Loving God 1st in 2016 (resources to read the Bible)

There’s one resolution you need this year:

I will love God first!

My voice shall You hear in the morning, O LORD;
in the morning will I direct my prayer to You, and will look up.
—Psalm 5:3

Begin each day looking up to God, worshiping Him and responding to His ever-present love! Though you may fail (repeatedly), His love never fails and His faithfulness never runs out.

In previous years, I’ve outlined some wisdom on cultivating a Godward life, and Kari shared what it means to look up each morning, plus how she approaches daily Bible reading (listen here).

Here’s a quick word about some good Bible reading plans, with brief descriptions of the features of each. First off: a plan is merely a guide, a tool to help. Know this about yourself: are you already a self-starter and follow through with your goals? (If you already have motivation, then a plan might feel constraining.) Or do you need structure to order your days? Most of us — your pastors included — tend to need a gentle reminder about what to do each day. Plans are helpful guides. They remind you of commitments made long before you didn’t feel like following through on a given day.

“The most important daily habit we can possess is to remind ourselves of the Gospel.”
—Charles Spurgeon

Love God 1st

 

You may remember we studied God of Promise to begin 2015, because God had a plan long before we ever did. Because He made promises to us, we repeat them back to Him. Because He first loved us, we respond by loving Him as the first priority in our lives.

How much more powerful and life-changing is the movement of God’s Spirit when in the Renew family we’re all reading God’s Word in our homes, embracing and embodying the grace and truth of Jesus our King!

Now for the plans … (note: there are mobile links below as well, including the helpful smartphone/tablet app YouVersion Bible).

Have a plan.

First up, the ESV Study Bible Reading Plan, a year-long adventure following four ‘streams’ of writings. You’ll track with four genres of types of writings all throughout the year. Rather than plow through the Psalms and Proverbs all at once, you’re revisit a new one each day. The same with the New Testament, the doctrines of grace and redemption found in Jesus will be on display each time you open the Bible. (Seem daunting? Try the two-year plan outlined below.)

Reading Plan Format
ESV Study Bible (One-Year Plan)
Daily readings in four places: Psalms or Wisdom Literature; Pentateuch or the History of Israel; Chronicles or Prophets; and Gospels or Epistles. Suggest reading three chapters in the morning and revisit for fourth in the evening. The printed plan can be cut into bookmarks for the four ‘streams’ in your Bible, or let a smartphone app be your bookmark and read with Bible in hand.
webpage RSS iCal Mobile Print Email

ESV Reading Plan

Reading through the whole Bible in a year takes a time investment of 10-15 minutes each day. Yet, if you will carve out the time to know Jesus, He will change you. Plan to linger a bit, praying over the needs around you and ask God to give you light for your path.

M’Cheyne One-Year Reading Plan
Daily Old Testament, New Testament, and Psalms or Gospels. Can read from all four columns in order, or pause at different times of the day. (This is the plan I’m following in 2015.) Alternative idea: spread it over two years and read two columns this year, and two next.
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Shorter or Slower

But what if tackling the whole Bible seems daunting? Well it is an epic goal. In the same investment each morning, about ten minutes, you can read through the New Testament in six months. That’s a great start!

Reading Plan Format
Outreach New Testament
Daily New Testament. Read through the New Testament in 6 months.
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Or, go half the pace for twice the effect: reading the whole Bible over two years, since it is better to read the whole Bible through carefully one time in two years than hastily in one year.

Reading Plan Format
Two-Year Reading Plan
Take in half-speed, reading through the whole Bible in two years; daily readings in both Old and New Testaments. At the end of two years you will have read through the Psalms and Proverbs four times and the rest of the Bible once. There actually is some ingenius wisdom behind following a two-year plan.
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God of Promise: Jesus our Healer

In wrapping up the God of Promise series, we wanted to take a more personal and holistic approach, asking “so what?” If God has made exceedingly great promises to us (and He has!), and in Jesus all of God’s great promises are fulfilled (Yes & Amen!)1, then what does it mean when we read:

Surely he has borne our griefs
    and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
    smitten by God, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions;
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
    and with his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5)

I used to think the healing Isaiah spoke of was limited to spiritual healing (which is certainly great!), and so when I would pray with the qualifier “IF it is Your will, God, to heal, will You do it?” Yet no one in all of Scripture prays like that, and furthermore, Jesus healed everyone who came to Him in faith to be made well.

