Message Tool

Please Note:

noreply@blogger.com (Open Door) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 13:01:00 +0000

We are currently revising the Message Tool and there will not be one available for the weekends of January 5/6 and 12/13. The new format will be available on January 21.

Thirsty For More

noreply@blogger.com (Open Door) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 17:30:00 +0000

November 25, 2012 Message by David Johnson

Practice:
Dave started his message with a question: “If you’ve ever tasted anything really good, what did you want?” Of course, our answer is: more. This week, eat or drink something that tastes really good and is a little extravagant – a gingerbread latte at Starbucks, a donut from Byerly’s – anything that tastes really good to you. And as you are enjoying it, wonder about what it would mean for you to really “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8).

Experience:
This coming Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent. Pick a group of people (your family, your roommates, your small group), and read the following passage together, which speaks to the coming of Jesus into our world. Afterwards, talk about the places in your life where you are waiting for Jesus to come.

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The Lord our Righteous Savior.” Jeremiah 33:14-16 (TNIV)

Questions:

When it comes to the work of the Spirit, where on the spectrum are you most likely to fall – on one end, believing you can force the Spirit to do something, or on the other end, not believing the Spirit will do anything at all?
Have you ever been in a Christian environment where you were tempted to pretend you had experienced a work of the Spirit, because it seemed like you were supposed to, or that everybody else was experiencing it? If so, what was that experience like?
If you could allow yourself to be really honest, where are you in terms of desiring the work of the Spirit in your life – for healing, or transformation, or something else?
When you want or need to ask God to move in your life, or in the life of someone else, how do you do it? What does that look like for you?
Do you think it’s good to pray for specific outcomes, or do you think it’s better to leave the outcomes to God? Why?

Thirsty For More (PDF)

When The Spirit Is In Power

noreply@blogger.com (Open Door) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 21:08:00 +0000

November 18, 2012

Practice:
Dave talked about how there are little tastes of heaven in our midst right now, revealing to us that God is present among us and there is much more to come. Set your mind to look for the first fruits that give you a glimpse of what is to come. Ask God to help you pay attention to your life and look for all the little corners where you experience the goodness of God. It may be the kindness of a stranger at the grocery store, it might be the laughter of your children, it might be a fantastic meal, it might be a realization that you’re grateful for a specific family member or friend. When you see them, say a simple prayer of gratitude for how God is showing up around you.

Experience:
It is Thanksgiving week. Most of us will celebrate this holiday. We may have an extra day or two at home, eat some good food, and spend time with family and friends. Many of us are filled with joy and excitement about this time. And many of us are filled with grief and dread. We may feel like we have a lot of be grateful for or hardly anything. Wherever you find yourself this week, create space to express your gratitude for the things in your life that you are thankful for. These are the first fruits in our lives that give us a glimpse of God's goodness and hope that there is more to come.

Below is a thanksgiving prayer written by James Martin. Take time on Thanksgiving Day to read this prayer and then reflect on what you are grateful for. Express your gratitude about the little things, the big things, those of the past and things of the present.

Dear God, 

Sometimes my life is so rushed that 
I have a hard time remembering to be grateful.
And even when I do remember I don't pause to say thanks.  

So help me to remember all the things for which I'm thankful.

  For my friends, who make me laugh and keep me laughing at myself.
 For my family, who you chose to be with me -- sometimes for reasons I can't quite see! 
For my religious community, which invites me to connect with you in new ways. 
For my job, which helps me put food on the table and clothes on my back.  

And if I have no family or friends, or don't have a job, let me still be grateful.  

For my country, which gives me the freedom to be the person I hope to become. 
For my health, which helps me to praise you, and enables me to help others in need. 
For the world itself, which you crown with your beauty. 
And if I'm still not feeling grateful, increase my gratitude for little things.
 For seeing a tree slowly turn red in the fall.
 For the surprising cold of the first snowflake on my face.
 For hearing a child's laughter on a sad day. 
For seeing a beautiful sunset after a tough week.  

And if I'm still not grateful, 
or am too rushed to savor all you have given me, 
Please increase my openness to gratitude. 
Magnify my ability to appreciate life.
 And help me grow in thankfulness. 

