Dancing with the Star 12/30/2007

1-6-07 Dancing with the Star Acts 16:6-10



It's a new year....time for resolutions

Church attendance is up....people resolve to change their habits



Wesley asked his pastors to commit and recommit to the service of God

Wesley covenant service



What is on the 1st Sunday of 2008----We were able to talk about something that would change your Christian life....



Is your life filled with your own worries and desires

Are you open to living your life with Christ?



New Orleans.......

Matthew 28 project

So much to say....

Went to church at Mt. Zion

Sanctuary storm damaged, church in fellowship hall

Little envelope to help the homeless at Salvations Army



These people could be totally consumed with self.

Living outside of ones self

The good samaritian fund



Joy of going on a mission trip

It teaches us to live outside of oneself.

The point for me, really is not how far we go, but that the experience "disrupts" the comfortable nature of our lives.



Something should disrupt our lives...

Our lives are too comfortable

We think we deserve our lives. We don't

We think we have a right to what we have. We don't

We pull into our garages, push the button to close the door and walk into our comfortable homes.

Is this what you are looking forward to in 2008?



The rich fool...Luke 12

Life is a gift from God

Christian life is not rooted in doing religious things

Certainly not in following our self will

The Christian life is rooted in the question...God, what should I do?



Paul....was on a mission trip

Cared about what God wanted him to do

Paul asked.... we don't always ask

Asks the question.....Lord where should we go

How do you know? The spirit says "no"

They are asking the question....God what is it......



The spirit says "no"

Any thought that we think we like, we invent a god who tells us that it is ok



listening-big voice, little voice...... not for an audible voice, but for the voice of God in common moments.



We wait for that big audible or that knock me over voice and we pay no attention to the voice of God in common sense.



You see something that you like. You want it. You can take it and no one would know. Waiting for God to speak? He already has. What does God say? Thou shall not steal.



You have the bug for a new car. You tell yourself that God wants his people to have nice things. You give five reasons why you deserve it. Sure it will put you in lots of debt with a big payment. It will stress your ability to do good in the name of the Lord. You are waiting for God to speak. He already has. What does he say? Seek ye first the ingdom of God.



I am asking you to live this year as those who are listening...

Should I spend my family into trouble?

Should I wound those who wound me?

Should I help the poor?

Should I help the poor more than I was thinking I should?

What should I really be doing?



Changing your life paradigms



Learning to be thankful

Learning to be a steward

Learning to walk with God



Would you be willing to let your life be disrupted for the purpose of Christ?

Would you leave your comfort zone?

Not just once, but enter a pattern of putting yourselves at the disposal of God



To this let us be committed



Communion



I am no longer my own, but thine.

Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.

Put me to doing, put me to suffering.

Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,

exalted for thee or brought low for thee.

Let me be full, let me be empty.

Let me have all things, let me have nothing.

I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, thou art mine, and I am thine.

So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,

let it be ratified in heaven.

Amen.