Two Kinds of Wisdom

What kind of wisdom are you paying attention to today? Is it the wisdom of this world or wisdom from above? James reminds us that the world’s wisdom is marked by “bitter jealousy and selfish ambition” (James 3:14). In contrast, God's wisdom is “pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17).

According to James, we are driven by earthly wisdom when we feel distant from God and believe our needs aren't being met (James 4:1-3). The good news is that God is always near, and what we need can be ours for the asking (James 4:2).

If you missed yesterday’s message, you can listen to the podcast here or watch the entire worship service on our YouTube channel.

Yours for Christ, 

Pastor Steve

steve@clpc.org 

Loneliness and the Church

James 1:2 says, “Count it all joy, my sisters and brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.” Loneliness is a trial that many people face. However, we learned yesterday from Robin Johnson (CLPC’s Director of Mental Health Ministry and Adult 55+ Ministry) that while loneliness is a common emotion, “it is not normal.” As ones created by God for connected relationship, we’re not designed to endure loneliness. Robin encouraged us to “pay attention to the quality of our [existing] connections” and to foster new connections. Robin invited us to join her very own Project UnLonely by being “Illuminators” to those we meet. Illuminators pay attention to others with healthy, loving curiosity. Illuminators meet others with a friendly smile, a verbal greeting, or compliment.

If you missed yesterday’s message, or would like to learn more about Project UnLonely, you can listen to the podcast here or watch the entire worship service on our YouTube channel.

Yours for Christ, 

Pastor Steve

steve@clpc.org 

Contentment

The Tenth Commandment is God’s invitation to contentment. A contented life frees us from wanting everything we like. It also frees us from an “if only” mindset – those thoughts like, “If only my life, job, spouse, partner, kids, etc., were more like that person’s…” However, a contented life is not one without ambition, goals, and dreams. Instead, it’s a life that entrusts all our deepest longings to God’s faithful care. Like all the commandments, the Tenth Commandment invites us to trust God. 

A pathway toward contentment is gratitude. For the next thirty days, take five minutes each day to write ten things you can be thankful to God for. These “ten things” don’t have to be deep or profound and it’s okay if they repeat from day to day. Just make sure you list at least ten things – and stick with it for thirty days. You may be surprised at how your sense of contentment grows as you do.

Listen to the full message here or watch the entire worship service on our YouTube channel.

Yours for Christ, 

Pastor Steve

steve@clpc.org 

No Stealing

The eighth commandment, “You shall not steal,” isn’t just about robbing banks or carjacking automobiles. It is about proper ownership. Lewis Smedes, in Mere Morality: What God Expects from Ordinary People, suggests a threefold test for the things we possess: 

First, is it FAIR? Have I come to own what I have by negotiation or contract with a party acting freely and responsibly, or was force, manipulation, or deception involved? 

Second, do I CARE? Am I careless with what I own, or careless toward others with what I own? For example, caring for my yard after Hurricane Beryl by gathering downed tree limbs is caring for my property. But placing those limbs in my neighbor’s driveway is not! 

Third, do I SHARE? Do I help others own what they need out of what I have? As physical beings, God has created us to own things we need and to need things to own. Even rightful ownership, when it deprives others of a share of what they need, is a form of stealing.

Look for an opportunity to share something this week. If you own multiples of a thing, consider loaning the newer or better of them. Also, look for an opportunity to borrow something this week. In a culture of affluence and self-sufficiency, lending and borrowing builds community and invites us to think about our relationship with the things we own.

Listen to the full message here or watch the entire worship service on our YouTube channel.

Yours for Christ, 

Pastor Steve

steve@clpc.org 

Adultery

Perhaps the subject line grabbed your attention? Don’t stop here. Read on!

“Do not commit adultery” is another terse prohibition in the second half of the Ten Commandments. The ‘second tablet’ teaches us how to love our neighbor well. Like the legal expert who asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29), we are often inclined to look for loopholes in these commands. We might say, “I’m not stealing, I’m just borrowing,” or “I’m not coveting, I’m just admiring”. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus does away with loophole thinking. He declares, “Everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart”. (Matthew 5:28) Being an expert in human psychology, Jesus knows that adultery takes place long before a physical act is committed.

The Seventh Commandment acknowledges the incredible power of human sexuality to create or destroy intimate human attachments. While violating the bond of marriage reflects the pinnacle of sexuality’s power to destroy, it is not the only way we break the Seventh Commandment. In an increasingly pornified culture with its false ideas about sexual freedom, this commandment invites us to rethink how we use our bodies and express our desires to create true human intimacy.

Listen to the full message here or watch the entire worship service on our YouTube channel.

Yours for Christ, 

Pastor Steve

steve@clpc.org 

Sabbath Rest

The fourth commandment to keep the Sabbath is God’s invitation to rest. Our culture idolizes workaholism. From an early age we teach, “The early bird gets the worm” and “Idleness is the devil’s workshop.” In contrast, Sabbath rest invites us into the other-worldly habit of disciplined inactivity. It is a 24-hour pause from producing and consuming that reminds us that God is all we need. Our world does not need more busy people. We need more rested people. How could you carve some Sabbath rest into the rhythm of your week?

Listen to the full message here or watch the entire worship service on our YouTube channel.

Yours for Christ, 

Pastor Steve

steve@clpc.org 

The 10 Commandments

The second commandment (no graven images) is about God’s desire to have relationship with us. Images are static. But relationships are dynamic. God never changes, but we do. As we grow and mature, God desires to relate to us in new ways. Images, in the form of preconceived notions about God, can get in the way of relating to the Living God.

Is God surprising you these days? Are there things going on in your life that feel uncomfortable or strange? Rather than chasing an image, consider that God may be revealing something new and drawing you closer.

Listen to the full message here or watch the entire worship service on our YouTube channel.

Yours for Christ, 

Pastor Steve

steve@clpc.org