The Well Church of the Nazarene

Series Discussion - Amazed, pt.3

As we're going through this series, we're seeing how God works through his people in some amazing ways. One of the many things Pastors Josh, Mara, and Paul discuss this week, is how there are times we need to wait and rest in Him, and times when God's calling us to go. How do we know the difference?

God doesn't want just our strengths and your gifts. He wants our weaknesses--even our failures. How we handle failure is just as, if not more, important than how we handle success. Elijah had a defeatist perspective--he was most likely burned out and exhausted. But God took that, worked through it, and He will do the same for us. 

Take a nap and eat. 

God doesn't always do the expected, but He's in our midst, working through our normal, our abnormal, our good, and our bad. And we can't help but be amazed.  

Amazed, pt. 3

God often speaks best when we are at the end of ourselves. Expect the unexpected!

Amazed, pt. 2

[Quarantine Service]
We serve a God who wants to be known. The work of Elijah the prophet wasn't just to tell the future, to proclaim the truth--it was to show and share God. He wants us to go, to move with Him. In our going, in doing the right thing, we draw the attention of others toward a God who is at work. When others see how we move, they see how God moves. Can people see God in and through you? 

2020 has been a difficult year. Case in point: We'd much rather be in our sanctuary this week, speaking and engaging in worship together the way we have the last several weeks. But praise the Lord--we can look for the small cloud, even when God seems quiet.    

Series Discussion - Amazed, pt. 1

We're looking into the life of Elijah this month, a prophet God used to interact with his people in amazing ways. But a lot of times we find Elijah at the mercy of others. This week's story demonstrates God's providence in our lives, and how he gives each of us what we need, day by day. The widow in 1 Kings 17 is yet another example of an ordinary person--a Gentile, widowed woman--that God uses in unexpected, significant ways to sustain Elijah.

How does waiting develop our faith? What parallels can be drawn between Sabbath and these periods of waiting in our lives? Is it possible that God is working in YOUR waiting, preparing you for going?

Worship - Amazed, pt. 1

In the life of Elijah, we see 4 characteristics that are important if we want God to move in amazing ways in our lives: how to wait, how to go, how to listen, and how to finish. This week, we're exploring how God invites us to wait on Him.

Wise, pt. 4

Wisdom ultimately brings wholeness to the community. 

Worship -Wise, pt. 2

Wisdom is living in the right relationship with all aspects of our life. Proverbs 3:6 begins, "In all your ways, acknowledge Him..." God wants to be in the midst of our life, not separate from it. It's east to see that we need a right relationship with God, but we also need right relationships with others, with self, with our community, creation, systems, etc.

Worship - Wise, pt. 1

What does it mean to be wise? It's not about degrees or position. It's not even necessarily about age and maturity. Wisdom begins with God.

God gave Solomon wisdom, but he didn't fully apply it, and as a result the kingdom was split in two.  Wisdom is more than knowing the right things to do. It's applied knowledge. It's right living that leads to right relationships.

Are you seeking wisdom? Are you applying wisdom? Are you building relationships?

Series Discussion - Epic,Wk. 13

It has been an epic summer, and today we're discussing our takeaways from the last sermon in this series (from August 30), which was more or less a continuation of the story/lesson from last week. Most of us are pretty familiar with the story of Esther, but we want to explore more of Mordecai's role as a guide in her life. After all, without Mordecai, her story may have been significantly different. 

So, these are the questions we're asking: How do we identify the guides in our life? How do we know which voices we can trust? Is it fair to say that you cannot effectively guide someone else if you've not been guided--in some way--yourself? 

We live in a time of separation and isolation, and there's a lot of uncertainty right now, which is understandable. But community is important--we cannot go through life alone. We need alternate perspectives, alternate voices--guides to walk with us. We are meant to experience love through others, as our relationships often mirror God's love for us. But guidance does not equal control. It implies a willingness to give and take--to listen, to be patient, and to allow yourself to be vulnerable.

Remember: vulnerability is not weakness. All of us go through seasons where we need guides, counselors. 

Worship - Epic, pt. 13

Concluding our "EPIC" summer series with today's sermon on Mordecai, the guide.

Guides are necessary to join God's epic story. Are you serving as a guide? Modeling a right perspective and right action, inviting others to find their place in God's story? Are you listening?