On Mother’s Day it seemed appropriate the honor the gifts of one of our most gifted teachers. My wife Kari — who has set out on this journey of learning and re-learning what the Scriptures teach about healing — spoke to the Renew family about what Jesus promises for us and to us when He says we can be made well, whole, and healed.

I asked her to share with the whole church, to preach this neglected aspect of the whole Gospel, so that our faith would grow and we could pray with boldness and certainty that the Father hears our cries. He is powerful enough to heal, and it pleases Him to heal His children, and we (now) believe He also promises to heal us of our sicknesses. (More notes and helpful links below, as shared with the congregation.)

We welcome you to join this journey of rediscovering a neglected aspect of the good news. Jesus is our Healer

Jesus Our Healer

Message title: Jesus Our Healer
Nineteenth week of God of Promise
Scriptures: Matthew 8 (et al)
Preacher: Kari Patterson
Date: 5/10/15

Listen or download:

Scripture reading: Matthew 8:1-3, 5-10, 13, 14-17

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper[a] came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus[b] stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

The Faith of a Centurion

When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant,[c] ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel[d] have I found such faith. 

Jesus Heals Many

14 And when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. 15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him. 16 That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”

Footnotes:
  1. Matthew 8:2 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13
  2. Matthew 8:3 Greek he
  3. Matthew 8:9 Greek bondservant
  4. Matthew 8:10 Some manuscripts not even in Israel

God of Promise

What does Scripture teach us about healing?

[God of Promise: Jesus Our Healer Scriptures (click to view/download PDF)]

MATTHEW MARK LUKE JOHN ACTS
4:23-24 1:23-25, 29-34, 40-45 4:18-19, 31-35, 38-41 4:46-52 2:43
8:1-3, 6-7, 13-17 2:1-12 5:12-13, 17-26 5:1-9 3:1-16
9:1-8, 18-25, 27-35 3:1-6, 14-15 6:18-19 9 (whole chapter) 4:9-10, 16, 30
10:1, 7-8 5:1-43 7:9-10, 14-15, 21-23 11 (whole chapter) 5:12-16
11:4-6 6:5, 12-13, 55-56 8:40-56 6:8
12:11-13, 15, 22 7:29, 34 9:1-6, 11, 37-50 8:4-8, 13
14:14, 35-36 8:22-26 10:9 9:32-43
15:28-31 9:22-24 13:10-13, 32 10:38
17:14-21 10:46-52 14:5 14:3, 9
19:2 17:12-19 18:18
20:30-34 18:35-43 19:11-13
21:14 22:51 22:13
28:8-9

Notes from the journey (links to blog posts by Kari Patterson)

  1. First Steps: bit.ly/kpfirststeps
  2. Stuff Jesus Does: bit.ly/stuffjesusdoes
  3. Gratitude Gospel: bit.ly/gratgospel
  4. On suffering: bit.ly/sufferingsame
  5. Palm-to-palm: bit.ly/palmtopalm
  6. Transformation: bit.ly/nothingshort
  7. Fatalism or Faith: bit.ly/fromfatalism
  8. Cynicism & children: bit.ly/cynicismtohope
  9. Heaven & healing: bit.ly/heavenhealing
  10. What He’s finished: bit.ly/finishedmore
  11. Demythologization: bit.ly/bigword
  12. Not there yet: bit.ly/whynotyet
  13. Authority & Faith: bit.ly/notbossy
  14. Feed your Faith: bit.ly/feedfaith

    “Is it always God’s will to heal someone?” —response by Bill Johnson


Audio for this teaching may be played above, and is included in the RENEW Church podcastsubscribe in iTunes here, or access the church podcast feed directly here.

