Year of Preparation: Build the Altar in 2024 (resources for worshiping Christ in His Word)

Happy New Year!

Twenty Twenty-four can be an epic year. How’s how…

Make one resolution this year:

I will build an altar to God each day.

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.

Continue reading “Year of Preparation: Build the Altar in 2024 (resources for worshiping Christ in His Word)”

Build the Altar in 2018 (resources for worshiping Christ in His Word)

Happy New Year!

Twenty Eighteen can be an epic year. How’s how…

Make one resolution this year:

I will build an altar to God each day.

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.

Whether we turn aside to the left (in apathetic self-pleasing, essentially apathy) or to the right (in stressed-out self-effort, aka angst), Jesus is willing to come rescue us, put us back on the good path, and lead us onward with grace-driven effort!

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).
“Nothing but the simplest impulses gets accomplished without some forethought, which we call a plan.”
—John Piper

Here’s a quick word about some good Bible reading plans, with brief descriptions of the features of each.

Continue reading “Build the Altar in 2018 (resources for worshiping Christ in His Word)”

You Can Do This. We Must Do This. (6K for Water)

In this short clip we listen as Dawson explains the motivation behind the Global 6K for Water, and why it’s so necessary for every one of us to get involved.

Listen or download:

With the vital areas of healthy and wholeness before us, we had two of our own share their journey, and struggles, in becoming as healthy as God wants them to be. Dawson and Anna Hunter are uncommon people who have ventured through the common struggles shared by us all, as newlyweds, in the workforce, new parents, and now settling into life. » Listen to their whole message here

Team World Vision 6K for Water » GodRenews.us/6K

What:World Vision’s Global 6K for Water is a one day event where people from all over the world unite on the same day for the same cause – clean water

    Nearly 1,000 children under 5 die every day from diarrhea caused by dirty water, poor sanitation, and improper hygiene. That’s why World Vision is providing a new person with clean water every 30 seconds as part of our full solution to poverty. Clean water frees children from deadly disease, liberates women and children from a life spent gathering dirty water, and opens the door to education, a promising future, and a full life, the kind of life God intends.


When:    May 6, 2017 @ 9am

Where: Clackamette Park (where the Clackamas meets the Willamette) Just north of 205 off of McLoughlin

Why:

  • Imagine being without water for 3 days.  (story)
  • Now imagine having to walk 6km (3.7mi) every day, twice a day, carrying 40lbs on the return trip.
  • What would life be like for you?
  • No school. No free time.  No other opportunities
  • Danger on the road.  Robbery.  Kidnapping.  Rape.
    • Story from conference.
  • What if you could change someone’s life?
  • Would you trade two weeks of water, for a lifetime supply for someone else?
  • How about $50.  Why not two people?  Why not ask your friends?
  • What if we could change 10,000 children’s lives?
  • World Vision does water projects well:
    • WV wells last a long time (20 years, opposed to 1-3 years; independently tested)
    • 95% of WV employees are native to the countries they build their wells.
    • Every dollar donated in this project goes to the project (no overhead)
  • Do this:

    • Register to Run » GodRenews.us/6K
    • Give generously and sacrificially.  Take time to weigh the cost and the value.
    • Ask your friends to join you.  Ask them to run.  Share the vision.
    • Ask your friends to give generously.  Cast the vision.  If you can’t ask someone else, why are you giving in the first place?
    • Train.
    • Run.  Put yourself in a child’s shoes.  Experience the pain of their struggle, and the joy of serving them.

    Join Team Renew for Water in Oregon City on Saturday, May 6th, 2017.

    Your registration ($50) provides water for life to a child in Africa! When you sign up here you’ll be given the option to do further fundraising as well.
    Continue reading “You Can Do This. We Must Do This. (6K for Water)”

    Build the Altar: What Is It We Need Every New Day?

    All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
        for those who keep His covenant and His testimonies

    The friendship [secret counsel] of the Lord is for those who fear Him,
        and he makes known to them His covenant.”
    —King David (Psalm 25:10, 14)

    We finished a sermon series helping us apply grace-driven effort to Build the Altar to God in our lives with this fourth message on gathering the necessary spiritual food for each new day. If you’ve ever struggled with motivation to read the Bible and pray, let the first lessons of God’s people in the wilderness comfort and challenge your heart.

    Why we do what we do is more important than what we do.

    Plus, it is worth re-mentioning that the Law that would be given (Exodus 19-20) came after God’s incredible and miraculous work of Redemption. And after His daily provision of all their earthly needs. Truly WHOs before DOs.

