Building the Blaze

Over time, our lives become filled with clutter and noise. In dealing with the daily grind, and with no accountability to keep us growing, our once vibrant lives increasingly settle into a tedious routine.

That isn’t the Lord’s desire for our lives! We’ve been given free will because He expects us to make choices instead of allowing circumstances to dictate our lives. To become white-hot, we need to actively seek new growth and understanding.

Becoming a white-hot Christian is not a solitary activity!

For most of our lives, we strive to avoid crowds. We see crowds as negative because they are typically filled with self-centered and even mean-spirited people. To most, a crowd means failure. With so many people striving for the same thing, what is the chance of individual success? A crowd can indeed be a dangerous place when filled with the wrong emotion, such as greed or fear.

Selfish and scheming behavior is another crowd-killer. In these crowds, nothing is accomplished because the members are unwilling to share. Strengths and insight are horded to protect individual power instead of working together toward the best solution. This type of group inspired the phrase, “it died in committee.”

Thankfully, there is a third type of group where support and teamwork are valued as the source of success. In this group, when one member improves, everyone benefits. With football season here, let use an NFL metaphor: .

Even the best coach in the world can’t win a game without players. No one player can expect to be good at every position. No individual ever won a game single-handedly. A team of 11 quarterbacks or 11 linemen will never win a championship.

Continuing the metaphor, a well-disciplined and cohesive team wins games through team efforts, not individual performances, but teamwork starts with the individual. Teams are broken down into offense and defense. On offense you have specific coaches and practices for quarterbacks, receivers, running backs, lineman, and kickers. Defense is broken down similarly. A championship-caliber team does the little things right and builds community.

These truths can be equally applied to Cypress Meadows. The goal of small groups and Next Step Partnerships is to hone our abilities by sharing our strengths, and growing spiritually by taking personal responsibility to learn and be more involved in our faith. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17

Doing anything well takes commitment. You are being challenged to get involved and use your strengths for the greater glory of God.

~ Marq Caughell

Acts 2 Living – Part I

(This is the first in a four-part devotional. We will post one each week. To read all at once, search for the “Acts 2 Living” category within the blog.)

Acts 2:42-47 tells us about the first church – the fellowship of the believers.  Verse 42 tells us, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”  “Devoted themselves.”  Notice that it was an individual decision to…become the church.  Each believer submitted themselves to full devotion to Christ.  What did that look like?  How did they keep the fire burning white hot inside themselves to be fully devoted?

I see 4 distinct ways in which they devoted themselves, and the first is to the apostle’s teaching.  You can be sure they met despite a 10:10 rule – being in church unless 10 inches of rain or below 10 degrees.  These folks were sold out – the weather didn’t determine attendance; no sleeping in; no family obligations that had to be considered first; no driving distance or traffic to weigh in; no deciding whether to go depending on the topic addressed, the teacher that day, or the kind of music played during worship.

They came expectantly to hear the Word of God preached.—  Expecting to meet God when they came.—  Expecting to hear from God personally— God directing them, gently nudging them, correcting them, affirming them, filling them with His presence, receiving their worship, blessing them and answering their prayers.  God was relevant to everything they faced in their lives and they subjected their lives to a God-filter in how they lived.

In verse 43 it says that one of the things that happened as a result of becoming this church was that, “Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.”  Imagine what God would do in Cypress Meadows if we all lived lives devoted to God’s teaching.—  If we came expecting to meet God personally, not adding church as an activity on Sunday that we may or may not be ‘able’ to make.  What if we were sold out?!  What a white-hot fire our church could be!

~ Kay Evenwel

Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 (New Living Translation)

7 I observed yet another example of something meaningless under the sun. 8 This is the case of a man who is all alone, without a child or a brother, yet who works hard to gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks himself, “Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now?” It is all so meaningless and depressing.
9 Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. 10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. 11 Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? 12 A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

I just want to pose some questions. If you’d like, feel free to answer them here through the comments. If not, at least answer them for yourself.

Who are you working for?

Who are you giving up time and energy for?

Who in your life “helps you succeed?”

Who in your life helps you up when you have fallen?

Who stands beside you when you are being attacked?

I hope these are easy questions for you to consider and to answer. Too often, I think that these questions can reveal hard realities about the relationships we have in our lives. Before Sunday, take some time to talk to God about your relationships. Do you have someone in your life who encourages you to deeds of righteousness? If not, what can you do to today to start to build that kind of relationship?

