Mark’s-isms: Genesis 26

Seasons In the Life of Faith

• Wherever we are in our culture we are a stones throw from a beverage or a snack food
• The first season we find in Gen. 26 is a famine – a major crisis
• Each person in this room will have a famine to deal with in fashion or another
• In one sense, life is about dealing with famines of various sorts
• Season “1a” is confirmation of God’s presence and his promises; “I will be with you and will bless you.”
• God has promised to abide in us and with us
• Even famine cannot diminish the power and presence and the promises of God
• Season #2 is sinful patterns and self reliance…sinful coping mechanisms
• What is our default mode to cope with the stress in our lives?  The coping mechanism that God offers are His presence and promises (season 2a)
• Verse 12 is packed full of grace…God doesn’t give up on you when you rebel and when you fall (a season of blessing
• Season #3 is conflict with the world.
• 1 John – do not the world or anything in the world…the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does.
• Season 3a – God once again God confirms his presence and promise
• The remedy for the season you are in is Christ and His presence

Mark-isms: Genesis 25 – Twisted

• Hebrews 12 – the sin that so easily entagled
• Word for sin that we translate, “iniquity” – it means twisted, or something entangled, willful crookedness, perversion
• As hard as may try to straighten our lives out we do not have the power to untangle what is twisted
• We are so entangled and enmeshed in sin that we are not even aware of the subtle manipulation that leads us to sin without knowing it
• The knots in the rope of life are so prevalent that they are present  from the time of birth and conception (Psalm 51)
• Esau…ugly baby…hairy baby…Elmo baby…he should have been named Elmo instead of Esau.  (LOL)
• Esau, he drives a pickup, carries a shotgun, and watches kick boxing…he liked to kill it and grill it
• Jacob liked to wear an apron and cook brownies and watch Oprah
• This caused the parents to play favorites based on their natural attraction
• Esau was dramatic and not so bright, he sold  his birthright for stew
• God’s call precedes our twisted nature – Jer.1:4-5
• Grace is  the ultimate trump card, it holds the power
• God’s call in your life precedes your twistedness…we think this twistedness is the most powerful force on planet Earth, but God’s grace and call precede it and trump it
• The temptation is to listen to the twistedness rather than to listen to the grace and call of God
• Twisted living is powerfully modeled in families
• Children pick up atmospheres before they pick up words
• As a follower of Christ you don’t have to be identified primarily by your twistedness
• Will we be the people who passionately say, “Jesus help me be the one to stand in your presence and not give in to the twistedness of my family?”
• There is hope for twisted people…this church is full of twisted people…we are sinners saved by grace
• Spiritual transformation is fueled by honest confessions and honest relationships
• Luke 3 – the crooked shall become straight…we need to give our twistedness to God
• Luke 13 – woman with a twisted back instantly healed by the power of Christ

The God Who Sings (Part 2)

More incredible insight into this profound truth about our Master…

The God Who Sings

Read Psalm 32:7, 42:8, & Zephaniah 3:17 and then listen…

Mark-isms: Genesis 24

• What the Internet is doing to us…Its becoming increasing difficult to focus on extended narratives
• The opposite of trust, truly, is worry
• There’s deep trust in God’s hand and God’s plan
• God is not going to be done with you until your last breath is taken…we need to live our lives as such
• Discipleship is growing with Christ….until we take our last breath
• Some of the older people in here have a lot to offer
• Trusting God and his plan results in a separation from worldly influences
• When we come to Christ we are set apart from the culture for a mission that is distinct
• Christ calls someone to come and die to the things of the culture in a way that is completely distinct
• When a person comes to Christ, they must realize there is a complete ripping away and then a re-engagement with the culture in a new position and a different level.
• When we learn to trust God we have confidence in God’s plan
• Abraham has deep trust in God’s plan, the servant [of Abraham] keeps wondering “what if…?”
• Trusting God is fueled by prayer
• hesed=covenant faithfulness (in NIV it’s translated kindness)
• In the details of life, in the forefront or the background God’s hand is there….we either believe that or we don’t.
• For those of you on Facebook, Issac is like the shadowy profile with no picture…he is a transitional figure in scripture.

Psalm 46:4

I was meditating on this verse today and came across this teaching on worship.  Good stuff!

http://www.justworship.com/praisepoints/thecenterofthethronethelambandtheriveroflife.pdf

Here’s a good, simple song that goes with this stream of thinking:

…and if you want to play along here’s the song sheet

Be the Centre (D) (song sheet)

Blessings…

Performance is not all bad

More good words for us to consider today….

Interesting Perspective

This video is actually an info-mercial for a music teaching DVD, but Victor Wooten has some interesting words for us to consider as church musicians.  I am not sure where he is in regards to faith in Christ, but I believe the statement about “having something to say” is orienting for us a lead worshippers.  What we have to say and how we say it are extremely important issues.

Well…looky here…

Updates…

Hola crew,

It’s update time!

The worship calendar format is reconfigured and the teams are scheduled through the month of June.  If you notice any scheduling conflicts, please notify me or feel free to find a substitute from within the team members. 

Also, the new songs we are planning to learn for the next 6 months can be found by clicking on the “new song” menu option in the right side bar.  The same password will get you in .  Song sheets for those songs will be posted as they are completed.

There are also some new songs for you to check out.  Planetshakers is our featured worship team on the resource page.  Check them out!

This Tuesday, January 26, we are having our 2nd mandatory ALL TEAM MEETING @ 6:45-8:45.  Those of you with notebooks from last time, bring them with you.  Those who didn’t receive a notebook, you will get one this Tuesday.  If you cannot attend, please let me know.