God calls us to a kind of generosity that puts the needs of others before our own, not one that is determined by what leftovers we have. His calling is for us to consider the needs of others as we go about our reaping, not passing along our meager remains after gorging ourselves. It seems that this practice has been lost in today’s society. People who experience God’s compassion and love each and every day should want to show this same love and compassion to others, right? So, what is the problem? The issue seems to be a matter of the heart and our desires. Our selfishness can get in the way of reaching out to those in need because we are too inwardly focused. There needs to be a shift where people begin to look outside of themselves and notice their neighbors and what they can do to serve them. 

This past week our prayer was for God to give us His heart for the people that are in closest proximity to us. When we love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength we will also replicate that love to the people closest to us.

The one challenge that continues to come up is lack of time. This week we are going to keep pressing into loving our physical neighbors, and how we have to create space in our life to build relationships.

Objectively, most Christians see the biblical and practical need for connection to the church and love for the family of God.
 
But many of you have experienced the disappointment of your community not meeting expectations you had for the family of God. Some of you may be limiting the capacity for God to transform your life because of a lack of commitment to people around you.
 
In any case, Psalm 133, gives us a positive and powerful picture of the blessing of unified spiritual connection. Join us Sunday to receive and practice this truth of community.

Objectively, most Christians see the biblical and practical need for connection to the church and love for the family of God.
 
But many of you have experienced the disappointment of your community not meeting expectations you had for the family of God. Some of you may be limiting the capacity for God to transform your life because of a lack of commitment to people around you.
 
In any case, Psalm 133, gives us a positive and powerful picture of the blessing of unified spiritual connection. Join us Sunday to receive and practice this truth of community.

Our secular belief of, “feelings are truth,” work against obedience to God’s Word even when if it doesn’t “feel right.” So following the law of Christ may seem antiquated and quaint.

But if we read Psalm 132, we see that following the way of Jesus not only produces hope, but also gives us present and persistent joy.
 

The content life is elusive especially for Charlotteans. There is always a project to complete, work to do, places to go, and people to see. The pace of our city is frenetic.

And yet, the Scripture gives us a picture of a person who is not seeking things outside themselves, but waiting on God, content.

The Christian life is both a desperate plea for help and an overwhelming reception of generosity from God. We can at once experience consequences of sin, and at the same time have the hope of redemption. And the good news is that none of us are too far away that God cannot redeem and restore our lives.

The greatest threat to the Christian is the threat of giving up. It is the absence of perseverance. Our greatest challenge, as seen through the history of the Bible and through the history of the church is to give up faith, to give in to the words of the world, and to trade the blessing God intended for us for a life of futility.

But in this challenge, we have a great hope, that God promises to keep us to the end. As Jesus says in John 10:28–29, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.”

There is great blessing in following the way of Jesus. When you read Psalm 128, take notice of how much joy and blessing come from a life devoted to God.

But unfortunately, many of us have stopped short of seeking the fullness of God’s peace and blessing in our life. Whether we get bored, tired, apathetic, or hungry for other things, we short circuit the full intention of God’s blessing to us.

On Sunday, we heard the good news about God’s blessing coming to us and His blessing going through us.
 

I work in a middle school. The life of a middle schooler is extremely different than when we were kids. As educators, we are tasked not only with teaching, but also working through the social and emotional ups and downs that our students experience. Often times I find myself wondering if I am the best person to do that. Yet, everyday when I enter the school, I find situations that are new, strange, joyful, sad, overwhelming, and hilarious, and am given what I need to get the job done.