    Message title: Build the Altar: What Is It We Need Each New Day?
    Fourth Week of Build the Altar
    Scriptures: Exodus 12-16; Psalm 25; 1 Corinthians 10; Deuteronomy 8:2-5 (Matthew 4:4)
    Preacher: Jeff Patterson
    Date: 1/29/17

    Listen or download:

    As an opening illustration, Pastor Jeff mentioned two British Olympians whose running careers were highlighted in the 1981 movie Chariots of Fire. Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell were teammates on the Great Britain team at the 1924 Paris Olympics. Both were to run in the 100 meter sprint race, but Liddell intentionally refused to run during a preliminary heat race as it was slated for a Sunday. Instead, Abrahams won gold, and Liddell then competed in the 400 meter race, not his specialty. Notice his stellar finish, as the “Flying Scotsman” wins, running faster than he ever had before at this distance, establishing a new Olympic record time (outside lane, far left in this video):

    At the close of the morning worship service Pastor Jeff left us with this thought on how we can truly evaluate and appreciate Liddell’s life and legacy:

    Scripture readings:

    Exodus 15:1-13 (NLT):

    A Song of Deliverance

    15 Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord:

    “I will sing to the Lord,
        for he has triumphed gloriously;
    he has hurled both horse and rider
        into the sea.
    The Lord is my strength and my song;
        he has given me victory.
    This is my God, and I will praise him—
        my father’s God, and I will exalt him!
    The Lord is a warrior;
        Yahweh[a] is his name!
    Pharaoh’s chariots and army
        he has hurled into the sea.
    The finest of Pharaoh’s officers
        are drowned in the Red Sea.
    The deep waters gushed over them;
        they sank to the bottom like a stone.

    “Your right hand, O Lord,
        is glorious in power.
    Your right hand, O Lord,
        smashes the enemy.
    In the greatness of your majesty,
        you overthrow those who rise against you.
    You unleash your blazing fury;
        it consumes them like straw.
    At the blast of your breath,
        the waters piled up!
    The surging waters stood straight like a wall;
        in the heart of the sea the deep waters became hard.

    “The enemy boasted, ‘I will chase them
        and catch up with them.
    I will plunder them
        and consume them.
    I will flash my sword;
        my powerful hand will destroy them.’
    10 But you blew with your breath,
        and the sea covered them.
    They sank like lead
        in the mighty waters.

    11 “Who is like you among the gods, O Lord
        glorious in holiness,
    awesome in splendor,
        performing great wonders?
    12 You raised your right hand,
        and the earth swallowed our enemies.

    13 “With your unfailing love you lead
        the people you have redeemed.
    In your might, you guide them
        to your sacred home.

    Footnotes:
    1. 15:3 Yahweh is a transliteration of the proper name YHWH that is sometimes rendered “Jehovah”; in this translation it is usually rendered “the Lord” (note the use of small capitals).

    Psalm 25:10-14 (ESV):

    10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
        for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

    11 For your name’s sake, O Lord,
        pardon my guilt, for it is great.
    12 Who is the man who fears the Lord?
        Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
    13 His soul shall abide in well-being,
        and his offspring shall inherit the land.
    14 The friendship[a] of the Lord is for those who fear him,
        and he makes known to them his covenant.

    Footnotes:
    1. Psalm 25:14 Or The secret counsel

    Exodus 15:25-27 (NLT):

    25 So Moses cried out to the Lord for help, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. Moses threw it into the water, and this made the water good to drink.

    It was there at Marah that the Lord set before them the following decree as a standard to test their faithfulness to him. 26 He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”

    27 After leaving Marah, the Israelites traveled on to the oasis of Elim, where they found twelve springs and seventy palm trees. They camped there beside the water.

     

    He Who Honors God Will Be Honored By Him

    For context to Eric Liddell’s life and athletic achievements, consider this scene from 1924 Olympics dramatized in Chariots of Fire:


    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 each of us is invited on an adventure to build an altar to God each new day, to look up and love our Creator first. What will be your plan to develop a new rhythm of seeking God each day? » Find some help here.

    Team World Vision 6K for Water » GodRenews.us/6K

    What: World Vision’s Global 6K for Water is a one day event where people from all over the world unite on the same day for the same cause – clean water

    Why: Nearly 1,000 children under 5 die every day from diarrhea caused by dirty water, poor sanitation, and improper hygiene. That’s why World Vision is providing a new person with clean water every 30 seconds as part of our full solution to poverty. Clean water frees children from deadly disease, liberates women and children from a life spent gathering dirty water, and opens the door to education, a promising future, and a full life, the kind of life God intends.