Hebrews 10:23-25 (Today’s New International Version)

23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

~ Deana Kistner

Jeff and I are a part of a group of people who enjoy playing a trivia game called NTN Buzztime. It is a game where you try to outsmart and outscore others all across the country. A real brain tester of a game and being that we are so competitive we love to play. The group of people that we play with go by the names Kawika, ASU, Diane, Fishy, Poohoo and Marcie and of course Jeff and I are Sock I (that’s a fish in case you were wondering). We probably spend on average between 3-5 hours a week and have for years with these folks - talking and joking and playing and laughing (and of course making fun of the dumber people in this world!!)

I got to thinking after this Sunday’s service about what constitutes our relationship with them and how deep of a relationship we have. They are great people, we have shared meals together, have had them in our home and are planning a trip to see the USF Bulls together. But something is different and until this weekend and the service on the Ring of Fire I had not given it too much thought. As I was interviewed with Jim and Alice I realized that this is another group of people I am involved with but will never have the same type of relationship with them as I do with the people in my small group. NTN is at the center of my relationship with my friends who play trivia, Christ is at the center of my relationship with my small group.

Who/what are you building your relationships on?

Who is at the center of the ring in your marriage or being a parent?

What kind of circle of friends do you want to be a part of?

What are you willing to do to be a part of a ring of fire?

~ Christi Mahar

Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12 

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:  If one falls down, his friend can help him up.  But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!  Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.  But how can one keep warm alone?  Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.” (NIV)

Think about the work involved in maintaining a fire.  The location and the availability of fuel are essential.  But how much less burdensome it is to know that you are not alone in caring for the fire and that you might leave to gather more firewood while someone else keeps watch.  Or in turn, that you can watch the fire and stay warm for a spell while someone else is gathering the wood.  The fire stays hot and both of you benefit from the commitment made to one another, the time spent in front of the fire and in sharing the responsibilities it takes to keep the fire alive and blazing. 

When someone is watching the fire with you there are several more benefits.  There’s the time together reflecting in front of the fire and marveling at it.  If you get distracted, the other can alert you to the condition of the fire – maybe a log has rolled out and is dangerous…or maybe the wind has picked up…or perhaps the flames are dying down.  If you get too comfortable sitting in the warmth and don’t feel like getting up to gather wood, the other can encourage you to take action to keep the fuel source in ready supply.  And when you need to rest by the fire, the other can serve you by supplying fuel that they have found and allow you to regain your strength for gathering again later.  If you’ve never maintained a fire, the other can instruct you about what you need to know and the way in which to build the fire most efficiently.  They can watch you practice and assist you, giving you feedback or encouragement about how you’re doing.   You learn a lot together and you mark important moments throughout the experience.

And eventually, once you become proficient enough, your experiences can be an inspiration to others to start fires together. 

Questions to consider: 
Who are you building fires with – do you need to take action before your fire goes out?  
Is there anything you can do to help another person stoke their fire? 
How can you inspire others to start fires together?

Your spiritual heat will rise to significantly higher levels when you’re in community with other people who also want to be white-hot for God.  The heat gained by a group of people will always be greater than the heat you can create on your own.  If you missed the Sunday service, visit the sermon blog/podcast to listen to the teaching online, review and reflect on the sermon notes, and consider the next step in your spiritual journey.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Mark 1:35-37 (NIV)

Jesus was very busy. He travelled from town to town, taught his disciples and others about God, healed the sick and ministered to the needs of others. Yet he knew that his relationship with God was top priority. Jesus rose early and found a solitary place to spend time in prayer and fellowship with
God.

I feel like most mornings I wake up to find that “everyone is looking for me.” If I busy myself with the responsibilities of the day then the entire day can pass without spending that precious time with God. Those days are usually hurried, chaotic and not very well focused on God–the One who empowers me to handle the day effectively. On my own effort, I easily run out of patience, joy, peace, and self-control. I am not as sensitive to hear God’s voice speaking to me.

I have to be very intentional in scheduling my time with God. Creating a ‘quiet’ place where my bible, pen and journal await me and a time when I can focus on God’s Word are a vital part of growing in my relationship with Him. It is in these times of quiet that I learn about the God who fills me with peace when I am anxious (Philippians 4:6-7). I learn about the God who will direct my path if I acknowledge Him in all my ways (Proverbs 3:5-6). I learn about the God who loves me so much that He would sacrifice the life of His only Son so that I can spend eternity with Him (John 3:16). As I learn about God and trust His Word with all my heart, He fills me with the fruit of the Spirit and gives me wisdom and strength to endure the challenges of the day.

Just like Christ, I want to make my relationship with God my top priority.

Questions to ponder:
What time will I designate to spend praying and reading God’s Word today?
Where can I create a solitary place to seek God?
Where can I set out my bible and journal so they are ready for my time with God?

