The Best of Living Water 2012

Hello! Here is the best of Living Water 2012. As always I thank you for you for reading and sharing; as well praying for and encouraging me. May God bless you and keep you in 2013. Christopher

 

 

 

Christopher Wolf Twenty (CW20); January

 

 

7. Winning doesn’t always look like winning – most often it’s enduring and remaining standing.

 

8. Being vs. Doing – I used to think that I had to do a lot of stuff for the Kingdom – numbers, accomplishments, etc. Not. God’s asking me (us) to be faithful. That’s what He can use. Accomplishment, activity, doing more…is about us. And being impatient is about us…Being patient and waiting on God working is also being faithful. I’ve had to learn to be patient.

 

9. What has broken me in life has made me who I am. I used to resent things I didn’t have growing up as well as feeling bad about wounding experiences and failures. Now I understand better that God works best out of our brokenness and vulnerability rather than our strengths. I am able to lead, care for, pastor, teach, reach out primarily because of my woundedness; and then my Spiritual gifts enable me to “export” and share that passion and compassion effectively.

 

 

Upside Down, Inside Out; February

 

 

But Jesus, here in this essential message, is clearly saying that what is valuable, what is worth fighting for are these people. When the poor in spirit, the grieving, the meek, and the others in his list are the center of ministry and activity we do as individuals and congregations – the Kingdom will be visible.

 

We are ambassadors of God’s Kingdom. Our churches are embassies of that Kingdom. I tell you with great passion that Christians and churches that commit to more fully representing this Kingdom of God and to finding, reaching and caring for people who need God today – will certainly find themselves turned upside down and inside out – but will also find themselves closer to the Kingdom than ever before.

 

 

A Confession; February

 

 

It’s hard to explain in words, but it’s there. I guess a lot of it is I want people to know and experience what I have with God – the joy, the purpose, strength and healing. I am very moved by stories of people who feel like God abandoned them or wasn’t there for them or just feel like they can’t get close to Him for many reasons – like feeling unworthy or not perfect enough. In part because these are some of the worst feelings in the world; and in part because these feelings are real; but they’re not true. In general, I am so driven to try to show people how much God loves them.

 

Just a few months ago, I was talking to someone and I mentioned that I was so blessed to be where I am right now because it gives me the opportunity to reach out to people I grew up with. And the person with whom I was speaking said that he had never heard of a pastor concerned about that before. I laughed; I had never thought of it as unique – I just thought it was what I was supposed to do.

 

 

Stuck; February

 

So I want to say very lovingly to many of you today that yes it happened and it was awful and it was not your fault. I want to say lovingly that the guilt you carry from what you have done in the past is crushing and suffocating you. I want to lovingly say that there is a problem but you don’t have to suffer under it anymore. I am lovingly saying that you will still be you, in fact a more wonderful you than you have ever known. You know, “we are as sick as our secrets” and I am saying lovingly that all the pretending, denying, pride and fear are only hurting you and keeping you from the goodness and grace God wants to and is ready to pour out on your heart and soul. The irony of course is that to welcome and receive that healing and restoration, you have to embrace the truth of what has happened, what you’ve done, what you can’t control anymore, and what you fear; and it is in that embrace that it’s or their power over you will end and the healing and new beginning can begin.

Maybe it starts like this, “To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God…Remember, O Lord, your great mercy and love for they are from of old…Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord (Psalm 25:1, 6-7).”

And when you lift up your soul and trust in Him above everything and everyone else, and He supplies you with the strength to embrace whatever ending you need to embrace today, He will absolutely be remembering you according to His love and grace. Then you’ll see that those dreams that seemed so far away will be as close as a whispered prayer. Those dreams of forgiveness and restored relationships, those dreams of getting clean or sober, those dreams of being free of guilt and the expectations of others, those dreams of being and feeling loved unconditionally, those dreams of living fearlessly and purposefully, those dreams of the past being the past, those dreams of no longer being defined by past events or decisions, those dreams of having a future with hope, those dreams of finally more fully experiencing the joy and peace of God’s presence.

 

Alive; March

 

 

Second, this passage reveals that believing and following are connected but very different. Of course, we have to believe in Christ before we know and are enabled by the Holy Spirit to follow. In this passage, Peter is a believer – perhaps the first believer when he says that Jesus is the Messiah. But, seemingly within minutes he is not following. Jesus then explains what following is – (based on believing) denying one’s self, losing our lives for his sake, setting our minds on heavenly things not earthly things. This is not easy. I’ve found that moving from believer to follower is very challenging – but it’s where we are all called to go. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “When Christ calls a person, he bids he or she, come and die.” Meaning, when we die to ourselves, we become alive in Christ, thus truly alive. Today, Christianity and churches are filled with believers (a good start) but meaning it’s pretty easy to attend a church and recite creeds and say some amens and sing some hymns; but when it comes to losing our lives for the Gospel, it’s not happening very much. This is a zombie-ish quality. It’s often called the Holy Huddle. It’s as if you were watching a football game and your team came out on the field high-fived each other, got in a huddle talked for a while and then headed for the locker room. When we go from believer to follower – our responsiveness to the Holy Spirit grows (as our fears of same decreases), our compassion for others increases, our desire for “on earth as it is in heaven” grows, serving is joyful rather than like a chore. If we want to be alive, we have to move and grow from believers to followers.

 

 

Religion or Relationship?; March

 

 

A long time ago…

 

In the middle east, a man named Jesus, the Son of God, came to save, not condemn the world by inviting all people to a relationship with Him and the Father. A real, active, alive relationship. He came at a time when religion had taken over any kind of relationship with God – loveless, elitist, joyless, rule-based, graceless, institutional religion became a god of its own. This Jesus then and today has liberated billions from death and religion and delivered them to eternal and abundant life. Sadly though, even with His Holy Spirit and His Word, people are still prisoners of this kind of religion today – even religion in Jesus’ name. I offer this note of love to awaken people to the essential differences between religion and relationship with God. I offer this to liberate prisoners. I offer this because as I feel called to reach out to and lead people back to God – therefore I also feel called to make church a safer place for them when they come home. Please read and reflect on the following…

 

 

Guess How Much God Loves You; March

 

And, this love of God doesn’t wait for us to be good or get better. It reaches us, it touches wherever it finds us – at our best or at our worst. It’s the very definition of unconditional love.

It’s the kind of love that frees and rescues.

It’s the kind of love that heals and awakens.

It’s the kind of love that lifts us to want to try again.

It’s the kind of love that leads us to want to come home.

