Preparing to Grow as a Disciple

Hello travelers on a spiritual journey

   I'm writing a series of summations of last Sunday's sermons to help people keep up with our summer series on growing as a disciple. I'm using Henry Knight III's book on Eight Life-Enriching Practices of United Methodists this summer and thought you might like to follow along. You can read it for yourself, or you can join us as I try to interpret what is being said to and for our benefit.

   This past Sunday was an introduction about our hungering for God. If we are going to develop a real and meaningful and significant relationship to God, it starts with our hungering, our desire to be connected to our Creator. But there are several blocks in the way and we need to try to break them down or find a way to get around them. There is Longings in life versus Longing for God. There is Knowing about God and really Knowing God. And there is Going onto Perfection, where we take seriously the desire to be perfectly loving, as our way to develop holiness. It's an adventure for sure.

   We long for a variety of things, a happy marriage and family for some, the corner office and a good job for others. We may want the perfect car, or one that is fun to drive and good on gas. We long for a happy life, good get-aways and relaxing vacations. The world we live in shows us every day and according to media specialists 1700 times a day, we see a commercial that influences our longing. If it's to just get the stain out of our favorite shirt....  The world not connected to God makes sure we think about a lot of things, like trying to keep up with the Joneses. Not these Joneses, I assure you. But keeping up none the less. As one of the Christmas movies suggests, they should be able to see the lights on our house from outer space...

   As Christ followers, we should be longing for God and our relationship with God and more importantly what God wants with us and from us in our lives. Are we longing for, seeking after with our whole heart, the Kingdom of God and it's righteousness? Are we really committed to seeing the work of Jesus Christ happen because we are longing for God? Can we say that we love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength? And are we loving our neighbors as we love ourselves? We really need to be thinking that way. If we haven't, then we stand in need of the forgiveness that God offers so that we can be connected and loving and longing for the Kingdom.

   So how are you doing in your longing for yourself or longing for God department? Are there somethings you think about about and wish for instead of God and all that God wants?  I'll let you think about that and I''ll come back with more of this story tomorrow.

   The sermon will be on youtube in a day or two. You can search for colby626 and search for Liberty Grove UMC or Pastor Jeff's sermons.

   Check back in a day or two as we look at whether we Know about God, or really know God!

blessings on your journey

Pastor Jeff