This year we each of us are invited on an adventure to look up and love God first. What will be your plan to develop a new rhythm of seeking God each day? » Find some help here.

  1. 2 Corinthians 1:22

God of Promise: Promised People (being the church the world needs)

There are many kinds of churches:

  • there’s the church the world wants (which affirms worldly thinking and doesn’t ask anyone to change or grow);
  • there’s the church the world hates (either by way of active persecution or passive marginalization);
  • there’s the church the world needs, which is the people Jesus rescued, who are becoming the people He wants them to be.

Promised People is about the call to be and do and become, even in a post-Christian culture that doesn’t really care about us and our viewpoints. Just as we personally do not exist for ourselves, we as the Church do not exist for our collective self either.

Stated positively: we can be the covenant people the world needs even if we are not the church they had in mind. This is “life on mission,” and being “a family of missionary servants” (Romans 12:3-21). Life on mission is where our brokenness and ongoing need for God’s help is exposed and redeemed, training for making disciples takes place, and the power of the Spirit is displayed. This is being God’s promised people

Promised People: Being the Church

Message title: Promised People: Being the Church the World Needs
Eighteenth week of God of Promise
Scriptures: Romans 12:1-21
Preacher: Jeff Patterson
Date: 5/3/15

Listen or download:

Scripture reading: Romans 12

A Living Sacrifice

12 I appeal to you therefore, brothers,[a] by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.[b] Do not be conformed to this world,[c] but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.[d]

Gifts of Grace

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members,[e] and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads,[f] with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Marks of the True Christian

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit,[g] serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.[h] Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it[i] to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Footnotes:
  1. Romans 12:1 Or brothers and sisters
  2. Romans 12:1 Or your rational service
  3. Romans 12:2 Greek age
  4. Romans 12:2 Or what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God
  5. Romans 12:4 Greek parts; also verse 5
  6. Romans 12:8 Or gives aid
  7. Romans 12:11 Or fervent in the Spirit
  8. Romans 12:16 Or give yourselves to humble tasks
  9. Romans 12:19 Greek give place

Promised People

Audio for this teaching may be played above, and is included in the RENEW Church podcastsubscribe in iTunes here, or access the church podcast feed directly here.

This year we each of us are invited on an adventure to look up and love God first. What will be your plan to develop a new rhythm of seeking God each day? » Find some help here.

God of Promise: Promised Presence (doing what only Jesus can do)

I don’t know how many recent conversations I’ve been in with local church leaders lamenting that “people in our culture today just don’t get it.” Duh, it’s because our eyes are blinded, and we don’t see the glory of Christ, let alone the wisdom of morality (right and wrong).

Thus, lost people do lost things.

But there is a spark of hope …

The Spirit — in building the people of God into the new House of God — does His convicting (convincing!) work in and through us! So we become missionaries cleverly disguised as good neighbors and wise workers, and gracious bosses, and faithful everythings … doing what we could not do ourselves.

Promised Presence

Message title: Promised Presence: Doing What Only Jesus Can Do
Seventeenth week of God of Promise
Scriptures: John 14:12-14, 2nd Corinthians 3-4
Preacher: Jeff Patterson
Date: 4/26/15

Listen or download:

Scripture readings:

John 14:12-14:

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask Me[a] anything in my name, I will do it.”

Footnotes:
  1. John 14:14 Some manuscripts omit me

2nd Corinthians 3:1-4:18:

Ministers of the New Covenant

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our[a] hearts, to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.[b]

Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 10 Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.

12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one[c] turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord[d] is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord,[e] are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

The Light of the Gospel

Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God,[f] we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice[g] cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants[h] for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Treasure in Jars of Clay

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.

