23 January: Tuesday Refocus

“The heart which has no agenda but God’s is the heart at leisure form itself. Its emptiness is filled with the love of God. Its solitude can be turned into prayer.” - Elisabeth Elliot

We enter a new year with excitement, anticipation, anxiety, and likely a few lists and plans for what we hope to accomplish, who we desire to become. Whether conscious or not, we have an agenda. But how quickly those best laid plans, or the pace of life fill every corner our heart, mind, life, time, and attention. Don’t you desire rest?

For the follower of Jesus, rest is not the reward for a job well-done. Rest is the posture of heart and life because Christ has accomplished what we could never do: heal the divide sin has wrought between God and man (Hebrews 10, Colossians 1:20).

Cease your striving, find rest in God.

Empty your heart, be filled with God’s love.

Silence the noise, and meet God in prayer.

“Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” - Psalm 33:20-22

Waiting,

AB

6 August: Liturgy + Set List

• REJOICE

  Call to Worship: Psalm 17:15

  We live in a world that says ‘If I had just a little bit more, I would be satisfied. A little bit more money, a little bit more time, circumstances that we’re just a little different, a few more vacations, then I would have enough.’ If you are here this morning as a follower of Jesus, my hope and prayer are that you would behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus, and be fully, completely, and eternally satisfied. Let’s sing to him:

• ALL I HAVE IS CHRIST

• ABIDE/I’VE WITNESSED IT

  Because of Jesus, the invitation of God is always to cease from striving and rest and abide in the person and work of Christ. And as we prepare for a new academic school year many teachers, staff, students, and parents feel the opposite pull of rest. And as we continue in worship we are going to pray for the new school year - and we will specifically name the four local schools we support as missions partners at Life Church. If you don’t fall into one of those categories, if you are here this morning as a follower of Christ, God has sovereignly placed you in a time and place and given you a responsibility to love, serve, and live on mission within your community. Let’s pray this together:

Almighty God, by your gift alone we come to wisdom and true understanding. Look with favor, we pray on our universities, colleges, and schools, especially: Salisbury High, Isenberg Elementary, Koontz Elementary, and Overton Elementary, that knowledge may be increased among us, and wholesome learning flourish and abound. Bless those who teach and those who learn; and grant that in humility of heart they may ever look to you, the fountain of all wisdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Occasional Prayers, For schools, colleges, and universities

The Book of Common Prayer

Sermon: Exodus 20:17

Scripture says eternity is written on every human heart. You and I will never find satisfaction for our eternal souls looking to temporary, or created things. Let’s fix our desire, affection, and attention on the person and work of Christ as we sing. Would you stand if you’re able:

• A THOUSAND HALLELUJAHS

• BE THOU MY VISION

  Benediction

Tuesday Refocus: July 25

“O Lord… You know me more deeply and fully than I know myself. You love me with a greater love than I can love myself. You even offer me more than I can desire… Take my tired body, my confused mind, and my restless soul into your arms and give me rest, simple quiet rest.” - Henri Nouwen

Before a word is on your tongue, it is fully known (Psalm 139:4). Because you are fully known.

Nothing will separate you from the love of God (Romans 8:31-39) - because God’s love has no ending, and no beginning (Geerhardus Vos).

We want enough grace for this moment, God gives us grace upon grace upon grace upon grace (James 4:6).

Father, may these truths be as animating as they are restful. For Your glory in our good, in Christ’s name, amen.

Known,

AB

Tuesday Refocus: May 9

“Yours is the day, yours also the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun. You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter.” - Psalm 74:16-17

Sometimes like the disciples in a storm-tossed boat I wonder aloud, ’Teacher, don’t you care that we are perishing?’ (Mark 4:39). He is the One who spoke creation into existence, and upholds it by the word of His power (Gen 1:3, Heb 1:3). He is the One who will never leave me or forsake me, the One who never slumbers or sleeps, and yet sometimes my circumstances lead me to question His presence, and His power (Heb 13:5, Ps 121:1).

But the Spirit still hovers over the chaos - including the chaos of my own heart, soul, and spirit (Gen 1:2). He is still the one who has ‘measured the waters the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighted the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance…’ (Is 40:12).

It is not just the day that He controls, but the night also. When I ‘…walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’ (Ps 23:4). In all seasons, at all times, there is nothing outside of His control. Nothing can thwart his purpose and His plan. With confidence we can lie down and sleep in peace, and awake to new mercies, because the boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places (Ps 4:8, Lam 3:22-23, Ps 16:6).

Lord, where can we go from your presence? May we know your nearness as our good today and every day, amen.

Resting,

AB 

Easter Recovery

You made it.

Whether your Easter celebrations went exactly as planned, or you would prefer a redo - you made it. Although there can often be additional time, energy, and effort that is spent on Easter, the truth is that every Sunday is a mini Resurrection Sunday.