It’s the kind of love that eclipses our past.

It’s the kind of love that opens our eyes to seeing who we really are – in God’s eyes.

It’s the kind of love that assures us that when all else fails; it never will…

Yes, God loves you and me this much…arms outstretched; pouring over and through all the walls, sins and hurts; overflowing into the very depths our hearts and souls.

 

 

Right There; April

 

Listen, it’s because the point is not to be richer or more successful or more loved as a way to achieve peace – God’s point all along with us is that our relationship with Him through Jesus is the starting point and source of our joy, grace, and peace, then all the other things will be added. It’s not about solving all our problems with cash and mantras – it’s so that we can see and endure anything that happens in our lives and still say or sing, “It is well with my soul (because I am His and He is mine).” When you and I can more and more genuinely say and believe that no matter what the circumstance – that’s abundant life, that’s living rescued and forgiven, that’s faith, that’s the peace beyond understanding.

Maybe you’ve been praying for a rescue or an answer for a long time. And you feel like it’s never come. Maybe you’ve been faithful in waiting for it – “it” as you hoped it would be. But you’re still waiting, still hoping. That’s a good thing. It’s a very good thing to recognize the need to be rescued and that God could be or is the one to turn to. And about that rescue or answer seeming delayed…

Maybe it’s because the rescue you needed, was right there all along, right in front of you…

 

Snapshots of Faith; May

 

A Prayer of Confession

Dear Jesus, we acknowledge our sins to you this morning. We have not loved others as you have asked us. We’ve chosen safety over risking. We’ve chosen convenience over reaching out. We’ve chosen our ways instead of your ways. We’ve chosen loving ourselves rather than loving others. We’ve chosen preserving over pouring out. We’ve chosen fear over trusting you. We’ve chosen indifference rather than mercy. We’ve focused more on the co$t rather than the cross. We’ve chosen to turn away instead of embracing. For all of this, for all the people we have failed to care about and reach, and more, we humbly say we are sorry, ask for your forgiveness and repent of our ways. Pour out your mercy and grace upon us that we may be made new. Renew and remake our hearts in your image – let our hearts break for those for whom your heart breaks – the poor, the alienated, the prisoners, the unloved, the broken, the ones who don’t know you, the rejected, the needy – to anyone who needs you – send us we pray. In Your name, Amen.

 

 

A New Vision for First Reformed Church of Saddle Brook; July

 

For me, I am so thankful to God. I have served at three churches and in each case He has been faithful to grant powerful and unique visions that have helped shape congregations and individual believers. Vision animates, vision unites, vision lends purpose, vision points us to possibility. Vision is a picture of what God most desires in a given context. A long time ago, when I was on a 9th grade trip to Washington D.C, wandering through the Capitol Building, I found a plaque above a door that read, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…(Proverbs 29:11).” That left such an impression on me. And beginning in college, I have sought to bring this to every endeavor of my life – personal, professional and ministry. Asking what God desires for lives, a congregation, people, and community; and passionately seeking with the Holy Spirit’s help to actualize it. Discerning and casting vision takes hard work – constant prayer, understanding the present in truth, knowing the Word, effective communication, knowing the collective gifts of the given congregation, patience and endurance, understanding God’s mission for the church, and being aware of the needs of people in the community. It is truly a gift from God in so many ways.

 

 

A Prayer for America, July 2012; July

 

 

Our Father, we are asking today for You to open the heavens and let Your rains mercifully, gently and abundantly fall upon this nation and people. Where the wildfires of violence, lust, and division burn out of control – let Your rain of peace and love cover and extinguish them. Where we experience crippling droughts of reason and sanity, let Your wisdom fall and satisfy. Where corruption and greed ravenously consume, let Your justice sweep down like a flood to purify and cleanse. Where grief and sorrow burden and weigh down, let Your rain of joy and strength lift and raise spirits. Where discouragement and desperation cloud and darken futures, let Your rain of hope reveal a rainbow of promise to come. In this time of trial for our nation in these last years and the ones to come, we ask for the power and strength through the Holy Spirit to repent and turn from away from the things and ways of death and destruction; and to turn to You, and to life, and to purpose. We cry out to you to renew and heal the soul of this nation; that we may truly become one under You. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

 

 

Satisfaction (You can get some); September

 

Are you thirsty today? The kind of thirst that is deep in your soul? That’s good. Are you tired of trying to pursue satisfaction through stuff, people and activity? That’s good too! Because you’re in a perfect place to awaken to God’s invitation to experience the satisfaction He wants to give you. It’s a satisfaction that is purposefully designed for you, it’s full of grace, and will touch you deeply in your heart and soul.

“Come, all you who are thirsty…” and come to where there is enough; enough of something that gives life – the living water of Jesus – a supply that never runs out and is deeply, richly satisfying – more than satisfying than anything we have imagined or experienced.

 

The Return of the Joy; September

 

 

Second, when we focus more on God being able and good; we are able to let go of and focus less on circumstances. When we dwell on circumstances we can get very discouraged and be joyless. I’ve been there, I know what it’s like. After all, we think, things are so bad, there’s no solution. And often it feels like that; and many times the circumstances are awful. But if we lift our vision off the circumstances and onto God, we find joy. See, circumstances are about what we can or can’t do; circumstances are temporal; circumstances function like walls that close in on us; like prison bars. But focusing on God’s goodness and his being able to overcome anything in this world allows to see beyond circumstances and experience joy despite everything pushing against it. It’s a powerful feeling.

 

 

How’s Your Garden?; November

 

 

Yet, we have this bounteous harvest of love, peace, joy, compassion; and together we can produce fruit of salvation, changed lives, and community impact. We just need to let it out from the inside and bring it to market, so to speak.

 

It all starts with the garden though, right? We have to awaken to the source of our life fruit – which garden is our source for fruit? Is the fruit of our lives from Eden – selfishness, pride and disobeying God. Or is our fruit coming from Gethsamane – obedience, compassion, sacrifice, God’s will over ours – leading to new life. One garden leads to death and misery; the other leads to abundant life. One garden is about us; the other is about God and others. One garden is rife with weeds and thorns; the other is beautiful, full of potential, and always has room for more.

 

From which of these gardens is your fruit growing?

 

 

Even With My Dark Side?; November

 

 

For many years, I have been haunted by this question, “Will you love me, even with my dark side?” because I know it has been the source of confusion, hurt, distance for so many – it breaks my heart. I find that many people ask it and often don’t believe God’s answer. I find that many people get stuck living in their dark side; stuck in guilt, the past, mistakes, hurts, addictions and more – from which there is freedom in Christ. I also find that lots of people pretend that they don’t have dark sides; in which they lose out on the grace and joy of God; to deny that we’re sinners is to miss the whole point of Jesus.