Luke 3:15-17 (The Message)

15The interest of the people by now was building. They were all beginning to wonder, “Could this John be the Messiah?”

16-17But John intervened: “I’m baptizing you here in the river. The main character in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.”

One aspect of raising our spiritual temperature is to allow God to sort the valuable from the rubble in our lives. In this passage, John explains that Christ will do that.

There are so many things that compete for our attention and energy each day. How do we sort them and know that we are focusing our energy, time and resources on things that will matter?

How I struggle some days to do that on my own. For so many reasons I cling to the things in life that have no eternal value. I need to go into each day asking Christ to help me to look at my life, sort through and get rid of the things that are just taking up space so that I can focus on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy as we are challenged in Philippians 4:8.

The challenge we have before us with Ignite will call for very clear, focused attention on things of Kingdom-building value. My prayer is that we each can go into each day asking Christ to make clear to us what is of most value and help us to tackle those tasks with unmatched determination.

~ Deana Kistner

At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!” — 1 Kings 18:36-39

(NIV)
It’s one thing to know about God.  It’s a completely different thing to really know God.  To truly know God you must experience His power firsthand.

In the book Experiencing God, author Henry Blackaby lays out the steps to experiencing God firsthand.

1. Pray.  Ask God what He wants you to do for Him.
2. God speaks.  Scripture tells us God is eager to give us guidance.  God speaks to us in many ways including through scripture, through the counsel of wise Christ-followers, and through thoughts the Holy Spirit places in our minds.  We could do a whole series on how to listen to God but three key elements are to be quiet, be patient, and then to test what you sense God is saying to you by making sure it is consistent with the Bible.
3. Crisis of belief.  Once God speaks to you, you have to decide whether you really believe God is who He says He is.  God will ask you to do something you cannot do on your own.  If God does not help you, you will fail.  Do you believe He is willing and able to come through?
4. Adjust your life.  If you decide you believe God is willing and able to help you do what He’s asking you to do, then you have to choose whether or not you will do what He’s asked you to do.  God almost never does His part until after you take action.
5. Experiencing God through obedience. Once you obey God’s calling, He will accomplish His work through you and you will come to know Him firsthand through experience.

In 1 Kings 18 God told Elijah to challenge the prophets of Baal to a duel.  Whoever’s god sends down fire from heaven lives, whoever’s doesn’t get their throats cut.  Talk about a step of faith!  He asked Elijah to do something he obviously could not do on his own.  Elijah had to choose whether He believed God would come through or not.  Then he had to choose to whether he would act on that belief – would he challenge the 450 prophets of Baal?  Would he show up for the duel?  If he hadn’t done so, Elijah never would never have seen God come through firsthand.

Chances are God won’t ask you to challenge 450 prophets of Baal to a fiery duel, but maybe He wants you to walk across the room and have a spiritual conversation with a neighbor or co-worker.  Maybe He wants you to go downtown to feed the homeless.  Maybe He is calling you to lead a small group, a ministry team, a missions trip, or something bigger.

Questions to Ponder

• Am I listening closely for God to speak by making myself quiet and reading scripture?
• Is there anything I already know God is asking me to do, but I’m not doing because it’s too big for me?  (Remember, that’s the point.  God wants you to do things that are too big for you so you can see Him do what only He can do.)
• Am I ready to experience God for myself by taking my faith beyond “head knowledge” and following His leading?

I’m definitely not a boy scout. And I have to admit I have never tried to start a physical fire anyway other than with the aid of a grill lighter.

But I have noticed a few things about starting a fire and I think that they apply to how to start a fire in our lives.

First, you have to have a spark, a catalyst. Sunday or New Community church services are often a catalyst for this kind of fire. But that’s not all… things people say to us, something we read in the Bible, truth in music and other forms of art books you read… anything that gets you thinking about God’s truth and how to apply it to your life can be that spark.

Second, you have to have fuel - something to grow the spark and keep it going. You can’t stop at your first thought, question or conviction from the spark, you have to feed it. You can do that through relationships, through further study, through worship but you have to feed it.

Finally, a fire needs a good environment. At my son’s first birthday party I tried time and again to light the candle on his cake. However, we were at a park that was very windy and no matter how hard I tried, the fire wouldn’t hold. We were not in an environment that would support the fire.

So, what are those for you?

What is it that creates a spark in your life to long to pursue God further?

How do you feed that and not let it die out?

What environments (places you can go or groups of people you can be with) do you need to be in to keep the fire burning?

And, once you answer those questions… Do those things. It’s not enough to just know what they are, you have to put the plan into action.

~ Deana Kistner