    When: May 6, 2017 @ 9am

    Signup! » 6K for Water

    Build the Altar: Gospel Friendship

    This message is in part of vision of what we’ll be most about in the coming year (our emphasis), which when coupled with the other Build the Altar rhythms, will form the essential practices of what it means to follow Jesus together.

    “We must exhibit to our children [in private] and to the watching world [in public] that we take truth seriously. It will not do in a relativistic age to say that we believe in truth and fail to practice that truth in places where it may be observed and where it is costly.”
    —Francis Schaeffer

    Message title: Build the Altar: Gospel Friendships
    Third Week of Build the Altar
    Scriptures: Acts 13:1-4; 2 Corinthians 4:3-7
    Preacher: Jeff Patterson
    Date: 1/22/17

    Listen or download:

    Scripture readings:

    Acts 13:1-4

    Barnabas and Saul Sent Off

    13 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger,[a] Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

    So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

    Footnotes:
    1. Acts 13:1 Niger is a Latin word meaning black, or dark

    2 Corinthians 4:3-7

    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[a] 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.

    Footnotes:
    1. 2 Corinthians 4:5 Or slaves (Greek word doulos)
    “The man who would truly know God must give time to Him.”
    —A.W. Tozer

    Quotes & resources:

    The outline of today’s sermon is borrowed in many ways from the emphases of Francis Schaeffer in a position paper “Two Contents, Two Realities,” delivered to all participants of the International Congress on World Evangelization inLausanne, Switzerland (1974) 1. Schaeffer’s terrific book True Spirituality is a longer exploration of these themes and emphases.

    “There are four things which I think are absolutely necessary if we as Christians are to meet the need of our age and the overwhelming pressure we are increasingly facing. They are two contents and two realities:

    • The First Content: Sound Doctrine
    • The Second Content: Honest Answers to Honest Questions
    • The First Reality: True Spirituality
    • The Second Reality: The Beauty of Human Relationships

    We must exhibit to our children [in private] and to the watching world [in public] that we take truth seriously. It will not do in a relativistic age to say that we believe in truth and fail to practice that truth in places where it may be observed and where it is costly.”

    Christianity demands that we have enough compassion to learn the questions of our generation.

    The trouble with too many of us is that we want to be able to answer these questions instantly, as though we could take a funnel, put it in one ear and pour in the facts, and then go out and regurgitate them and win all the discussions. It cannot be. Answering questions is hard work.

    Can you answer all the questions? No, but you must try. Begin to listen with compassion. Ask what this [person’s] questions really are and try to answer. And if you don’t know the answer, try to go someplace or read and study to find the answer.” (CW, 3:414)

    Sound Doctrine: The Whole Gospel Truth

    Personal Good News and the Gospel Story

    To discuss a new start in following Jesus, receiving His whole good news, please contact us

    Our working metaphor for the message was a table. Think of the four points as four posts holding up a table, the Table of Grace!


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

    Team World Vision 6K for Water » GodRenews.us/6K

    What: World Vision’s Global 6K for Water is a one day event where people from all over the world unite on the same day for the same cause – clean water

    Why: Nearly 1,000 children under 5 die every day from diarrhea caused by dirty water, poor sanitation, and improper hygiene. That’s why World Vision is providing a new person with clean water every 30 seconds as part of our full solution to poverty. Clean water frees children from deadly disease, liberates women and children from a life spent gathering dirty water, and opens the door to education, a promising future, and a full life, the kind of life God intends.

    When: May 6, 2017 @ 9am

    Signup! » 6K for Water

    1. see also the 1974 Lausanne Covenant (with commentary by Rev. John Stott), a key document delegates collaborated on towards the hope of world evangelization

    Build the Altar as Stewards of our Bodies

    With the vital areas of healthy and wholeness before us, we had two of our own share their journey, and struggles, in becoming as healthy as God wants them to be. Dawson and Anna Hunter are uncommon people who have ventured through the common struggles shared by us all, as newlyweds, in the workforce, new parents, and now settling into life.

    They also returned this weekend from a retreat with 200 national leaders on Team World Vision, looking ahead to the Global 6K for Water (May 6th), and each of us are invited to participate.

    We begin with some theology on where does God dwell and how our bodies (and whole lives, together) became the temple of God. From this vantage point — the true truth that God wants to dwell with His people — we see the wisdom of considering what inputs (food, learning) and outputs (exercise and daily commitments) help shape a God-centered life that empowers us to serve others well.