 

But for today, if you are asking, or if you have ever asked, or if you avoid asking because you’re afraid of the answer, or if you stopped asking at some point – yes, absolutely, yes, God loves you with your dark side. And, for what it’s worth, so do I.

 

My prayer is that more and more, you find your worth, your sense of being loved and loving, your hope, and your heart in the One who is loves us more than we can ever know.

 

 

 

Rev. Christopher B. Wolf

Isaiah 42:7

cbrianwolf@gmail.com

www.christopherbwolf.com

 

Christopher B. Wolf is pastor of First Reformed Church of Saddle Brook, NJ and is the author of Giving Faith a Second Chance: Restarts, Mulligans and Do-Overs (2007) and With You Every Step of the Way (2011); and the host of Walk With Me, Wednesdays 7 pm on WYFN 94.9 FM-NY and on www.yfnradio.com.

“It is a matter of sharing and bearing the pain and puzzlement of the world so that the crucified love of God in Christ may be brought to bear healingly upon the world at exactly that point.” N.T. Wright

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How’s Your Garden?

It’s all about the fruit. 

 

Blueberries, apples, kiwi, pomegranates? No, not that kind of fruit. Fruit of the spirit. Things like love, joy, peace, compassion, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). And it’s about Kingdom Fruit – new believers in Christ, changed lives, forgiveness and reconciliation, community impact.

 

We’re talking about the stuff that gives evidence of Christ in one’s life or evidence that a church is centered on Him. It’s one thing to go to church and be involved; but God, and frankly people who are hoping that God and His people are for real, are looking for this fruit. It can’t be purchased, it’s not something you put on. It’s coming from the inside and hopefully makes it to the outside and into the space around us. 

 

And it doesn’t magically appear. If you look at the above lists – fruit of the Spirit and Kingdom fruit – they are all things that can’t be faked or manufactured. Some people go to church and some people give the impression that they are holy but often a closer look reveals little to no fruit. Yet, it’s all about the fruit. You can’t fake compassion, you can’t fake forgiveness and reconciliation, you can’t fake self-control. This fruit has to come from somewhere, someone; we are unable to create it. 

 

So, from where does this fruit come? Well, of course from a garden. In the Bible, there are two key events that occur in gardens. And they reveal how this fruit can grow in our lives. 

 

The first, of course, is the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:8ff). You remember, Adam and Eve, everything created perfectly, walking with God. Good times. But then Adam and Eve disobey God. And at the heart of their disobedience, and the hallmark of this garden, is the self and pride. As you can imagine, this is not a fruit-bearing garden. It’s impossible to be peaceful, joyful and kind when we are full of ourselves and focused on ourselves. 

 

But fortunately, there is another essential garden in the Bible. It is the Garden of Gethsamane (Matthew 26:36ff). It’s in this garden that first garden begins to be redeemed, and us along with it. In this garden, Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, chooses to follow God’s will over his, even though it means going to the cross. In other words, love, compassion, self-control, and ultimately new life (resurrection after the cross and death). 

 

And it’s through this garden and the coming of the Holy Spirit that there can be a harvest of life-giving, Kingdom building fruit. Like Jesus said in John 15, when we abide in Him, when we let Him into our lives more and more, we are able to bear this fruit. Part of what I have been thinking recently is that many people have this fruit in their lives. But what happens is that it gets covered up, hidden, or stuck. But clearly, people all around us need this fruit. The fruit that is poisoning people in this world is – greed, pride, lust, hatred, strife, selfishness – and we see the harvest of destruction and dismay. 

 

Yet, we have this bounteous harvest of love, peace, joy, compassion; and together we can produce fruit of salvation, changed lives, and community impact. We just need to let it out from the inside and bring it to market, so to speak. 

 

It all starts with the garden though, right? We have to awaken to the source of our life fruit – which garden is our source for fruit? Is the fruit of our lives from Eden – selfishness, pride and disobeying God. Or is our fruit coming from Gethsamane – obedience, compassion, sacrifice, God’s will over ours – leading to new life. One garden leads to death and misery; the other leads to abundant life. One garden is about us; the other is about God and others. One garden is rife with weeds and thorns; the other is beautiful, full of potential, and always has room for more.  

 

From which of these gardens is your fruit growing? 

 

Amen. 

 

Rev. Christopher B. Wolf

Isaiah 42:7

cbrianwolf@gmail.com

www.christopherbwolf.com

Christopher B. Wolf is pastor of First Reformed Church of Saddle Brook, NJ and is the author of Giving Faith a Second Chance: Restarts, Mulligans and Do-Overs (2007) and With You Every Step of the Way (2011); and the host of Walk With Me, Wednesdays 8 pm on WYFN 94.9 FM-NY and on www.yfnradio.com.

“It is a matter of sharing and bearing the pain and puzzlement of the world so that the crucified love of God in Christ may be brought to bear healingly upon the world at exactly that point.” N.T. Wright

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The Return of the Joy

We sing and talk a lot about joy, yet we don’t see a lot of it – true joy that is. 

 

And the sad thing there is plenty to be joyful about. We’re doing this series on the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25). And what we’re exploring is that if we are in Christ and the Holy Spirit dwells within us, then this fruit (love, joy, peace, self-control, compassion, etc.) is inside of us and it’s growing. But there is a gap – the fruit is the evidence of God’s work in our lives – and often we don’t see as much as what’s possible even in churches, let alone in the world. Yet, we and this world needs this fruit – in the marketplace of ideas and values – how transforming would it be to exchange these (love, joy, peace, self-control, compassion, etc.) for the top sellers today – greed, lust, indulgence, aggression, self-serving and more. 

 

So, if the fruit is here within us, through the Holy Spirit, our challenge has to do with unleashing it, making it more visible and evident. Something or some things seem to be holding these fruit back for many of us. Let’s see what we can do about it; starting with joy.

 

First we need to understand the nature of joy. Often we get joy and happiness confused. Happiness is temporary and changes by the hour. It’s an emotion. Joy is different. Joy is a gift from God that’s  always available – it is constant. The first thing we need to understand about joy is that it comes from God; it’s source is God. Whereas happiness is often associated with people and things. Think about the times in your life when you could say, “Only God could have done that.” That’s joy. In Isaiah 35, it talks about deserts blossoming and sand becoming pools of water and more. Only God could do that. And even today, there are situations where only God can bring about joy. Joy also has two other qualities – unexpected-ness and it’s future oriented. As a contrast happiness often comes from routine or from needing something new all the time; and it’s very much in the present. 