Every Sunday we remember and rehearse the truth that Jesus is alive, and that Satan, sin, and death have been defeated.

As you recover physically, mentally, and emotionally from your Easter celebrations, don’t let this coming week be just another Sunday - let your heart be steadfast as you view all things in light of the resurrection of Christ. Lead your team and congregation toward the Hope of the Gospel again this week, and the week after that, and the week after that, until we arrive at Resurrection Sunday once more.

Worship + Sabbath

Sunday has been called the ‘Day of Rest.’ If you hear that as someone who works, serves, or volunteers as a part of a Church staff, or ministry team, you probably laugh - because Sundays can often feel anything but restful for you and your family. But rest is an important rhythm to our lives as followers of Jesus. God created and rested, not because He needed the rest, but because He was modeling for those of us who cultivate His creation the way He invites us to live.

If you work on the Day of Rest, how do you, in fact, rest?

Learn about Sabbath from Scripture. Why was Jesus always breaking man-made rules about the Sabbath? What can we learn about the rhythms of worship and service that we find in the New Testament? Why did God create and model Sabbath? Why was the Sabbath celebration an integral part of the life of His people Israel? What should Sabbath look like for a follower of Jesus now? Sabbath and rest was God’s idea, let’s go to the source to learn and be formed in our understanding.

Read about Sabbath. We can easily assume rest means not doing anything - disconnecting from life and reality. The more I learn about rest and sabbath, the more I see how rest and Sabbath are about cultivating and participating in things that fuel me and give me life. Is binging Netflix truly life-giving to my soul? Probably not. There are many great books on the Sabbath available, some of my favorites have been: The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel, Subversive Sabbath by A.J. Swoboda, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer.

Find sustainable rhythms. We are not infinite, and we are not God. If we are to be in the work of ministry for the long haul, we must find sustainable rhythms by learning to live within the limits of our time, resources, family responsibilities, seasons, and stages of life. Learning to develop other leaders, delegate tasks, and being okay when things that speak more to my ego than the necessity of serving God’s people fall through the cracks are all things that have (and continue) to make space in my life for sustainable rhythms.

Serve from rest. Jesus says, ‘Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matt 11:28-30)’. If we are to point to the One who gives us rest in our serving and our songs, we must be spending time resting in His presence.

I hope and pray that you are able to rest, and that your service to God’s people is life-giving more than it is soul-sucking.

September 22: Tuesday Refocus

‘My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, And my mouth will praise You with joyful lips,’ Psalm 63:5

On this side of eternity, we glimpse and taste that God is the Satisfier of our souls. Even the smallest revelation of God’s heart is met with worshipful response, ‘…my mouth will praise You with joyful lips…’ How much greater the response when we no longer glimpse, but see Him as He is (1 Jn 3:2)?

‘When I remember You upon my bed, And meditate on You in the watches of the night; for You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings, I will sing for joy.’ Psalm 63:6-7

The moments between lying down and falling asleep are vulnerable, both physically and mentally. Perhaps that is why so many of us fill that space with anything but silence. But the Psalmist tells us that we can find peace and a song when our hearts turn toward the One who allows us to live and sleep in safety and shelter (Ps 4:8).

‘My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.’ Psalm 63:8

We must cling (hold on tightly to), but God upholds (confirm or support, maintain) with a single hand. As Elisabeth Elliot reminds us, even as we sleep we can ‘Leave it all in the Hands that were wounded for you.’

Resting,

AB

May 5: Tuesday Refocus

‘The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.’ PS 27:1-3

No enemy is a match for the nearness of the saving, stronghold that is Christ. The threats may be real, the circumstance may not change, the darkness may be oppressive but ‘…in Your light do we see light (Ps 36:9).’ His light shifts my perspective and reorients my desires…

‘One thing I have asked of the Lord, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple. For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent; He will lift me high upon a rock.’ PS 27:4-5

Oh, to have the same heart cry as the Psalmist - an awareness of reality, and a fixation on the beauty of the Savior.

Let it be so, Lord. Amen.

Desiring,

AB

January 7: Tuesday Refocus

Circle me Lord, keep protection near and danger afar.

Circle me Lord, keep light near and darkness afar.

Circle me Lord, keep peace within, keep evil out.

In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Amen. - Celtic Prayer

Whatever is left behind in 2019, whatever awaits in 2020, we can be assured in all things: ’The LORD is your keeper, the LORD is your shade on your right hand.’ Ps 121:5

The One who has defeated Satan, sin and death will ‘keep you from all evil; He will keep your life.’ This does not mean we will never experience sorrow or suffering. Jesus said, ‘In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.’ And when we are led through the valley of the shadow of death, we are strengthened, helped, upheld with the righteous right hand of our God (Ps 121:7, Jn 16:33, Ps 23:4, Is 41:10).

Our days, years and lives rest firmly in the reality: ‘The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.’ Ps 121:8

Let it be so, Lord, amen.

Resting,

AB