13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self[i] is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Footnotes:
  1. 2 Corinthians 3:2 Some manuscripts your
  2. 2 Corinthians 3:3 Greek fleshly hearts
  3. 2 Corinthians 3:16 Greek he
  4. 2 Corinthians 3:17 Or this Lord
  5. 2 Corinthians 3:18 Or reflecting the glory of the Lord
  6. 2 Corinthians 4:1 Greek as we have received mercy
  7. 2 Corinthians 4:2 Greek to walk in
  8. 2 Corinthians 4:5 Greek bondservants
  9. 2 Corinthians 4:16 Greek man

Promised Presence

Audio for this teaching may be played above, and is included in the RENEW Church podcastsubscribe in iTunes here, or access the church podcast feed directly here.

This year we each of us are invited on an adventure to look up and love God first. What will be your plan to develop a new rhythm of seeking God each day? » Find some help here.

 

God of Promise: Jesus Now

What if you followed Jesus around for a while? What if you had access to His every move, word, and ate meals together?

In Luke 8 we see a whole bunch of scenes mashed together (think of it like a week’s worth of true stories). There we see Jesus saying and doing shocking things. He surprises, He preaches, He invites, He confronts, He heals! This Man has God’s power and gives His love with power. (Note the present tense.)

The Jesus we read about back then is the same Jesus who is alive today. He is Jesus then, and Jesus now. He is passionate enough to care, and powerful enough to save the world.

Jesus Now

Message title: Jesus Now: Present, Planted, Preaching, Passionate & Powerful
Sixteenth week of God of Promise
Scriptures:
Preacher: Jeff Patterson
Date: 4/19/15

Listen or download:

Scripture reading: Luke 8:1-56

Women Accompanying Jesus

Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them[a] out of their means.

The Parable of the Sower

And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

The Purpose of the Parables

And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

A Lamp Under a Jar

16 “No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. 18 Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”

Jesus' Mother and Brothers

19 Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. 20 And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” 21 But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

Jesus Calms a Storm

22 One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, 23 and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. 24 And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”

Jesus Heals a Man with a Demon

26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes,[b] which is opposite Galilee. 27 When Jesus[c] had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” 29 For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) 30 Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. 32 Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 36 And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed[d] man had been healed. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.

Jesus Heals a Woman and Jairus's Daughter

40 Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. 43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians,[e] she could not be healed by anyone. 44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter[f] said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

49 While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” 50 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” 51 And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. 52 And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” 53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” 55 And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat. 56 And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.

Footnotes:
  1. Luke 8:3 Some manuscripts him
  2. Luke 8:26 Some manuscripts Gadarenes; others Gergesenes; also verse 37
  3. Luke 8:27 Greek he; also verses 38, 42
  4. Luke 8:36 Greek daimonizomai; elsewhere rendered oppressed by demons
  5. Luke 8:43 Some manuscripts omit and though she had spent all her living on physicians,
  6. Luke 8:45 Some manuscripts add and those who were with him

God of Promise

Audio for this teaching may be played above, and is included in the RENEW Church podcastsubscribe in iTunes here, or access the church podcast feed directly here.

This year we each of us are invited on an adventure to look up and love God first. What will be your plan to develop a new rhythm of seeking God each day? » Find some help here.

God of Promise: Wonders?!

We were grateful to welcome Connection Church, another local congregation, as they joined the Renew family for morning worship on Sunday, April 12th. Our emphasis was on the “so what” of the resurrection of Jesus. His salvation makes available many more promises to His people.

We began the morning by praying and singing together, all generations with one voice. We sang many anthems of grace including Build Your Kingdom Here, The InvitationIn Tenderness He Sought MeScandal of Grace, You Revive Me, and Jesus!

In this sermon we began exploring the truth about miracles, or as the Scriptures call them: “Signs and Wonders.” 

  • What do you believe about signs and wonders? 
  • What do you believe about healing? 
  • Are signs and wonders bonus add-ons to the Gospel? Were they just for the early church when people really needed it, but not for us today? 

We must come to grips with the reality that many aspects of our lives do not match what we read is quite normal in the Scriptures. Will we explain this away, or will we ask God to make HIS reality become our reality? 