 

Now that we understand joy a little better. Let’s talk about three pathways to releasing the joy within us…

 

First, we want to become acutely aware of and constantly mindful of what God has done for us. God creates us, then he saves us through Jesus, then he sustains us through the Holy Spirit. If that was not enough there are so many more things that God does for us, visible and invisible, that it would take a lifetime to thank him (that’s the idea). What Isaiah 35 shows is when we focus on all that God has done and will do; we are able to exchange fear and doubt for joy. It allows us to trust more and more that yes, God is that good 🙂 God is bigger than our problems and issues and when we see that with greater clarity, joy becomes clearer and more prominent. 

 

Second, when we focus more on God being able and good; we are able to let go of and focus less on circumstances. When we dwell on circumstances we can get very discouraged and be joyless. I’ve been there, I know what it’s like. After all, we think, things are so bad, there’s no solution. And often it feels like that; and many times the circumstances are awful. But if we lift our vision off the circumstances and onto God, we find joy. See, circumstances are about what we can or can’t do; circumstances are temporal; circumstances function like walls that close in on us; like prison bars. But focusing on God’s goodness and his being able to overcome anything in this world allows to see beyond circumstances and experience joy despite everything pushing against it. It’s a powerful feeling. 

 

For me, and probably for many of you, the best day ever was our wedding day. It was special in so many ways. But it involved two very important ingredients. There was a focus on God and we let go of circumstances (anything that could have gone wrong, various details, etc.) and enjoyed it and one another. Now I realize that Jenny and I cannot recreate our wedding day, everyday. But with a focus on God’s goodness and keeping life circumstances in their proper perspective, we can all release this joy within us and experience it more fully. 

 

Third, this fruit of joy within us is grown and released when we focus on bringing delight to others. The 1 Thessalonians passage illustrates this when Paul speaks of how their faith gives him great joy even while facing persecution. When we appropriately focus on meeting others’ needs (not pleasing or pandering), when we connect with others via the Holy Spirit and experience community as God designed it, there is great joy to be found. See, we so often believe that joy will be found by pleasure for or through ourselves. This only lasts so long; in part because it’s counter to God’s design of shared life together. In my years of ministry, I’ve enjoyed preaching, teaching, leading and other parts of this calling; but the most joyful moments have been holding people’s hands literally and through prayer – just being present and listening and encouraging in the best and worst times of their lives; being a part of personal healing, restoration and revelation. And it’s after those moments that I thank God and I think, “That’s why I do this.”  

 

True joy is possible. It’s more than possible – it within reach; it’s within us thanks to the Holy Spirit. It can be a source of life in a time of wilderness; it can lift our sight and souls up from even the worst circumstances and times; and it can give us purpose, depth, and delight to our relationships and communities.

 

My prayer is that more and more, you will know joy 🙂

 

Amen. 

Rev. Christopher B. Wolf

Isaiah 42:7

cbrianwolf@gmail.com

www.christopherbwolf.com

Christopher B. Wolf is pastor of First Reformed Church of Saddle Brook, NJ and is the author of Giving Faith a Second Chance: Restarts, Mulligans and Do-Overs (2007) and With You Every Step of the Way (2011); and the host of Walk With Me, Wednesdays 8 pm on WYFN 94.9 FM-NY and on www.yfnradio.com.

“It is a matter of sharing and bearing the pain and puzzlement of the world so that the crucified love of God in Christ may be brought to bear healingly upon the world at exactly that point.” N.T. Wright

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A Prayer for America, July 2012

Our Father, we are asking today for You to open the heavens and let Your rains mercifully, gently and abundantly fall upon this nation and people. Where the wildfires of violence, lust, and division burn out of control – let Your rain of peace and love cover and extinguish them. Where we experience crippling droughts of reason and sanity, let Your wisdom fall and satisfy. Where corruption and greed ravenously consume, let Your justice sweep down like a flood to purify and cleanse. Where grief and sorrow burden and weigh down, let Your rain of joy and strength lift and raise spirits. Where discouragement and desperation cloud and darken futures, let Your rain of hope reveal a rainbow of promise to come. In this time of trial for our nation in these last years and the ones to come, we ask for the power and strength through the Holy Spirit to repent and turn from away from the things and ways of death and destruction; and to turn to You, and to life, and to purpose. We cry out to you to renew and heal the soul of this nation; that we may truly become one under You. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

Rev. Christopher B. Wolf
Isaiah 42:7
cbrianwolf@gmail.com
www.christopherbwolf.com

Christopher B. Wolf is pastor of First Reformed Church of Saddle Brook, NJ and is the author of Giving Faith a Second Chance: Restarts, Mulligans and Do-Overs (2007) and With You Every Step of the Way (2011); and the host of Walk With Me, Wednesdays 8 pm on WYFN 94.9 FM-NY and on www.yfnradio.com.

“It is a matter of sharing and bearing the pain and puzzlement of the world so that the crucified love of God in Christ may be brought to bear healingly upon the world at exactly that point.” N.T. Wright

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A New Vision for First Reformed Church of Saddle Brook, NJ

Dear Brothers and Sisters: I invite you to join in celebrating with me, the new vision for First Reformed Church of Saddle Brook – 

 

“For my house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples (Isaiah 56:7).” Our vision: To become a place of powerful prayer for our congregation and  community – through which we can build relationships and minister with even more impact for Christ. The central message of this vision is “How Can We Pray For

 You?” 

 

As we go forward, it will engage congregation members of all ages to be involved in loving our neighbors; and we will be utilizing multiple channels to project our message of “How Can We Pray For You?” to people in need – personal outreach, web sites, social media as well as prayer services. And, we will look forward in faith to the fruit that God will bring from all the prayers and praying. 

 

For me, I am so thankful to God. I have served at three churches and in each case He has been faithful to grant powerful and unique visions that have helped shape congregations and individual believers. Vision animates, vision unites, vision lends purpose, vision points us to possibility. Vision is a picture of what God most desires in a given context. A long time ago, when I was on a 9th grade trip to Washington D.C, wandering through the Capitol Building, I found a plaque above a door that read, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…(Proverbs 29:11).” That left such an impression on me. And beginning in college, I have sought to bring this to every endeavor of my life – personal, professional and ministry. Asking what God desires for lives, a congregation, people, and community; and passionately seeking with the Holy Spirit’s help to actualize it. Discerning and casting vision takes hard work – constant prayer, understanding the present in truth, knowing the Word, effective communication, knowing the collective gifts of the given congregation, patience and endurance, understanding God’s mission for the church, and being aware of the needs of people in the community. It is truly a gift from God in so many ways.  

