//mytwocents

//later

Jeremiah Curran — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:20:39 -0800

Hello to BOTH of my readers!

Just wanted to let you know that I will no longer be keeping up this blog. It has been a lot of fun, but as the demands of a growing church and family increase, something has to give, and I simply don't have a passion for blogging... I started this blog as a way to help people from Westbridge stay connected with what was happening at the church as well as get to know me and my family a little bit better... we are discovering other outlets for that where I want to focus my attention.

If you have read this blog... thanks for reading! I will continue to blog on http://www.stmichael.patch.com.

//unstuck

Jeremiah Curran — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 09:48:25 -0800

Every one of us gets stuck in a rut once in a while... whether it be in your relationships, your marriage, your job, and especially your faith! I have to admit that - since I was a dude WAY before I was a pastor - I too experience seasons where I don't feel super connected to God, I don't pray as much as I feel I should, I don't read the Bible as often as I should, and God feels distant! If you have ever experienced that, please know you are not alone!

Unfortunately, well-intentioned pastors like myself, and Christian writers often end up spewing some type of formula for getting UNSTUCK in your faith - which is often driven by guilt and leads to failure starting the whole vicious cycle over again! Sorry for that!

If you are feeling stuck in your faith right now... here are a few simple suggestions from the Bible:

1.) STOP FEELING LIKE A FAILURE AND START SEEING GOD AS A FRIEND!

The Bible tells us that we have all failed, and let's be honest - we don't even live up to our own standards of morality, much less God's. However, the Bible also tells us that God no longer views us through the lens of our failures, but through the lens of the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus. Check out these verses from Romans chapter 3:

We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we can all be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done. For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins. (Romans 3:22-24)

Stop being driven by guilt, and start seeing God as a friend, because the Bible tells us that is how HE sees YOU!

2.) STOP THINKING SO BIG AND START ENJOYING THE SMALL CONNECTIONS!

We have to lose this idea that the only way to connect with God is if we carve out 7 hours on a Saturday and spend the day in solitude on a mountain top with highlighters and note cards! My wife and I have been married for 12 years, and not EVERY interaction we have is super romantic. Sometimes a text or short phone call throughout the middle of the day is the only chance we have to connect, but it is no less meaningful just because we didn't have a huge conversation!

Begin to enjoy the small connections with God... A "good morning, God" when you wake up... A "God, I commit my day to you today" before you turn on your computer or telephone... A "Thank you God for providing for me" before you eat your lunch! These are significant connections with the creator of the universe!

3.) STOP LIMITING GOD'S POWER AND START OBEYING WHAT YOU KNOW.

Sometimes, we feel stuck in our faith because we are ignoring an area of our life where God wants us to surrender control to Him. Rather than obey what we know, we want to cover up that area of our life under the false pretense of "going deeper" and "learning more" about spiritual things. The fact is that when God illuminates an area of your life where he wants you to change, He is not going to illuminate another area until you deal with the first one! Let's be honest... it's what any good Father would do! When we live in disobedience, it doesn't change His love for us, but it does put a strain on the relationship! Begin to deal with areas in your life where you know God is asking you to obey, and you will discover that your feelings of connection toward God will increase!

It is my prayer that 2012 becomes the year that you move past that rut in your faith, and that God really comes alive for you! If you would like to hear the full talk from Sunday on this topic, CLICK HERE!

//advent

Jeremiah Curran — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:39:32 -0800

During the last 3 weeks, it has been fun to consider what ADVENT really means and what it is all about! It has also been enlightening for me personally to consider the names that are given to Jesus during his arrival, and what they have to do with us today!

IMMANUEL: The Bible tells us that one of the names given to the Son of God was Immanuel, which means "God is with us"! I love that description, because we often think of God as a distant God hanging out in the cosmos sipping Starbucks! I think God wanted us to remember at least once a year that He is NOT distant God... but that He is with us! At least every December, we are forced to confront the idea that God sent his son into this world to become flesh and blood and live a human existence, and experience what we experience!

JESUS: We overlook this because it was actually the name that He went by, but there is incredible signficance in this name. The angel told Joseph to name him Jesus because he would save his people from their sins. When God looked down at humanity, he realized that we didn't need a life coach or a motivational speaker - it was worse than that - we needed a SAVIOR! So not only did he come to be with us and experience what we experience, he came to SAVE US!

CHRIST: Finally, the angels tell the shepherds that Jesus is the CHRIST! The Hebrew word for that is "mashach" and it means to "anoint with oil". In the Old Testament, there were 3 specific roles for which people were anointed with oil in an inaugural ceremony: Prophets, Priests, and Kings! The arrival of Jesus into the world marks the arrival of the CHRIST - the one who has been anointed or given authority to serve each of those functions! As a PROPHET, Jesus became the visible representation of an invisible God. As a PRIEST, Jesus' sacrifice atones for our sins, and allows God's presence to be available for all. As a KING, Jesus will return again and reign forever!

