Pew Thoughts 8.12.12

Pew Thoughts- 8.12.12

                I wasn’t always a very good listener in church growing up. I’ve been a pastor’s daughter since I took my first breath in the world, but that was in no way a reflection of my dad’s preaching. (He’s amazing!) A lightbulb went off at some point and I realized how much great Word and how many messages I was missing out because of my lack of focus and immaturity. I wanted to make changes in how I approached Sunday mornings, and any other time I had the option to “respond to God’s Word being taught.” I started taking notes, sitting closer to the front, and actively engaging in a service from the start. I realized that I remembered more when I wrote down the message points  and my own thoughts, that I wasn’t consumed with the outfit or hair of whoever sat in front of me, and that I didn’t care what time church got out when I was present with heart, mind, and soul. It made a huge difference! Not to mention, like I heard once in a message by David Platt, that to approach a message as a student who takes notes, listens intently and responds is encouraging to a pastor. I wanted to encourage my dad, which I missed out on doing too much, and now I want to encourage my pastor who also happens to be my father-in-law.

                In as much as I can, I hope to present my “pew thoughts” to you. These Sunday afternoon/evening  posts will be words or notes from my writings during a service, a song that I worshipped to and want to share, or any random thought that comes from my Sunday interactions in, out, and around church.

                My pastor is going through a 17 week series entitled “When in Rome," breaking down the book of Romans little by little to all who want to hear. Teaching through Paul’s writings is no easy task- you know Paul said some intense, controversial things many times! Today’s message title was “When God Gives Up” based on the last half of Romans 1. I had no idea where this message was going and got scared for a second in thinking that I somehow missed the memo that God could “leave me". That wasn’t the direction the message took and the title was just a great play on words. Could you imagine having to deliver that type of preaching? Oh my…

To sum up the last half of this chapter in Romans, it would read like this: the people, knowing clearly about God (vs. 19) suppressed the truth and did what they felt like doing with whatever and whoever, without a care in the world (vs. 21-23; 25; 27-32.) There was no stopping them and no desire to turn from their evil and twisted ways, so God “gave up” and “gave them over to their shameful lusts.” (vs. 24; 26) Pastor gave an excellent illustration to further teach this thought. (I’ve adapted it a little bit.) Think about being on the Niagara River in a boat with the sight of the currents from the falls up ahead. You’re having fun splashing around but you want more of a thrill and want to move closer to the currents, even though you know it’s probably not in your best interest. God has a rope attached to your boat holding you and keeping you from being swept away by the raging waters up ahead. You tell Him, “God let me go, I don’t care or want you to keep me and I don’t want to follow what you have to say. Let go!” The Lord would reply, “But I know the dangers that are up ahead, I’m trying to keep you safe!” With rude and pursuing insistence you fight with God and inch away at your own will until, with a grieving heart, He let’s go of the rope for you to indulge in what He know will destroy you. He didn’t “give up on you," He let you give in to what you were blindly pursuing against His protections and truth over you... Does that sound familiar? It does for me! It's like a parent protecting their boy or girl from heartache and dangerous situations, to then have to just let him/her learn on their own because he or she won't listen.

There was more to the message, and so much heated discussion that Pastor had to tackle gracefully. But, a few thoughts stood out to me:

o   “When we hate truth, we try our best to suppress it and go as far as trying to justify our sins and actions to any extreme we can.” When was the last time I did this?

o   It makes me sick to think that the times I want to indulge in my own sinful desires at whatever cost, I am giving Satan the opportunity to activate his schemes against me. Whoa!

o   “Sin” goes far beyond sexual immorality and lust; it includes things like gossip too. (vs. 9-31) Which sins am I trying to play off as “innocent” or “not that bad”?

As a Christian and a YoungMarried wife, I never want God’s Word to stop piercing me like a double-edged sword.  I love Sunday messages when I have to think of my intentions, thoughts, and get my heart in the right place. Will you do the same with me today?

Hebrews 4:12, ” For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

What we worshipped to today :

“How Great is Your Faithfulness” - Matt Redman

“One Thing Remains” - Bethel

               “10,000 Reasons” - Matt Redman

     P.s. Pastor Steven Furtick's wife, Holly, has one of the best blogs for ministry wives to read! Being the wife Elevation Church's senior pastor can't be easy, but she speaks so wonderfully and openly about ministry, her life, and family. On Monday's she too posts her Sunday notes from the pastor's preaching. Her pastor is her husband- cute right? Check it out! The Preacher's Wife