 

Thank you for your support and prayers!

 

In Christ, 

 

Christopher

 

Isaiah 42:7

cbrianwolf@gmail.com

http://www.christopherbwolf.com

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Snapshots of Faith

Every scar, every sacrifice, every heartbreak, each time you held on, each time you stayed true, each time you’ve started over – none of them was in vain – God was and is with you and has counted the tears and has graced the broken places and has rejoiced at your devotion…Walk With Me tonight (Wed) 8pm.www.christopherbwolf.com and http://www.yfnradio.com.

 

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In the end, our call is to be a people and a place where the power of Christ transforms lives – through becoming more like Him (discipleship), through being loved and shaped in community (fellowship), and through being met, loved, and restored at our needs and wounds (mission).

 

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Lord, make me a channel of your peace today – where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope; where there is darkness, only light; where there’s sadness, only joy; where there’s alienation, only community; where there’s desolation; only renewal; where there’s a prison; only liberation; where there’s fear; only trust and faith; where there’s brokenness; only healing and restoration; where there’s insecurity; only unconditional love. Amen. – The first three are from St. Francis and then I added some others.

 

++++++++++++++

 

Last Sunday we said the below prayer of confession together. I am blessed and want to be at a church that can say this prayer honestly – and we did. I think a lot of people want to be part of a church like that; and I want to invite you to be a part of our church:

 

Prayer of Confession

Dear Jesus, we acknowledge our sins to you this morning. We have not loved others as you have asked us. We’ve chosen safety over risking. We’ve chosen convenience over reaching out. We’ve chosen our ways instead of your ways. We’ve chosen loving ourselves rather than loving others. We’ve chosen preserving over pouring out. We’ve chosen fear over trusting you. We’ve chosen indifference rather than mercy. We’ve focused more on the co$t rather than the cross. We’ve chosen to turn away instead of embracing. For all of this, for all the people we have failed to care about and reach, and more, we humbly say we are sorry, ask for your forgiveness and repent of our ways. Pour out your mercy and grace upon us that we may be made new. Renew and remake our hearts in your image – let our hearts break for those for whom your heart breaks – the poor, the alienated, the prisoners, the unloved, the broken, the ones who don’t know you, the rejected, the needy – to anyone who needs you – send us we pray. In Your name, Amen.

 

++++++++++

 

Last Sunday, I vividly witnessed the power of fellowship – sustaining, comforting, uplifting – sharing stories, trials, triumphs and tears. I watched in awe as the Holy Spirit transformed a group of Christians into a true church – an assembly of people highly aware of their need for God and their need for one another as they were being called to care for the “least of these.” Truly awesome.

 

+++++++++++

 

You are precious in His sight. You are worth dying for. You belong to Him. You are His child. His love for you is immeasurable and unending and unconditional…

 

 

 

Rev. Christopher B. Wolf

Isaiah 42:7

cbrianwolf@gmail.com

http://www.christopherbwolf.com

 

Christopher B. Wolf is pastor of First Reformed Church of Saddle Brook and is the author of Giving Faith a Second Chance: Restarts, Mulligans and Do-Overs (2007) and With You Every Step of the Way; and the host of Walk With Me, Wednesdays 8 pm on WYFN 94.9 FM-NY and on http://www.yfnradio.com.

 

“It is a matter of sharing and bearing the pain and puzzlement of the world so that the crucified love of God in Christ may be brought to bear healingly upon the world at exactly that point.

N.T. Wright

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Religion or Relationship?

A long time ago…

In the middle east, a man named Jesus, the Son of God, came to save, not condemn the world by inviting all people to a relationship with Him and the Father. A real, active, alive relationship. He came at a time when religion had taken over any kind of relationship with God – loveless, elitist, joyless, rule-based, graceless, institutional religion became a god of its own. This Jesus then and today has liberated billions from death and religion and delivered them to eternal and abundant life. Sadly though, even with His Holy Spirit and His Word, people are still prisoners of this kind of religion today – even religion in Jesus’ name. I offer this note of love to awaken people to the essential differences between religion and relationship with God. I offer this to liberate prisoners. I offer this because as I feel called to reach out to and lead people back to God – therefore I also feel called to make church a safer place for them when they come home. Please read and reflect on the following…

The religious “talk the talk.”

Those who walk with Christ “walk the walk”; it’s evident in their lives beyond Sunday.

The religious focus on performance, appearance of holiness, and achievement.

Those who walk with Christ focus more on what’s inside and on actually being faithful whatever it “looks” like. 

The religious insist on having to prove themselves to God and to others often under the guise of “excellence.”

Those who walk with Christ insist that they and their best is perfectly acceptable to God thanks to Christ, not their works. 

The religious create an atmosphere in which sin and weakness are hidden and only perfection is acceptable.

Those who walk with Christ live in the freedom of His grace and no longer fear their weaknesses and pasts nor sharing them – because they have learned that God’s strength is made perfect in their weakness (2 Corinthians 12). 

The religious believe they already know everything about God and don’t need to learn anything new.

Those who walk with Christ are humble and know they will always need to know God more; they hunger and thirst for studying His word and engaging the Holy Spirit. 

The religious emphasize membership and an “us and them; insider, outsider” mindset, as if it were a club.

Those who walk with Christ emphasize that Christ died for all; that in Christ there is no “us and them”; that their church belongs to God and is an embassy of the Kingdom for the community and world. 

The religious see church as “theirs” and something to be used and controlled; to get something from. 

Those who walk with Christ see church as God’s place where His Spirit reigns and as an opportunity to offer and give of their whole lives as living sacrifices. 

The religious focus on pleasing (certain) people.

Those who walk with Christ focus on pleasing God above all people and things and serving (all) His people. 

The religious trust in rules and traditions being enforced and kept. 

Those who walk with Christ trust in Christ alone; they respect rules and traditions but don’t allow them to discourage others or block the Holy Spirit.

The religious honor the strong, popular and successful among the members.

Those who walk with Christ honor the weak, the dishonorable and those in need (1 Corinthians 12, Matthew 25).

The religious often count on faith and salvation by heredity. 

Those who walk with Christ count on being born of the Spirit over being born of the flesh for their faith and salvation. 

