Coming to the Still Waters

  Let's start this blog post with a quote from the late Larry Crabb.  This Sunday was a stand-alone sermon about true Christian fellowship.  The last time I shared this was a screen version in Ohio because the virus had found us.  It was great to present it last Sunday in person.  I really like this quote that emphasizes the "strive to cultivate."    The sermon comes on the heels of many conversations with the church I am serving now but also other churches that describe themselves as a "friendly" church.  A good start but we need to be reminded that "being friendly" is the lowest rung of the ladder.  What is above being just friendly?  How important is the foundational practice of fellowship to the life of the individual Christian and the body of Christ as a whole?  What gets in the way from us cultivating relationships with other believers?  These are all questions to be answered by the Scriptures.   I will finish this post with the last 4 points I

Pictured above is probably one of the most famous proclamations, President Abraham Lincoln's Proclamation of Emancipation.   The " whereas " section of a proclamation states the facts and the " therefore " section lays out the action(s) to be taken.  In our study of 1st Peter I see verses 1-12 of chapter 1 as the " whereas " section and verses 13-25 as the " therefore " section. v.1-12 (a summary of the whereas ' in relationship to the facts of our salvation) Whereas...our salvation is influenced by all of the Trinity. Whereas...our salvation is based on a living hope because Jesus rose from the dead. Whereas...our salvation includes an imperishable, undefiled, unfading, kept in heaven inheritance. Whereas...our salvation is protected by God's power. Whereas...our salvation is more precious than gold. Whereas...our salvation will not perish. Whereas...our salvation results in praise, glory, and honor at the 2nd coming of Christ. Where

  This Sunday I started off my sermon talking about term papers.  Not my favorite thing to do but knowing the parts of a term paper make it more manageable to accomplish.  You have a thesis statement at the start and then the body of the paper and then a concluding statement at the end.  I feel we have seen Peter's thesis' statement in 1 Peter 1:1,2 and he is emphasizing 3 main points to be fleshed out in the body of his letter.   1.  He wants his readers to know about the Trinity (The Father and The Son and The Holy Spirit). 2.  He wants his readers to know more about their salvation (born again) in connection to the Trinity.  (God planned, Jesus purchased, Spirit polishes) 3.  He wants his readers to know how to live (reside) as "born againers" in a hostile world. Peter dives into the body of his letter by focusing deeper on point 2. We have a "living hope" because Jesus rose from the dead. We have an inheritance that is like no other (imperishable, unde

  Here is the old train station in Wautoma, Wisconsin.  No tracks run by it now but the name remains to signify this stop on the (Chicago) Northwestern Line.  When you buy a used car sometimes you will say, "It is my 'new to me' car."   I feel that way when I walk into another church to help through the transition time from one pastor to then next.  This church family is "new to me."    The first stage involves important guided conversations that help me to understand, love and serve with this part of God's great family.  By the end of this week I will have had 21 such conversations and my goal is to have 100 of them by the end of August.  Each conversation is so important to me and I am so blessed to meet who God has brought together.  I love hearing of the ways God used His people and His words to draw a person to Himself and how they landed in this family at this "new to me" church body. I have also picked back up the fishing pole.  It has