The resurrection of Jesus is the greatest sign and wonder, and the onset of the Kingdom of God, where signs and wonders continue by God’s gracious power.

God of Promise: Wonders?!

Message title: God of Promise: Wonders?!
Fifteenth week of God of Promise
Scriptures: John 20:30-31; Acts 1:1-5; 6:1-10
Preacher: Jeff Patterson
Date: 4/12/15

Listen or download:

  • “… this is a sign for sure God loves me and still cares.” —Mustafa

    During the message the true story of Mustafa in Uganda was referenced. Read part of his story of salvation on the Next Generation Ministries blog here » Does ANYONE Love Me?

Scripture readings:

John 20:30-31

The Purpose of This Book

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Acts 1:1-5

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

And while staying[a] with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Footnotes:
  1. Acts 1:4 Or eating
  2. Acts 1:5 Or in

Acts 6:1-10

Seven Chosen to Serve

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists[a] arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers,[b] pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.

And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

Stephen Is Seized

And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. 10 But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. 

Footnotes:
  1. Acts 6:1 That is, Greek-speaking Jews
  2. Acts 6:3 Or brothers and sisters

God of Promise

Audio for this teaching may be played above, and is included in the RENEW Church podcastsubscribe in iTunes here, or access the church podcast feed directly here.

This year we each of us are invited on an adventure to look up and love God first. What will be your plan to develop a new rhythm of seeking God each day? » Find some help here.

 

He is Risen, He is Risen, Indeed! (Easter Sunday)

Resurrection Sunday, known in our culture as Easter, is a day to celebrate the risen Christ, for He is risen, He is risen, indeed!

The historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus is a world-changing event, and for this reason it was the key feature the apostles preached everywhere. They proclaimed or preached this truth, as heralds would in announcing news in the center of town. This historical fact that Jesus is risen, and death could not hold Him, is the central truth of the Gospel. It is in fact more important than even the principles of living and wise philosophy that also come to us in Christianity. Those principles arise from this truth: Jesus has conquered death and defeated sin and Satan for us. How can we not then live for Him?

Jesus rose from the dead.

So what?  Why does it matter?

He is Risen

Message title: He is Risen, He is Risen, Indeed
Fourteenth week of God of Promise
Scriptures: Matthew 28:1-10; 1st Corinthians 15:1-14
Preacher: Jeff Patterson
Date: 4/5/15 (Easter Sunday)

Listen or download:

 

Scripture readings:

Matthew 28:1-10

The Resurrection

28 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he[a] lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

Footnote:
  1. Matthew 28:6 Some manuscripts the Lord

1st Corinthians 15:1-14

The Resurrection of Christ

15 Now I would remind you, brothers,[a] of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.

Footnote:
  1. 1 Corinthians 15:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verses 6, 31, 50, 58

God of Promise

Audio for this teaching may be played above, and is included in the RENEW Church podcastsubscribe in iTunes here, or access the church podcast feed directly here.

This year we each of us are invited on an adventure to look up and love God first. What will be your plan to develop a new rhythm of seeking God each day? » Find some help here.

Good Friday: The Cup, Garden, Trials, Cross

Renew Church hosted a collective gathering with Connection Church, Hilltop Community and Missio Dei Community as we celebrated and remembered the suffering Servant, Jesus the crucified Son of God, who died in our place, the innocent in place of the guilty, to bring us to God.

Good Friday

Message title: Good Friday (The Cup, The Garden, The Trials, The Cross)
Scriptures: Luke 22-23; Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Preachers: John Garrick, Kent Walton, Jerry Waggener, Jeff Patterson
Date: 4/3/15 (Good Friday)

Listen or download:

The Cup » Part 1 of 4 on Good Friday, April 3rd, 2015. Pastor John Garrick of Missio Dei Community speaking this meditation on Luke 22:7-23 & Isaiah 52:13-53:3.