The religious have a “checklist” mentality when it comes to church attendance and involvement for themselves and others.

Those who walk with Christ just love serving and glorifying God – there’s no need to measure it or “check” others. 

The religious work to make sure their church’s experience is safe and comfortable. 

Those who walk with Christ work to understand that following Jesus was, is and never will be safe and comfortable; but it will be good, amazing and Holy Spirit led. 

The religious often lack compassion because the focus is on the institution rather than the people.

Those who walk with Christ see others as gifts from God; see their needs as opportunities to serve God and show others compassion. They see church as made for God and people not the other way around.  

The religious often see people as resources, tools, and obstacles to be removed.

Those who walk with Christ see people as loved by God and to be respected and loved. 

The religious approach faith as being good and doing good; something to be put on and taken off, like a mask. 

Those who walk with Christ approach faith as being transformed inside and out into the handiwork of God, made for good works (Ephesians 2:10). 

The religious connection to God is mostly through church activities and rituals. 

Those who walk with Christ connect to God throughout the day, each day through prayer, Scripture, living, work, relationships; it’s becoming fully integrated.

The religious use judgment as a tool of control and gatekeeping. 

Those who walk with Christ use grace to always remember how thankful they are and extend the same to all others. 

The religious use the Bible as a tool for their own agendas and interests.

Those who walk with Christ use the Bible as their way and source for life; and they let it purely speak the truth into their lives daily.  

The religious trust in their self-sufficiency and self-righteousness.

Those who walk with Christ trust in Jesus’ once and perfect sacrifice on the cross to cover their sins; they trust in grace alone (Ephesians 2:8). And they know that less self equals more Christ.  

The religious are interested in church growth as long as it’s with the “right” people.

Those who walk with Christ are interested in any and all people coming to Christ. 

The religious love others when it works for them and provides affirmation for themselves.

Those who walk with Christ love others fearlessly, unconditionally, purely and sacrificially; they love like Jesus. 

The religious think that deception, division, and manipulation (any means necessary) are okay as long as they “protect” the church. 

Those who walk with Christ think that love, truth, unity, and peace are the hallmarks of Christ in community; they pray and fight for them.  

The religious view prayer as an activity, and an opportunity to show off their “spirituality.”

Those who walk with Christ view prayer as connection with the living God; an always open line to confess, repent, cry out, hear, be transformed, adore and worship, thank, intercede, be humbled and led, ask and more. 

The religious believe God is most pleased by order, success, good performances, and appearance.

Those who walk with Christ believe God is most pleased by a broken and contrite heart, faithfulness, loving and unity with others, doing justice, and thanksgiving. 

The religious are offended by invitations to grow and transform because they believe their self-righteousness has already perfected them. 

Those who walk with Christ are committed to being new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17); the old has gone, the new has come. 

The religious are ultimately fear-based – relating to God and others through fear – mostly the fear of rejection.

Those who walk with Christ are faith-based; fears are left behind in the embrace of God’s complete love in Christ. 

The religious often view pastors and other leaders as tools, threats, obstacles and people to manipulate. 

Those who walk with Christ view pastors and other leaders as sent and called by God, treating them with their due honor and authority, loving accountability, encouragement, and much prayer. 

The religious love to talk about theology but seem to have very little first-hand knowledge and experience with God.

Those who walk with Christ have a relationship with God through Christ, enabled by the Holy Spirit, founded on the Word, informed by theology, crystallized with experience. 

The religious wind up worshiping things of God (church activities, committees, music, pastors, traditions, etc.) rather than God himself. 

Those who walk with Christ worship God purely, directly, allowing nothing or no one to eclipse His light in their lives. 

The religious come to see church as a duty and responsibility. 

Those who walk with Christ joyfully see church involvement as another way to thank God for all He has done in their lives, using the gifts and passions He gave them.

Most of the time the religious are not bad people. But the problem is that they are killing their churches by suffocating the very breath of the church – the Holy Spirit – which gives life to churches. As well, most religious people are miserable inside and outside – joyless because their lives are rooted in themselves, in others and things of this world. In addition, they are literally and by perception pushing and keeping people away from their churches. For many, pretty soon, it will just be a small group of religious people and then it will close and die. If possible, even worse, religious people are not connected to God; they have no real relationship with Him. Remember when Jesus said it will be like, “I never knew you…” that’s what awaits many religious people – even though they think otherwise. Religion doesn’t save; only Jesus saves. The degree to which you find yourself being religious or relational with God will be directly proportional to your faithfulness, fruitfulness and enjoyment of God. If you belong to a church, your church’s vitality and ultimate survival will be greatly impacted by the proportion of people you have that are religious, and are relational with God. He wants your heart, your life, all of you to belong to Him. When you stop focusing on doing good and being good all that’s left is to belong to Him – I promise it will be the most wonderful relationship you have ever known.    

It’s not too late… 

Rev. Christopher B. Wolf

Isaiah 42:7

cbrianwolf@gmail.com

www.christopherbwolf.com

Christopher B. Wolf is pastor of First Reformed Church of Saddle Brook and is the author of Giving Faith a Second Chance: Restarts, Mulligans and Do-Overs (2007) and With You Every Step of the Way; and the host of Walk With Me, Wednesdays 8 pm on WYFN 94.9 FM-NY and on www.yfnradio.com.

“It is a matter of sharing and bearing the pain and puzzlement of the world so that the crucified love of God in Christ may be brought to bear healingly upon the world at exactly that point.  N.T. Wright

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Alive

What’s with all the zombie stuff lately?

Everywhere you look – television shows, movies, video games – there are zombies. What’s going on?

Here’s what I am thinking. Roughly, zombies are half-dead, half-alive people (back from the dead) whose motivation is to create more zombies. At the same time they seem driven by a force they don’t understand. Their threat and strength is that that feel no pain, are numb, and have little self-awareness. Their rise in visibility has to do with our living in a time that seems like it would be easier if we were numb to life and world events; it might seem easier to just shuffle half-alive and half-awake through our days; sometimes it’s a reality given pressure and fatigue. To feel joy and pain takes being aware and alive. It also seems like we are living in a time when it would be easier to just mindlessly go along with a lot of stuff rather than be independent and stand up – authentically alive. I think Hollywood and others may be saying that many people in our society and times have become, in a manner of speaking, zombies.  

It’s not just in “society” that we find zombie-like existence. We also see it in Christians and churches. Numb to the Holy Spirit, apathetic, strangely driven by things other than God, joyless, perceived as just trying to “feast” on others rather than serving them, same routine over and over – sounds zombie-ish, right?

