the home of another, especially one who

May 27, 2021 No Comments

Find Compassion in Community

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” – Hebrews 10:24,25 As we continue to grapple with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, I think it’s more important than ever to become an active part of a church community. Thankfully, most congregations have adapted to the precautions demanded by this strange time in history, and many have online fellowship groups for those who don’t feel safe attending in person. Unfortunately, 2020 was a year of social isolation, and though it’s important to be prudent and cautious, it’s never good to be alone. In this age of technology, we’re blessed with numerous ways to connect with people, and while in-person interaction is always best, finding connection online

January 13, 2021 No Comments

God Loves Gatherings

Sons and Daughters of God

Perfection Not Required

The Community of Jesus

A Place to Belong

Careless Toward Convention

Find Compassion in Community

DESERVING LOVE…

WORTHY…

WORTHY…

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