The Garden » Part 2 of 4 on Good Friday, April 3rd, 2015. Pastor Kent Walton of Hilltop Community Church speaking this meditation on Luke 22:39-46 & Isaiah 53:4-6.

The Trials » Part 3 of 4 on Good Friday, April 3rd, 2015. Pastor Jerry Waggener of Connection Church speaking this meditation on Luke 23:1-16 & Isaiah 53:7-9.

The Cross » Part 4 of 4 on Good Friday, April 3rd, 2015. Pastor Jeff Patterson of Renew Church speaking this meditation on Luke 23:26-38, 44-56 & Isaiah 53:10-12.

God of Promise

Audio for this teaching may be played above, and is included in the RENEW Church podcastsubscribe in iTunes here, or access the church podcast feed directly here.

This year we each of us are invited on an adventure to look up and love God first. What will be your plan to develop a new rhythm of seeking God each day? » Find some help here.

King of Promise (Palm Sunday)

Here comes the King! All of the promises of God are Yes and Amen in Jesus. He is the Son of David, the rightful heir of the throne of Heaven and Earth. On Palm Sunday we contemplate the meaning of His arrival, the purpose of His coming, and the wonder of what it means to be rescued by Him. What a King!

In order to truly understand King Jesus, the Good Shepherd, we need to understand David, the Shepherd-who-became-King. And God’s promises to him.

King of Promise

Message title: King of Promise
Thirteenth week of God of Promise
Scriptures: 2nd Samuel 7; Luke 19:28-44
Preacher: Jeff Patterson
Date: 3/29/15 (Palm Sunday)

Listen or download:

 

Scripture reading: 2nd Samuel 7

The Lord's Covenant with David

Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.”

But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges[a] of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince[b] over my people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.[c] Your throne shall be established forever.’” 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

David's Prayer of Gratitude

18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 19 And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! 20 And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God! 21 Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. 22 Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them[d] great and awesome things by driving out[e] before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? 24 And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O Lord, became their God. 25 And now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. 26 And your name will be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. 27 For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. 29 Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.”

Footnotes:
  1. 2 Samuel 7:7 Compare 1 Chronicles 17:6; Hebrew tribes
  2. 2 Samuel 7:8 Or leader
  3. 2 Samuel 7:16 Septuagint; Hebrew you
  4. 2 Samuel 7:23 With a few Targums, Vulgate, Syriac; Hebrew you
  5. 2 Samuel 7:23 Septuagint (compare 1 Chronicles 17:21); Hebrew for your land

God of Promise

Audio for this teaching may be played above, and is included in the RENEW Church podcastsubscribe in iTunes here, or access the church podcast feed directly here.

This year we each of us are invited on an adventure to look up and love God first. What will be your plan to develop a new rhythm of seeking God each day? » Find some help here.

Conquering the Five Capitals in the Promised Land of Success

Uganda

Upon returning from Uganda in East Africa, Pastor Jeff Patterson shared stories from the short-term trip with NGM Uganda, and connected truths for discipleship to each story. In a teaching called the “Five Capitals,” he noted our path to success (when God is with us), as progressing from financial capital, to intellectual capital, to physical capital, to relational capital, to spiritual capital.

 Conquering the Five Capitals in the Promised Land of Success

Message title: Conquering the Five Capitals in the Promised Land of Success
Twelfth week of God of Promise
Scriptures: Joshua 1:1-13
Preacher: Jeff Patterson
Date: 3/22/15

Listen or download:

Five-Capitals-icons-title

The point of growing our capital is never just so we can have more capital; it’s always so that we have more to share, which is actually an investment that helps us grow the most valuable capitals.

Here’s a summary of the five capitals:

15_0326-Five-Capitals-list

Financial Capital

Intellectual Capital

Physical Capital

Relational Capital

Spiritual Capital

Audio for this teaching may be played above, and is included in the RENEW Church podcastsubscribe in iTunes here, or access the church podcast feed directly here.

This year we each of us are invited on an adventure to look up and love God first. What will be your plan to develop a new rhythm of seeking God each day? » Find some help here.