As you might imagine, it’s not what Jesus intended for Christians and churches…

There is a vivid explanation of how to be alive in Christ and how to break through being religious zombies in the Gospel of Mark 8:31-39. It starts with Jesus asking about who people think he is. Later, Peter confesses that Jesus is the Messiah – he believes! Then Jesus explains how he’s the kind of messiah that will suffer, die and be raised again. Peter says no way – that’s not the kind of messiah he (and the others) were interested in. Jesus says, “Get behind me Satan!” Then Jesus talks about how following him means denying ourselves, carrying our crosses, that to truly live we must lose ourselves in him and how we can gain all sorts of material things but lose our souls. He adds that if we hide our faith in him from others, he will be ashamed of us before God. 

We find four important points about an alive spiritual life in this passage. Let’s take a look:

First, being alive spiritually means knowing and worshiping God for who he is (as revealed in the Bible); not what we want or make him to be. You see this with Peter when he confronts Jesus, he is basically saying that he wants Jesus to be the kind of savior he wants him to be; Jesus rebukes him strongly. But sometimes we do this purposefully and sometimes we do this unwittingly. God is God – we can’t make him do and be what we want – after all he created us. An idol is something we make and worship, and I think that we are often worshiping our own version of God. God wants a real relationship with us through his son – worshiping what we want God to be is not real relationship. When we want and seek to make God and church and other Christians to be what we want them to be – that is unhealthy, not life-giving, idolatrous, and zombie-ish. It also makes it very easy to “sleepwalk” through our spiritual lives – when we are worshiping and praying to our image of God rather than being open and alive to the Spirit. 

Second, this passage reveals that believing and following are connected but very different. Of course, we have to believe in Christ before we know and are enabled by the Holy Spirit to follow. In this passage, Peter is a believer – perhaps the first believer when he says that Jesus is the Messiah. But, seemingly within minutes he is not following. Jesus then explains what following is – (based on believing) denying one’s self, losing our lives for his sake, setting our minds on heavenly things not earthly things. This is not easy. I’ve found that moving from believer to follower is very challenging – but it’s where we are all called to go. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “When Christ calls a person, he bids he or she, come and die.” Meaning, when we die to ourselves, we become alive in Christ, thus truly alive. Today, Christianity and churches are filled with believers (a good start) but meaning it’s pretty easy to attend a church and recite creeds and say some amens and sing some hymns; but when it comes to losing our lives for the Gospel, it’s not happening very much. This is a zombie-ish quality. It’s often called the Holy Huddle. It’s as if you were watching a football game and your team came out on the field high-fived each other, got in a huddle talked for a while and then headed for the locker room. When we go from believer to follower – our responsiveness to the Holy Spirit grows (as our fears of same decreases), our compassion for others increases, our desire for “on earth as it is in heaven” grows, serving is joyful rather than like a chore. If we want to be alive, we have to move and grow from believers to followers. 

Third, in order for our spiritual lives to be alive – the cross has to be central. Jesus says it in two ways – he says that we have to deny ourselves and carry our cross but he also explains that following him will cost us. That is one of the key messages of the cross – our sin cost God his only son. Therefore, if we are going to follow him, it has to cost us too. With many Christians and churches today, there is a safe, numbed, zombie-ish approach to following Christ – in that there is very little talk about the cost. It’s a lot of happy, prosperity and dream fulfillment messaging – everyone’s ok. Some churches might as well have a smiley face where the cross is. Now, is God good? Of course. Does God promise to provide all that  we need? Absolutely. But all of this is found as we lose ourselves in Christ. And yes there is a cost to that. If we are not losing friends, money, jobs, our old ways as well as our love for the things of this world, and more, we are not following and the cross is not central. Remember, when we are truly alive and not zombies – we are going to feel – the joy and the pain and cost. When the cross is prominent in our lives – so is truth (the cross cuts through denial, delusions and lies), so is grace for ourselves and others, old things are dying and new things are coming alive. 

Fourth and finally, as you know, zombies kind of hang together. They need to. Everyone else gets creeped out by them, right? Jesus speaks to this in a couple of ways. He basically says in this passage that we need to more concerned about pleasing God than pleasing others. Religious zombies just want to make sure they are liked by other religious zombies, often without concern for what God might think of their words and actions. As you may already know, trying to please human beings and trying to keep that going is very fatiguing and rarely works – unless maybe if you “give” yourself completely to the group. But Jesus says to be truly be alive and to follow him along the path to truly living is to be primarily concerned about pleasing God first. There is a big difference between ministering and serving others, and catering to others. Pleasing God may mean that there will be less people (or zombies) pleased but you will feel more alive than ever before.  

Maybe you’re awakening to realize that you’ve been a religious zombie. Maybe you’re tired of a half-dead, half-alive spiritual life. Maybe you don’t want to be numb anymore. Maybe you’re just thirsting to be truly alive…

There is a way for all of these and more…

The voice that awakened Lazarus from his tomb, the voice that freed Mary from her the stupor of her grief, the voice that has called millions of people throughout history to leave themselves and death behind is calling to you and me still today. And this voice, the voice of Jesus is saying, “Come follow me, and in denying yourself and dying to yourself – you will live like you never have before. You will be more alive than ever before. Live abundantly in me!” 

Amen. 

Rev. Christopher B. Wolf

Isaiah 42:7

cbrianwolf@gmail.com

www.christopherbwolf.com

Christopher B. Wolf is pastor of First Reformed Church of Saddle Brook and is the author of Giving Faith a Second Chance: Restarts, Mulligans and Do-Overs (2007) and With You Every Step of the Way; and the host of Walk With Me, Wednesdays 8 pm on WYFN 94.9 FM-NY and on www.yfnradio.com.

“It is a matter of sharing and bearing the pain and puzzlement of the world so that the crucified love of God in Christ may be brought to bear healingly upon the world at exactly that point.

 N.T. Wright

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Upside Down, Inside Out

Upside down? Inside out? Sounds like a description for things being off or wrong, right? Maybe not…

So Jesus gathers his disciples together for a pre-game talk. They’ve gathered on the mountain near him but in the visible background are people who needed him and who had just been healed by him. Basically Jesus is saying to the disciples, and to us here today, “this is what this is about; this is why I have brought the Kingdom here.”

“Blessed are the…poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted (Matthew 5:3-10).” 