    Message title: Build the Altar as Stewards of our Bodies
    Second Week of Build the Altar
    Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 2 Corinthians 4:1-12; Romans 12:1, et al
    Speakers: Dawson & Anna Hunter
    Date: 1/15/17

    Listen or download:

    “The man who would truly know God must give time to Him.”
    —A.W. Tozer

    Notes/outline

    Why Our Bodies Matter – Dawson

    1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV) Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (NIV: honor God with your bodies)

    1 Corinthians 3:16 (ESV) Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

    • What does it mean to be the temple of the Holy Spirit?
      • Biblical Narrative
        • Garden of Eden
        • Tabernacle & Temple
        • Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice, tearing the veil in two
        • Heaven
      • Our bodies are worthy of honor because:
        • They were created by God and he said they are good.
        • They have been sanctified by Christ for the Lord.

    Romans 12:1 ESV I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

    What We Eat Matters – Anna

    • Dietary choices contribute to the altar in two ways:
      • Nourishing our bodies in the best possible way to best serve God and others
        • 1 Corinthians 10:23 (NLT) You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial.
          • Our food choices should be based on selecting foods that are most beneficial for our bodies; that is, foods that compliment God’s exquisite design
          • The foods we eat directly impact the hormonal, physiological and metabolic processes that contribute to how we feel, utilize energy and prevent disease
          • Examples: healthy eating in our household
            • Limit sugar and starches
            • Don’t worry about fat
            • Eat whole foods (as opposed to processed)
            • Variety of fruits and veggies to get adequate vitamins & minerals
            • Eat larger meals less often (no snacks)
      • Dealing with unhealthy attitudes and ties to food
        • Why is it so hard to stay away from foods that are not beneficial or even harmful?
          • Hyper-palatable foods (particularly sugar-laden foods) elicit hormonal responses similar to drugs; some foods can literally be addicting
          • No coincidence; the Enemy often convinces us to seek the gift and not the Giver for quick-fixes and immediate satisfaction
        • Truth: God is the only one who can truly satisfy us
          • Jesus is very clear about how he feels about food:
            • John 4:34 (ESV) Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
        • How we address this in our household
          • We remove the foods that we tend to turn to for pick-me-ups/mindless eating altogether
          • We practice frequent periods of fasting from foods that have become strongholds (Oh-I-could-never-live-without-that mentality; not necessarily always junk food)
          • We strive to let God direct this area of our lives as much as any other area

    What We Do Matters – Dawson

    My story as it relates to Physical Exercise.

    • Two years ago (exactly) Jeff emailed me a plan.
      • I didn’t respond until April.
      • Didn’t run until 11 months after that (6K for Water – no training)
      • Only started running regularly this last August.  🙁
    • Didn’t start, because by default, I do nothing.  Inertia keeps me on my couch.
    • Why exercise?
      • Because I’m not a farmer
      • It exposes weakness AND overcomes it
      • It develops discipline (physical, time management, focus)
        • Illustration: Reagan ice-skating & bike riding — “I can’t!” — growth comes through struggle.
      • Increases mental and spiritual health
      • Creates a meditative space.  A quietness away from screens and entertainment.
      • Tears down the idol of laziness and sloth, comfort and selfishness
      • Increases capacity to:
        • Serve family & others
        • Have energy to play with kids & be productive in other areas
    • Scripture:
      • 1 Corinthians 9:25 (ESV) Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
      • 1 Corinthians 9:27 (ESV) But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
        • I pummel my body and make it a slave
      • 1 Timothy 4:7-8 (ESV) Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

    Questions from Pastor Jeff:

    • How has having a plan and planning ahead helped?
    • Can someone just choose one or the other: exercise lots OR eat healthy?
    • How does whole-life health and fitness “fit” with your kids and life commitments, and how do these habits and values in effect enable you to be better in marriage, parenting, working, etc.?
    • Can you tell us about the World Vision 6K for water?

    Team World Vision 6K for Water » GodRenews.us/6K

    What:World Vision’s Global 6K for Water is a one day event where people from all over the world unite on the same day for the same cause – clean water

        Nearly 1,000 children under 5 die every day from diarrhea caused by dirty water, poor sanitation, and improper hygiene. That’s why World Vision is providing a new person with clean water every 30 seconds as part of our full solution to poverty. Clean water frees children from deadly disease, liberates women and children from a life spent gathering dirty water, and opens the door to education, a promising future, and a full life, the kind of life God intends.

