Genesis

1 - It’s comfortable to just apply my belief/faith to what affects me. I hear the words, they may pierce through to that tender part of my soul, but I’m often not entirely sure what to do with what I’ve heard outside of my narrow world. One of those “easy and not-so-easy” conundrums.

You mentioned the gentle and fierce sides of God and what popped into my head was how often the God that I relate to is the gentle God and maybe by thinking about the awesome and fierce traits too may lead to better obedience? Do I fear God enough, in a good way?

Generically it is easy to understand that we as a Christian body are called to love each other and share Christ’s love with those who don’t know him. I admit that I’ve heard that message a few hundred thousand times, but I''m just confident about sharing and connecting Christ into actions, so while I still attempt to help others and reach outside of my comfortable world I just haven’t caught onto ways to share Christ – even though he’s there through the action (if that makes sense?) (Comment this)

2 - "He who has ears let him hear"...perhaps its easy to struggle with ways to connect people to Christ but I''ve started thinking that maybe (for me) its more about the "dance" -- not wanting anything in return but to continue to connect with people where they are at and the moments that Christ "connects", will happen anyhow?

To answer the question why is it hard, for me the challenge has been that I''ve felt like my belief, my faith was enough for me but probably not big enough for someone else???

In the leadership forum the other night Dr. Holst shared some of the wisdom sayings he''s picked up over the years - one of the ones I remember is something about soup cooked is never eaten as hot as it is cooked. Maybe I was amused by it because my german grandmother used to say it? So that''s the challenge I''ve given myself - turn up the heat...somehow to step out of my comfort zones.

Then at the end of the day when the things just don''t work out or I''ve opened myself up to a situation than I can chew, Matthew 11 also contains one of my favorite verses - "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Comment this)

3 - Maybe when we are stuck in that uncomfortable place we want to be instantly fixed? Isn''t that indicitave of society nowadays, faster, better, feel-good, do-good? Patience and perseverance especially in the midst of trials is a tough thing to remember. I already know I''m not going to sing through suffering like Paul and I''ve often wondered what changed these people''s hearts to just stop the life they were leading and wander the desert or follow Jesus around like the disciples did?

Paul told the Corinthians: “I am what I am, but his grace was not to me without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them, i.e., I didn’t quit…yet not I, but the grace of God with me (1 Cor 15:10).

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4 - Eternal life with God is an awesome thing and if there was a goal to achieve that should head the list

Its hard to "step out" perhaps due to apathy or maybe the idea of doing "just" enough or my big hurdle, cynicism?

There''s also this sense of needing a "calling" to be qualified to do something. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention it needs to be delivered by messenger, directly to me. Why don''t I feel like that''s happened? Why do I feel like I''m the only one whose stuck on what should be a relatively easy hurdle to jump over?

I''ve heard the christmas story over and over and can pretty much can recite it by heart. Have I been focusing on the words that a messenger came to the shepherds keeping watch o''er their flocks by night and forgotten that the message wasn''t just for those shepherds but for all people, including me?

I''m going to go out on a limb and its probably going to sound like one great big excuse and maybe it is? But its something that''s really frustrating me.

There''s this cyncism that creeps in when people talk about the reason everything happens is because God made it happen. Really, God got you elected to public office? God helped you earn that A? God selected my 32-year old friend Colleen to die after a long and horrible illness, even though she had two small kids and was a faithful servant to Him? Everything? Seriously?

Even the idea that what is spoken on Sunday are God''s words and not the pastor''s is somewhat of a difficult concept to grasp. Is it because I''m not sure I have ENOUGH confidence in the way God works? Or do I just have to question everything?

I do believe that God is surely moving in my life. I just sometimes hate the fact that these other thoughts pull me away from what probably in my heart is already planted there. (Comment this)

5 - How did Jesus know he was the son of God? Did he know immediately? (Comment this)

6 - This is the first time i am commenting. I have not been to church for 3 weeks because i am recovering from surgery. I have just listened to the messages and read everyones comments. I would like to comment on a few things that will go back abit.
1. someone commented about a gay man not being accepted as a member of a church. I get frustrated with comments like this because it is said that "we love the sinner but hate the sin." To me that means we don''t judge the sinner. other people are members of the church and they commit adultry in several ways but it is not as open to everyone to judge - a private sin if you will that is not advertized as much as this one. I am not condoning this sin. I just don''t they should be excluded based on a sin. that is between them and God. Is there somewhere in the bible that says someone who has committed this sin, cannot be a part of the church? Also, some may say that the person was not accepted because he did not beleive he was sinning & therefore did not ask for forgiveness. I believe the church is there to help individuals understand this stuff and get closer to God. How is this person suppose to grow if they are not accepted into the church which is "a body of sinners."
2. Divorce and remarrage: It is a very hard subject because so many have been through it. My parents were divorced and I''m divorced and remarried. what i took away from that sermon was that God has high standards for his people but he sent Jesus so that he would not have to punish us as we should be for those sins. Praise God for your Grace and Forgiveness.
3. "It''s all about me!" syndrome: I fall into this all time. This is how I have survived my whole life. it is very hard for me to let go of the power. In the sermon he said that you don''t see others needs when you are only thinking about yourself. that is very true. I believe God is moving but i sure stop him alot by thinking of myself.

I would like to say that WLC is wonderful. I have been attending WLC for alittle over a year now. I''ve been very blessed by the genesis services. I appreciate the open worship, the sermons, & different opportunities offered here. Opps this is getting long - thanks for taking the time to read my comments.

Merry Christmas to all!!
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7 - Julie - Merry Christmas to you and everyone else too. I wish you well as you continue to recover from surgery. It is such a great "thing" to be able to listen online to the messages and bibles studies and I have really appreciated people commenting on this blog as a way of looking at these topics from more, different or the same angles.

completely off-topic but I thought I''d share..In the sprirt of Christmas the "holiday" cards have been pouring into work (I work at a large company with pretty politically correct vendors) and half the time I don''t even really look at them but today I received one that not only said "Merry Christmas" but had a pretty spiritual visual and I thought...good for them. I also noticed that Sears has huge signs on their doors saying Merry Christmas. I don''t understand why it has become this big thing but if the voice shouting in the darkness is that of the politically correct police of course "Christmas" will be stamped out of our society. Recognizing differences in belief doesn''t make christmas go away so why not gently share a merry christmas or two or four? (Comment this)