What this is about? More like “these” are what it’s (God’s Kingdom) about. The primary thing we should notice and remember about Jesus’ message here is that it is about people. The substance of the Kingdom of God is God and people who need him. As strange as it sounds, often churches make church about stuff other than people – the building, the music, the budget, the programs, traditions, visions and strategies, the reputation and more. Why? Dealing with “stuff” is easier. Ministering to people – that’s difficult, messy, and requires compassion for others. 

But Jesus, here in this essential message, is clearly saying that what is valuable, what is worth fighting for are these people. When the poor in spirit, the grieving, the meek, and the others in his list are the center of ministry and activity we do as individuals and congregations – the Kingdom will be visible. 

How is it then, that for many of us, we’ve gotten used to gatherings and churches being about anybody but these people – and if they are there – they often have to hide. And speaking of these people – did you notice what they all have in common? There is a common thread. They all desperately need God – whether poor in spirit, grieving, persecuted, meek, thirsting for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers – all have to rely on God to do or be these. I have and will continue to experience and be many of these people – the thing is to be these unashamedly. Unfortunately, this is often squeezed out of Christianity and church by the “only perfect people are at church” perception and often reality.

Another thing about “these” people and this Kingdom is that it is virtually the opposite of how the world thinks of “kingdom.” If we were going to build a kingdom today – we would build strength, wealth, force, law, technology and more. What kind of kingdom builds on blood, tears, grief, purity, mercy, justice and unity? Well, God’s.    

I have to tell you that I have been so moved by this Scripture – for weeks now. I confess that I have been part of the problem. Have I at times tried to build my own version of the Kingdom? Yes. Bigger, better, more successful and effective, more – even with good intentions – but that’s not what Jesus was or is saying. It’s almost as if believers and churches have disconnected from the Kingdom they are representing. Walter Brueggemann talks about this in my favorite theology book – The Prophetic Imagination. He explains that even in Jesus’ day, like ours, institutions and governments focus on control and self-perpetuation and “have to” steel themselves against the needs of people; in other words, the more institutional an organization or church becomes the more numb it becomes to people. Brueggemann concludes that Jesus came along and turned them upside down with…passion and compassion – that by his coming in the flesh – God’s Kingdom is God and people-centered, rather than institutional; it’s alive, it feels, the Holy Spirit dwells within and leads it. As Paul said, “Now you are the the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it (1 Corinthians 12:27).”  

It makes me think that if Jesus visited many churches this Sunday, he would find his name lifted up, some nice music, nice people, a message about what he taught, and prayers – all the usual stuff. But he might ask afterwards, where are the poor in spirit, and the mourning, and the persecuted and are they being filled, comforted and honored? “Nice gathering, but where’s my Kingdom?”   

We are ambassadors of God’s Kingdom. Our churches are embassies of that Kingdom. I tell you with great passion that Christians and churches that commit to more fully representing this Kingdom of God and to finding, reaching and caring for people who need God today – will certainly find themselves turned upside down and inside out – but will also find themselves closer to the Kingdom than ever before.

Amen.

Rev. Christopher B. Wolf

Isaiah 42:7

cbrianwolf@gmail.com

www.christopherbwolf.com

 

Christopher B. Wolf is pastor of First Reformed Church of Saddle Brook and is the author of Giving Faith a Second Chance: Restarts, Mulligans and Do-Overs (2007) and With You Every Step of the Way; and the host of Walk With Me, Wednesdays 8 pm on WYFN 94.9 FM-NY and on www.yfnradio.com.

“It is a matter of sharing and bearing the pain and puzzlement of the world so that the crucified love of God in Christ may be brought to bear healingly upon the world at exactly that point.

 N.T. Wright

 

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Heart Portrait

As you may know, my family’s cardiac history is not great. So my alarmed primary care doctor sent me to a cardiologist. After the consultation, even the cardiologist was concerned – wanting to make sure I am not a “time bomb”. So they decided to do an immediate echocardiogram – taking pictures of my heart. Don’t worry, the echocardiogram revealed a typical 41 year old heart with no apparent blockages. The analysis of the pictures seemed to include measurements of atria and ventricles as well as the speed of blood flowing through them – all key stuff I am sure to cardiologists and patients. But while I was laying there listening, I kept thinking of the idea of what does God see when He looks at my heart?

 

I am pretty sure the echocardiogram, while very perceptive in its own right, did not pick up on the spiritual state of my heart. Instead, as Psalm 139:23 says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart.”

 

Hopefully, the Lord finds some of the following:

 

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26).” Meaning that through faith in Christ – the hardness and stubbornness and pride are fading and my heart is becoming more pliable and flexible and responsive to God’s ways over my ways. Very interesting that hardness of heart spiritually and hardness of heart physiologically (arteriosclerosis) are both destructive.

 

Because, the kind of heart God is interested in, the kind of heart He can really work with is, “The sacrifices (worthy worship) of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise (Psalm 51:17).” Though I am sinner, may God, through the Holy Spirit, also find a growing humility, repentance and contrition for those times when my heart is turned away from God. But also for those times when life has broken my heart, may I see the loving stitches from the hand of God sewing it back together. A heart that looks more and more like a vessel that is willing to be used and poured out for God’s Kingdom and for others.

 

So that more and more, “Since then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above (Colossians 3:1).” As our walk with Christ lengthens and deepens, our focus is less on the world and more on “things above” – in other words, on God’s priorities, on accumulating treasure in heaven rather than on earth, and on eternal thing rather than temporary stuff.

 

Then I can be better equipped to “…love one another deeply, from the heart (1 Peter 1:22).” I don’t always get it right, but so often, my heart overflows with love for others. A sacrificial love that desires to give hope, healing and grace to as many people as I can reach and touch.

 

Perhaps more than anything else about our lives, the Lord is concerned with the state of our hearts – our spiritual heart health. Clearly, God is not looking for perfect hearts – they don’t exist. But by the Word, God’s “TheoCardioGram” is looking for – hearts that belong to Him and that continuously try to make more room for Him by clearing away sin and obstacles; a heart that is broken by sin and life but is always being renewed and knows a joy and peace that nothing in this world can take away; a heart that is increasingly focused on the things of God; and a heart that is loving others richly and deeply and freely so that they will come to know God’s heart.

 

If your TheoCardioGram comes back in good shape – that’s great! If you are concerned about the spiritual state of your heart – no worries – God’s great heart and hands can reach, restore and renew the hardest, coldest, most broken hearts. Better than stents and surgeries and statins and other therapies – ask Him in prayer this very moment about your heart and His “therapy” can start immediately!

 

Amen.

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