“I have come that they might have life, and have it with abundance.” This is one of Jesus’ most famous sayings. It is what we would think of today as a mission statement. But when he says he’s come to give abundant life, what exactly is he promising? Life turns out to be one of those words that everybody knows but is surprisingly tricky to define. (You might give it a try yourself.) Here’s the best definition I know: life is the inner power to make something happen.

Put a rock in the ground and it just lies there. Put a seed in the ground–something happens. It takes in nourishment and begins to grow. It receives from and gives back to the world. Something happens because the seed has life in it that would not otherwise happen. To be alive is to change the world.

Jesus came to give you power far beyond your own to make wonderful things happen. This life begins as our own thoughts and desires become rooted in him, just as a seed becomes rooted in the ground. Then out of the abundance of confidence and joy in this inner life flows creativity and strength to make good things happen around us. So today, be a ‘make something happen’ person. Invite Jesus to do this with you. No passivity today. When you’re in a meeting, and an idea comes to you–say it. When you’re with someone who’s discouraged–encourage him or her. Write a note, say a prayer, tell someone thanks, call a friend, notice beauty, challenge your mind, solve a problem, give a gift to someone who needs it, take someone to lunch, sow a seed, plant a garden. Be abundantly alive. Make something happen.

God has given you and I the incredible opportunity to do something today! Let’s seize this day for it truly is the day that He has made. And let us rejoice and be glad in Him for He has given us another day to grow as we encourage, pray, and sow in the lives of the people He has placed in our lives.

We wanted to share a letter we received this past week from our Singles retreat speaker, Pastor Sam Park.

Greetings Binnerri EM from Los Angeles!

It’s been almost two months since my visit to your wonderful community, and yet, so many aspects of that weekend are still vivid in my mind.  Thanks to you, I have been watching more “Minute to Win It” clips on Hulu!  I can’t stop thinking about the BBQ restaurants that Pastor Kye took me to.  Yet, I am most grateful for the individuals whom I met, both at the Refuel retreat and at the Sunday worship services, and the conversations that took place at both venues.  I was overjoyed to hear that the feedback from the retreat was, in general, quite positive.  I was so happy when I was asked to write an article for your website to, perhaps, refresh your memory of that weekend.

The first evening got off to a bit of a late start (but isn’t that the case with most retreats?).  Yet, despite the fact that most of you were so tired from the drive over to the retreat site, you all hung in there and I really appreciated that.  The message that night dealt with redefining our common notion of “passion.”  In reality, we were reacquainting ourselves with the original meaning of the word.  We discussed the fact that passion is not just an intense feeling.  Instead, passion comes from the word meaning “to suffer.”  As Christ has passion for us, and indeed suffered for us, we too, in order to be passionate followers of Christ, must suffer for His sake.  Discipleship has a cost.

Saturday morning’s worship focused on the sacrificial path of the cross.  We meditated on the cross, and in particular, through reflection on the hymn of Christ found in Philippians 2.  We saw that the paradoxical truth in Christ is that life can only be truly full, if we empty ourselves in obedience to God.  Moreover, the practical way in which that self-emptying is displayed is in service to others.  Discipleship has a way.

The final message for the retreat spoke about the relative ease with which people who make even strong commitments to Christ can “go back” to their life before Christ.  At the end of the Gospel of John (this is after the resurrection!), we find Peter and some of the other disciples pretty much in the same place as when they were first called to “follow” Jesus.  We learned that our love of Christ is best demonstrated in our love of others.  Despite our failures, and our backsliding, Jesus calls us to follow him, and become his agents and ambassadors in the world.  He commissions us to ministry to a hurting and broken world with his love, and only as we minister to the world, as Jesus did, can we ever hope to know Jesus intimately; become more like Jesus.  Discipleship has a purpose.

It is my sincerest prayer that these messages have taken deep root in your hearts., and that it will bear much fruit in His time.  I once again thank you all for being such gracious hosts, and I pray that God would abundantly bless your community!

In Christ’s service,

Pastor Sam
Community Church at Holliston

Many people today are pouring their lives out and working for Jesus Christ, but are not really walking with Him. One thing God constantly requires of us is a oneness with Jesus Christ. After being set apart through sanctification, we should discipline our lives spiritually to maintain this intimate oneness. When God gives you a clear determination of His will for you, all your striving to maintain that relationship by some particular method is completely unnecessary. All that is required is to live a natural life of absolute dependence on Jesus Christ. Never try to live your life with God in any other way than His way. And His way means absolute devotion to Him. Showing no concern for the uncertainties that lie ahead is the secret of walking with Jesus.

It’s not about squeezing Jesus-moments into the business of our schedules, nor is it about consuming ourselves for His work. It’s allowing the light of Jesus Christ to permeate and penetrate every area of our lives. It’s about aligning our lives with His, and it’s a choice we make every single day. This is what it means to be a full-time follower of Jesus Christ. And I pray that we would make that choice to follow Him today and in the days to come.

When it comes to taking the initiative against drudgery, we have to take the first step as though there were no God. There is no point in waiting for God to help us— He will not. But once we arise, immediately we find He is there. Whenever God gives us His inspiration, suddenly taking the initiative becomes a moral issue— a matter of obedience. Then we must act to be obedient and not continue to lie down doing nothing. If we will arise and shine, drudgery will be divinely transformed.

Drudgery is one of the finest tests to determine the genuineness of our character. Drudgery is work that is far removed from anything we think of as ideal work. It is the utterly hard, menial, tiresome, and dirty work. And when we experience it, our spirituality is instantly tested and we will know whether or not we are spiritually genuine. Read John 13. In this chapter, we see the Incarnate God performing the greatest example of drudgery— washing fishermen’s feet. He then says to them, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14 ). The inspiration of God is required if drudgery is to shine with the light of God upon it. In some cases the way a person does a task makes that work sanctified and holy forever. It may be a very common everyday task, but after we have seen it done, it becomes different. When the Lord does something through us, He always transforms it. Our Lord takes our human flesh and transforms it, and now every believer’s body has become “the temple of the Holy Spirit”

May God encourage and refine our character each and every single day.

Now…Jesus “got up from supper, laid aside His garments; taking a towel, He girded Himself. Poured water into the basin, and began washing the disciples’ feet” (John 13:4-5). Jesus performed the role of a servant by washing the disciples’ feet, one at a time. Some were embarrassed, Peter so much so that he resisted. It was inconceivable to Peter that one in Jesus’ position, “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt 16:16), would be willing to act as a servant. Even today, two thousand years later, it is still astounding.

Click here to view the embedded video.

-adapted from Andrew Seidel, “Servant Leadership and Spiritual Formation.”

“I believe the doctrine of election, because I am quite certain that, if God had not chosen me, I should never have chosen Him; and I am sure He chose me before I was born, or else He never would have chosen me afterwards; and He must have elected me for reasons unknown to me, for I never could find any reason in myself why He should have looked upon me with special love“

God, help me to live this day with the appreciation that You chose me, not because of my worthiness, but because of Yours!