For that alone I would thank you, 
Dear God.

Questions:

Dave read Acts 2:1-21 and said there is a variety of possible initial reactions to the text. What was yours? What were you thinking and feeling while he read it?
Talk about a time you waited for something to come and it finally did. What was that like? Was it what you expected?
When in your life have you tasted what Dave called "a little piece of heaven" here on earth?
Have you ever been in a situation where you didn't speak the language of another person or group of people (this could be literal language or a feeling of uncertainty about how to communicate)? What was that like for you? Did anything surprise you?
Where in your life are you desperate to experience "first fruits" that reveal God's power and give you hope that good things are to come? How are you engaging with God around that right now?

Between The Promise and The Power

noreply@blogger.com (Open Door) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 19:12:00 +0000

November 11, 2012

Describe a time in your life when you’ve been in that unsettling, in-between place, when the promise seems “out of sight,” and you have to wait.
What helps you when you are in an in-between place? What doesn’t help?
Most of us have been taught to pray for crystal clarity before we move towards where God is leading us. But in Hebrews 11:8, we read, “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going (TNIV).” Abraham seems to debunk our theories of crystal clarity. What are your questions and reactions to this?
Describe a time when you’ve been paralyzed with indecision while trying to discern God’s direction for your life.
One of the things that we need to know, when we’re in the place of waiting, is that God actually isn’t surprised by the events of your life, and that God is in control. How do you react to that?

Possible next steps to help you in your journey:

If you are in a season where you are trying to discern God’s will in your life, gather two or three people together, and use the following process:

What exact question are we trying to discern?
Are there any ways in which anyone is too biased, in one direction or another, to really hear God’s voice?
Are there any things in the recent past which might guide our decision here?
Is there anything that we can do right now, before committing to the whole thing?
Are there any Scriptures that might guide us?

If you are in a frustrating season of waiting, in between the promise and the power, here are a few things that might help:
Download and listen to “Never Once” by Matt Redmond (we sang it during this weekend’s worship set).
Read All Will Be Well, by Lynn Klug. It’s a prayer book to guide you through many different circumstances of life.
Read Ruthless Trust by Brennan Manning. I think the title says it all.
Read Abraham’s story, found in Genesis 12-23 (yes, that’s 12 chapters, but it’s an amazing story of faithfulness and forgetfulness).
Get together with a friend who will just listen to you. Make sure it’s someone who won’t give you glib answers!

Between The Promise and The Power (PDF)

Novembering

noreply@blogger.com (Open Door) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 20:43:00 +0000

November 4, 2012

Practice:
Steve talked about the time when Jesus wept over his friend Lazarus, who had died. Read the story, found in John 11:1-44. Then, choose a topic below, and pray or journal about it.

A time when you were disappointed that God didn’t answer your prayers
A time when someone close to you died
A time when you were overcome with emotion because you lost someone or something that was very dear to you
A time when you were waiting for God to do something

Experience:
If you have anyone in your life who is experiencing loss, it’s hard to know what to do to show that you care. Choose one of the ways listed below to show that you are with them:

Send a handwritten note in the mail, and include a gift certificate for one of their favorite coffee shops or restaurants.
Call and offer to watch their kids, or make them a meal, or rake their leaves, or something you know would help. Avoid saying, “If there’s anything you need, call me.” Make suggestions of things that you know would be helpful, and make it happen.
Call them and tell them you were thinking about them, and praying for them, and ask them if they’d like to talk. Make sure they know that there’s no pressure. And, if they do choose to talk, just listen. Don’t try to answer their questions.

Questions:

In the story that Steve referenced (John 11:1-44), Mary and Martha (Lazarus’ sisters) were upset that Jesus could have done something if he had arrived sooner (verse 21-22). Have you ever been disappointed with God?
In John 11:1-44, Jesus seemed to know that he could raise Lazarus from the dead. Why do you think he wept (v. 35)?
What kinds of loss have you experienced recently?
What kinds of questions do you have for God when you are experiencing loss?
Erin and Wayne both talked about some of the things they experienced as gifts from God during their loss. What (if anything) have you experienced as gifts from God during your time(s) of loss?

Novembering (PDF)