The Well Church of the Nazarene

Worship - Epic, pt. 11

Israel is still in exile, though we're several years past the days of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Once again persecution comes because Daniel will not go with the flow. He refuses to worship the king, and openly worships God. He's led to the lion's den, and once again God intercedes.

The point of the story is this: whether God intercedes or not, we will worship only God.

Series Discussion - Epic, Wk.10

In the sermon Sunday August 9, we talked a little about "Rack, Shack, and Benny" (a.k.a. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego), and their part in God's epic story. Today, Pastors Josh, Mara, and Paul discuss ways the time we're living in now mirrors some of this time period when the Israelites were in exile.

What does it look like to live faithfully in exile? How can we intentionally seek the welfare of the community we're living in? Is there a balance between blending in and standing out? Because the truth is, exile isn't bad--it's good. It's refining. Living in times of wilderness and/or exile forces us to determine who we're going to depend on. Who is Lord of your life? What do you choose to orient your life around? Who/what is competing for your affection or devotion? 

Standing firm means there's a certain level of vulnerability that, to live like Rack, Shack, and Benny, we need to allow our neighbors to see. And sometimes that can mean withdrawing from the games our culture likes to play.  

Worship - Epic, pt.10

A portion of Israel is in exile, and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are faced with a challenge: bow to the image of the king or get thrown into a fiery furnace. They refuse, but are unharmed by the flames, and they're joined by one who looks like the Son of God.

We learn two powerful things in this story: 1) Never worship powers other than God. Participate as God leads, but never bow down. And, 2) Never go with the flow in the ad lib. Our convictions should keep us from floating downstream.

Series Discussion - Epic, Wk.9

This summer we've been tracking the Israelites in their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, and seeing how they've come to rely on God throughout this epic adventure. At this point in the story, David has killed a giant, been anointed by Samuel to be the next king, and has ended up in Saul's inner circle. But despite his innocence and a history of doing right, David lands on the opposite of Saul's good side.

Time and again, David had the opportunity to kill Saul, but didn't. Meanwhile Saul pursued David, and in doing so lost his own life and that of his son. David remained true to Saul to the end and even lamented Saul's death. A man after God's own heart, David acted out God's will in a way that didn't make sense to those around him, during a time when things definitely weren't going as planned. The pressure was on him and yet he continually sought the character of God and acted accordingly.

So the question we're digging into is this... how do we make sure we're living God's way when the unexpected happens? When we're living ad lib in the midst of a pandemic?

One Day Revival w/ Nelson Perdue

Dr. Nelson Perdue joins us for a special, one day revival service. 

Series Discussion - Epic, Wk. 8

Josh, Mara, and Paul chat about David & Goliath in this week's series discussion. 

Worship - Epic, pt. 8

We referenced the story of David and Goliath in our "Go" series, but here we're going to focus even more on the weapons we choose. David fought as he was gifted. God equips us as he needs us.

 

Imagine a cello playing picking up his instrument and trying to produce music by blowing on end end. Or a flutist, who bangs her instruments against the floor to create rhythm. Would a drum play pick up his instrument and try to play it with a bow? They could try, but the result would be unrecognizable. However, when each member of an orchestra plays their instrument as designed, in proper melody, rhythm, and expression, we have music. Play your part! 

Series Discussion - Epic, Wk.7

Bryan's back with us this week, Paul's returned from vacation, and in this week's series discussion, Bryan, Paul, and Mara continue our ongoing conversation regarding God's epic story. This past Sunday (July 19), we talked about the anointing of David. This afternoon, we're digging deeper into the behind-the-scenes of Samuel's decision and how we can apply what we're learning from this story to our circumstances present-day.

 

David was such an unlikely choice for king, no one even considered he'd be part of God's plan. He wasn't even presented to Samuel as an option! Each of Jesse's sons was rejected by God--not because of who they were, but because they weren't the right fit for the job. How can we relate this to the times we've felt rejected in our own lives? Could it be that God is redefining or redirecting our purpose and not just taking it away?

 

Change is the nature of life, but it can lead to conflict within ourselves and with others. Often times we think we know what God is or should be doing, but He has significantly different plans. It's possible Samuel missed David at first because he was busy seeking Saul 2.0. How many times have we missed something God may be doing because we're looking for what we think it should be and not what it could be? How do our prejudices--and our assumptions--affect the pursuit of God's will in our lives and what it means to authentically live out our faith? 

 

God looks at the motivations of our heart, while Jesus took the time to truly listen and pay attention to people. What does this mean for us? It means we need to change the way we see people--not just with strangers, but in our closest relationships as well.  

Worship - Epic, pt. 7

God has rejected King Saul because of his disobedience, and Samuel is called to appoint the successor. God leads him to the sons of Jesse, of which He chooses the youngest. God saw something within David--his heart.

In keeping with our musical analogy in this series, we're going to talk about another fundamental part of music--expression. Music is more than a science. It reaches into our emotions. It must be played with proper feeling. God wants his people to have the right expression, and not just go through the motions of a song. Action is important. But God sees our heart. What are your motivations?

Series Discussion - Epic, Wk. 6

Josh, Mara, and guest Bryan Knurek dig deeper into Gideon's story featured in week six of our Epic series (July 12). When--if ever--is it okay to put God to the test? Or rather, how do we know the will of God? Most people don't get a physical sign when seeking God's will the way Gideon did, so, practically speaking, what are some ways God affirms His will in our lives?

When we're discerning the will of God in our lives, we like to think of big decisions, big moments, and we often find ourselves looking for THE moment. The next big decision. If we then miss that moment, or don't do something exactly right within that moment, we tend to doubt ourselves and fear we're doing things wrong. But living out our every day life in pursuit of Him is not just about seeking those flash-in-the-pan moments to DO exactly what God is asking us to do--it's about being who He's asking us to BE in between those moments.

Are there times in our lives where a symbol (or memory) of one of those significant moments where we've experienced God working in us becomes more important than God working in us in and of itself? Are the big moments in your life pointing you toward seeking Him in the small moments?

*NOTE: Due to technical difficulties, the last 4 minutes of this discussion were cut off. BUT... we encourage you to continue this discussion at home and let us know your thoughts!