In the chaos of the Christmas Season... I am so thankful that we got to take the time to reflect on what ADVENT is all about - The ARRIVAL of Immanuel, Jesus the Christ!

//charity.water

Jeremiah Curran — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 09:35:48 -0800

Every year during the month of December, we hold our Year End Christmas Offering! Last year we were able to partner with Charity:Water to provide a single well for a community in a developing nation that previously did not have access to clean drinking water! This was incredibly exciting for us as a church, and I believe that God is calling us to do even more this year! The Bible tells us that to whom much is given, much is required, and we have certainly been blessed by God! Please take a moment and watch this video to see how Charity:Water is making a difference around the world!

As we have grown as a church, God has given us even more opportunity to help even more people! Our goal this year would be to dig 3 wells! At $5,000 per well, that is $15,000 that we would love to give away to help communities in developing nations acquire this most basic life essential!

To find out more about our Year End Christmas Offering, including how and where to give and what the money is going towards, CLICK HERE!

//bible.101

Jeremiah Curran — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 08:42:57 -0800

Last Sunday, we discussed the history of the Bible and its reliability for today! We received a ton of feedback on that information, and we also promised a list of resources to help you read the Bible for yourself. As promised... check out these resources below!

BIBLES:

There are several different versions of the Bible, and finding the right one can be tricky with so many options. More important than which version you are reading is that you are ACTUALLY READING IT! Here are a few that we recommend for accuracy and easy reading:

The New Living Translation

The New International Version

The Message - This is a paraphrase of the Bible, and is good to read in tandem with another version to help bring understanding!

The Voice New Testament - This is a brand new translation that just came out within the last year!

The Good News Translation

WEBSITES & APPS:

Here are a few great websites and Bible applications for your smart phone that we love:

YouVersion - Read the Bible in LOTS of different translations, or have it read to you in audio format!

Bible Gateway - Contains versions of the Bible as well as commentaries - writings of Bible scholars that further explain specific chunks of Scripture in everyday language. I use commentaries often to help me understand what I am reading!

Bible Study Tools - Same thing as Bible Gateway, but another option.

Inspired By - Have the Bible read to you on audio book by some of today's most well respected actors and musicians!

Jon Courson's Application Commentary - A Complete commentary of the whole Bible that focuses on how to apply it to everyday life.

BOOKS:

Is The Bible Reliable

Books on Christian Apologetics

New Evidence That Demands A Verdict

The Reason For God

//creed

Jeremiah Curran — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 09:56:22 -0800

All of us have creeds - which are basically statements of what we believe! Some people believe that "God helps those who help themselves!" Others believe that "The more you know... the more you grow!" These are basic statements that point to what we believe and what we value in our lives.

This last weekend, we went through the Apostles Creed at Westbridge Church. You have probably heard it at some point in your life, but if you haven't, it is the most widely agreed upon statement of beliefs throughout time and history - regardless of what brand or denomination you find yourself in.

THE APOSTLES CREED:

I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ God's only son our Lord, what was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven. He is seated at the right hand of the father and he will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting, Amen!

This brief creed has been repeated in churches for 20 centuries, and is absolutely rich in doctrine and content regarding God the Father and Jesus, God's Son! One of the main questions we all wrestle with is, "Who is this God we are dealing with?" But when you consider WHAT Jesus did as outlined in the Apostles Creed, and you realize WHY he did it, you discover the heart and the character of this God we are dealing with, and you can't help but fall in love with Him!

If you missed it, take a minute to listen to the talk RIGHT HERE

//believe

Jeremiah Curran — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 08:09:09 -0700

Last weekend, we kicked off a new series and I am already LOVING THIS SERIES! The reason that we are doing this series is because it is important that we are not ignorant concerning what we believe. It really isn't enough that your parents believe something or that you grew up a certain way, at some point you have to be honest enough with yourself to ask the difficult questions of faith and wrestle to find the answers.

To kick things off, we discussed the widely held belief that good people go to heaven! Here is why that belief is so popular:

1.) It seems like a fair system! If there is a good God in a good heaven, then it just makes sense that good people should go there!

2.) It motivates us to be good! If good people go to heaven, then you will want to be a good person - especially as you get closer to the end of your life!

3.) Most people will make the cut! Most people think of themselves as good people, so most people will make the cut which makes this easy to believe!

4.) The idea that good people go to heaven is consistent with the idea of a good God. It is only logical and consistent that if God is good, then he will reward good people!

The problem with this belief is that most people are not honest enough to wrestle with its flaws, of which there are a few:

1.) There is no clear standard of good and bad. If good people go to heaven, then God owes it to us to tell us how the system works. Unfortunately, there is nothing written that says, "If you keep this set of rules, you will get to heaven!" Which lead us to the second flaw:

2.) You never know where you stand with God. Since there is no clear standard, you never know if you are in or out! Logically speaking, that is not a FAIR SYSTEM at all! It is like running a race without knowing where the finish line is!

