The year 2020 at Clear
Lake Presbyterian Church is the year of “God Sightings.” We’re looking for God
to show up in surprising ways and telling one another when we see that happen.
But, we can often miss God sightings if we’re not actively praying for them.
That’s why Paul begins his letter to the Philippians with a God sightings
prayer (see Philippians 1:9-11). My shorthand version of the God Sightings
prayer is this: “Lord, make me alert to what you’re doing around me and in me.”
Try praying this prayer multiple times a day and get ready to see evidence of
God like you’ve never noticed before!
Thursday, February 6, 2020
A "God Sightings" Prayer
Monday, January 6, 2020
Healthy Relationships Matter
2020 at Clear Lake Presbyterian Church (CLPC) is the Year of
God Sightings! We’re looking for signs of God’s activity in the three spheres
of a growing disciple: healthy relationships (embrace), spiritual practices
(empower), and service (engage). Yesterday, we talked about how a disciple’s healthy
relationships can change the world. While
power, sex, and greed fuels broken relationships in the present age, the Apostle Paul
invites our relationships to be energized with compassion, kindness, humility,
meekness, and patience (Colossians 3:12-17). Our new life in Christ invites us
to see every person we encounter at work, school, and home, as a sacred spiritual
being made in the image of God and deeply loved by the Heavenly Father. If you
missed yesterday’s message, you can listen to it here [link].
Healthy relationships can be a challenge when we are
struggling personally or dealing with a loved on who is. CLPC’s Mental Health
Ministry offers a variety of resources that can help. Check out https://www.clpc.org/MentalHealthMinistries
for more information.
Are you looking for a smaller group of people who are eager
to serve, learn, and grow together as followers of Jesus? Join a Connect Group
or Connect Group Snapshot. Send an email to Pastor Josh (josh@clpc.org) or go to our website for more information
(https://www.clpc.org/Current-Connect-Groups).
Monday, December 23, 2019
Joseph's Choice
When Mary turned up
pregnant before their wedding day, Joseph had a well-ordered plan to divorce
her quietly. His plan would spare Mary additional humility and protect his
reputation in the village. But Joseph’s plan gets interrupted in a dream by a
messenger from God. The angel tells Joseph to abandon his plan for God’s plan
and he does!
Most of us wish we had
an angel telling us what to do. And yet I imagine it wasn’t that simple for
Joseph. As we celebrate new birth in Christ and press on toward a New Year,
where might God be calling you to interrupt your plans in order to make room
for his? If you missed yesterday’s message you can listen to it here.
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Give us this day our daily bread
Praying “give us this
day our daily bread,” is Jesus’ invitation to a life of freedom. First, when we
realize everything we have comes from, and belongs to, God, we are freed from
craving the latest gadget or fashion. We can like things without having to want
them. Second, trusting God’s provision for daily bread also frees us from worry
about our material needs. “Give us this day our daily bread,” is a prayer that
God delights to answer. Finally, God’s “daily bread” frees us for grace-filled
living. We can trust God to satisfy even our deepest longings and desires. When
I’m trusting God for “daily bread” I don’t have to grab, grasp, or try to
manipulate and control the world around me in order to meet my needs. God will
provide.
If you missed Sunday’s
message you can listen to it here. This coming weekend our series on the Lord’s Prayer
continues as we consider, “lead us not into temptation.” I look forward to
worshipping and learning with you!
Thursday, August 29, 2019
Thy Kingdom Come
The Lord’s Prayer
petition, “Your kingdom come, thy will be done…,” invites us to relinquish
control of our kingdoms to God’s control. We acknowledge God’s will for
our life is always better than our own. With this prayer, we commit to a life
of “THY will” rather than “MY will.”Monday, July 8, 2019
Faith and Politics
For many the
“separation of church and state” means we shouldn’t mix faith with politics. We
carry the idea that faith belongs to the “inner,” personal, and private world,
while civics, policy-making, and politics belong to the “outer”
world. Don’t talk politics at church and don’t drag religion into
politics, we say. Keep the worlds separate.
But this is not how
Daniel, the Jewish youth exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar, behaves.
Daniel’s faith and politics are intertwined in his public and private lives. He
lives out his heavenly and earthly citizenship with seamless integrity. Daniel
embodies the exhortation of 1 Peter 2:17 to
“love the brotherhood, fear God, and honor the emperor.” What might this look
like for us today? Yesterday’s message offers some guidance. If you missed it,
you can listen to it here.
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
Pray for One Another
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