    When:    May 6, 2017 @ 9am

    Where: Clackamette Park (where the Clackamas meets the Willamette) Just north of 205 off of McLoughlin

    Why:

      • Imagine being without water for 3 days.  (story)
      • Now imagine having to walk 6km (3.7mi) every day, twice a day, carrying 40lbs on the return trip.
    • What would life be like for you?
        • No school. No free time.  No other opportunities
        • Danger on the road.  Robbery.  Kidnapping.  Rape.
          • Story from conference.
    • What if you could change someone’s life?
      • Would you trade two weeks of water, for a lifetime supply for someone else?
      • How about $50.  Why not two people?  Why not ask your friends?
      • What if we could change 10,000 children’s lives?
    • World Vision does water projects well:
      • WV wells last a long time (20 years, opposed to 1-3 years; independently tested)
      • 95% of WV employees are native to the countries they build their wells.
      • Every dollar donated in this project goes to the project (no overhead)

    Do this:

    • Register to Run » GodRenews.us/6K
    • Give generously and sacrificially.  Take time to weigh the cost and the value.
    • Ask your friends to join you.  Ask them to run.  Share the vision.
    • Ask your friends to give generously.  Cast the vision.  If you can’t ask someone else, why are you giving in the first place?
    • Train.
    • Run.  Put yourself in a child’s shoes.  Experience the pain of their struggle, and the joy of serving them.

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

    Build the Altar this Snow Day

    Our Sunday worship gathering is canceled due to inclement weather; while the snowy roads are passable for some, the likely onset of freezing rain, atop of existing snow, and coupled with a winter storm advisory asking people locally to not travel unnecessarily, and since “travel is strongly discouraged,” this means we (the Renew Elders) think it wise to not gather as a whole church family today. 

    Our Home is Like a Little Church [more]
    While we won’t be gathering at 813 7th Street together this morning, to serve one another and worship the risen Christ, we do get to do this well in our homes on this snow day.

    Build the Altar This Snow Day

    Continue reading “Build the Altar this Snow Day”

    Build the Altar: Grace-Driven Effort for the New Year

    There’s one resolution you need this year:

    I will build an altar to God each day.

    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.

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

    Whether we turn aside to the left (in apathetic self-pleasing) or to the right (in stressed-out self-effort), Jesus is willing to come rescue us, put us back on the good path, and lead us onward with grace-driven effort!

    The Path: turn neither to the left or the right, but go forward with Jesus

    Message title: Build the Altar: Grace-Driven New Year
    First Week of Build the Altar
    Scriptures: Romans 5:1-6; Luke 15
    Preacher: Jeff Patterson
    Date: 1/1/17

    Listen or download:

    “The man who would truly know God must give time to Him.”
    —A.W. Tozer

    Scripture reading:

    Romans 5:1-6 (ESV)

    Peace with God Through Faith

    Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

    For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.


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

    Build the Altar in 2017 (resources for worshiping Christ in His Word)

    Happy New Year!

    There’s one resolution you need this year:

    I will build an altar to God each day.

    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.

    Whether we turn aside to the left (in apathetic self-pleasing) or to the right (in stressed-out self-effort), Jesus is willing to come rescue us, put us back on the good path, and lead us onward with grace-driven effort!

    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).
    “Nothing but the simplest impulses gets accomplished without some forethought, which we call a plan.”
    —John Piper

    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. This is where we build an altar to God.

    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!

    “The man who would truly know God must give time to Him.”
    —A.W. Tozer

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

    Have a plan.

    Update: adding the “Read Scripture” plan with the Bible Project. This is a collaboration of a Bible reading plan alongside the instructive and helpful illustrated videos produced by The Bible Project (locally in Portland).

    Read Scripture with The Bible Project

    Hand-illustrated Bible Project videos explain difficult concepts and themes “better than seminary” alongside scripture text.
    A brand-new Thematic reading plan constantly highlights the bigger picture so you can always see the big picture in your reading. (19201080

    Spend quality time reading the Bible daily while learning how to read it with contextual videos, charts and illustrations from The Bible Project

    Track your progress of the entire Bible that shows you where you’ve been and where you are going.

    Reminders on your phone will ping you to help keep you on track.

    Or can print PDF and read paper Bible. A benefit of this plan is improving our “biblical literary,” so that we learn the whole Story even as we dive into small parts of it daily.

    Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play

    More Reading Plans

    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.
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    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’ve been following for a few years.) Alternative idea: spread it over two years by reading 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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    Continue reading “Build the Altar in 2017 (resources for worshiping Christ in His Word)”