3.) This idea that good people go to heaven is the opposite of what Jesus taught! Jesus never taught that GOOD people go to heaven, he taught that FORGIVEN people go to heaven, and there is HUGE difference!

Jesus taught that...

EVERYONE IS WELCOME!

EVERYONE GETS IN THE SAME WAY!

EVERYONE CAN MEET THE REQUIREMENT!

That is also NOT a fair system, but it is unfair slanted in our favor! We are made right in God's sight through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We can't be GOOD ENOUGH - but we can be FORGIVEN!

//money+heart

Jeremiah Curran — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 08:08:20 -0700

On Sunday, we talked about one of the most confusing, misunderstood, and often abused topics in the church - MONEY! The fact is that as much as I am uncomfortable talking about the topic of money because of the perception that people have about the church and money, Jesus talked about it A LOT and with good reason! According to Jesus, your heart follows your money! We invest financially in things that we value the most! So the question that Jesus has for his followers - including those of us living today is - "Are you investing in something with eternal significance? Or are you making the assumption that the reason God has blessed you and given you extra is so that you can continually increase your own lifestyle?" Here are a couple of things the Bible says about money:

A BIBLICAL VIEW OF MONEY:

1.) Everything you have BELONGS to God!

God is the OWNER of everything, he has simply entrusted it to you to MANAGE while you are on this earth! This is the starting point for understanding money and possessions in their proper context!

2.) Money is a TEST.

One day, you will give an account to God about how you managed the things that were entrusted to you! There are few things in this life that will test your faith and maturity more acutely than how you handle your material possessions!

3.) Money is a TOOL.

While Scripture instructs us that it is dangerous to LOVE money, it also tells us that we are to USE money to make a difference in this world! My prayer is that you can make as much as you can, save as much as you can, and give as much as you can!

A BIBLICAL PLAN FOR GIVING:

1.) Make it a PRIORITY!

Everytime that you get paid, have it in your plan to return FIRST to God out of what He has given you. When you decide to spend on yourself first, you are assuming the position of owner!

2.) Determine a PERCENTAGE!

It is not about equal giving, but equal sacrifice! All throughout Scripture, God says to return a percentage of what he has given us! Throughout both the Old and New Testament, 10% is continually referenced as a starting point for generosity! If you do not determine a percentage, then your giving will always be passive and spontaneous!

3.) Continue to GROW in generosity!

Don't just put this into practice for a season... make it a way of life! Not only will it help move the church of Jesus Christ forward and reach more people, but it will change your heart and your perspective on money and stuff!

A FEW STATS:

Westbridge Church currently runs about 525 people on an average Sunday. Our weekly offerings are roughly 30% of churches our size!

Westbridge Church has over 700 people who call it their "home church". We currently have 30 families who are committed to returning a percentage back to God!

God uses EVERY gift that is given - no matter the size - and He has been able to accomplish incredible things with what we have given. Imagine what could happen if even more of us made the decision to return a percentage of what God has entrusted to us!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE FULL TALK FROM SUNDAY...

//tongue

Jeremiah Curran — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 07:54:11 -0700

We had a lot of fun together this last weekend at Westbridge Church as we discussed wisdom and our words! As we looked at some verse from James Chapter 3 together, here are a few lessons that we learned about the tongue:

Our words have the power to DIRECT our lives! Our words are extremely powerful. We have been marked by words that others have spoken to us, and we have marked others by words we have spoken - GOOD OR BAD! Words are incredibly powerful!

Our words have the power to DESTROY another's life! We can all think back to something that someone said to us that cut us deeply, and we can all think back to words that we spoke in anger or frustration that hurt someone else! Our words are powerful enough to direct our lives, but also powerful enough to destory someone else!

Our words REVEAL what is inside of us! Jesus said that what comes out of our mouth is an overflow of what is in our hearts! James says that we use the same mouth to both worship God and curse people who are made in his image! That shouldn't even be a possibility, but it is reality because our words are powerful and they reveal what is inside of us!

SO WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT? HERE ARE A FEW SUGGESTIONS:

Take responsibility for the words you've spoken! If you have hurt or estranged someone with your words - OWN IT!

Do what you can to repair the relationship. I realize it may never get back to where it was, but at least do everything within your power to bring healing to what you hurt!

Daily surrender your mouth to God! I know that sounds overly simplistic, but when is the last time that you prayed and asked God to give you wisdom with your words?

Regularly practice the habit of encouragement! Look for opportunities to build others up. Look for the good in others. Go out of your way to show kindness. Confirm in others the areas where they are doing well instead of confronting the areas where they are weak!

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. If you claim to be righteous but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. (James 1:19, 26)

//groups

Jeremiah Curran — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 07:04:07 -0700

If you are in a Growth Group at Westbridge Church, check out this video: