A Promise.
Probably my favorite verse in the entire bible that gives me so much hope in the toughest of times is Romans 8:18. It says, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us." In this verse, I see a promise that offers so much hope in heaven. All that consumes my life, day in and day out, isn't even worth comparing to the greatness of standing in the presence of God. There are so many things that we will never understand...why can I not seem to overcome this struggle?...why am I the parent of a wayward child?...why did I have to endure the death of a close relative?...why do bad things happen to good people?
Even though we can't answer our questions, God will always be faithful. Sometimes it seems that God allows for trials to come, but we can blame sin and our fallen nature for that. Bad things happen because of the fall of man when sin entered into the world. We can blame ourselves. The good news is that Jesus died for all of our past, present and future sins and even though we have to endure the hardships that come along with consequences of sin, we have the promise of heaven. All of the crappy times are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in us one day. Sin doesn't deserve our attention--we need to keep our head up and our focus on the One who has overcame sin and death for His glory, on our behalf. Our lives should constantly be lived to honor Christ. When we spend time dwelling on the worst of times, we lose moments that He deserves to be lifted up.
The entire chapter is great. If you haven't read chapter 8 of Romans or if it's been a while, I encourage you to take less than 5 minutes, read 39 verses and see what God will say to you. He longs to have a deeper relationship with you. It's your obligation to give, to sacrifice, of your time to strengthen your relationship with Abba, your Dad, your Creator, your loving Father. I remember our Lead Pastor, Neil Perry using a tagline concerning parenting. He said, "rules without a relationship, equals rebellion." Now, because of the catchiness of this phrase, it stuck with me. So, the other day I remembered this phrase and realized how it applies to our spiritual walk. God gave us Jesus. That's enough. Jesus is enough. And always God is giving to us. We are able to wake up every day He allows, breathe and honor Him...that's what's expected. He's done enough on His part of the relationship. Now, it's up to us. We need to see that God is working for us. A lot of times we try to do things on our on. We are brainwashed into thinking that we have the ability to live life and carry on without God. Well, whether you like it or not, whether you know it or not, God never leaves. He's always there. But because we think we can do it on our own, it puts distance between us and God. We can't do it on our own. We can't fight our battles on our own...we ABSOLUTELY can't win them on our own. Submit to Him today and let Him guide you. Spend time with Him. We can be comforted in the midst of our present sufferings. Just fall into His everlasting arms.
And finally, since I'm the music guy, here's a song to have to assist in your worship today. The words are giving all glory to Jesus. It's so good when you can just close your eyes and experience the peace of knowing Jesus is all you need. It's called, Jesus At the Center. I love all of you guys at Element Church. I hope and pray you are blessed today.
--Caleb
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Friday, July 27, 2012
Devotion: July 27
Grace.
Currently I'm reading a book by Brennan Manning called The Ragamuffin Gospel. It is a reminder of how the grace of God reaches to the broken-hearted, the hurting, the dirty, and bedraggled. No matter what we've done, He gives us His grace willingly. It's such an amazing concept. As big of a failure as I am, I can always find rest and "the peace the surpasses all understanding" in the thought of His marvelous grace. I'm reminded of 2 Corinthians 12:9 that says, "But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me." This speaks loudly to me because God is saying to us (the dirty, bedraggled, ragamuffins) that in the lowest of our lows, God is glorified and made greater because we can't pick ourselves back up. Since God is full of grace and He wants to extend it to us, it would make sense that He would be offended at the fact that we want to negate the power of His grace by trying to polish up ourselves and put make-up over our proverbial bruises. That's what His grace is for! So many times, I come to God as an impostor of who I want myself to be, not who I really am. I believe it may be as a slap in the face of God by trying to represent myself as better than I actually am. He wants to run to us as we return home like the prodigal son. I attempt to iron my robe of self righteousness, polish my crown of earthly achievements, lace up my sandals of popularity and use holy Listerene to cover up the scent of an untamed tongue. When, in reality, my wounds and disease that I hide underneath the sin of a mask are screaming for a healer. I should come to God as I truly am: a weak and damaged sinner who can't save himself. I need to repent daily of this. I encourage you to examine where you are and what you're "hiding" from God. It is the most shameful of sins that He wants to wipe clean. Give it up to Him, as you are. There is no need to try and clean up who you are before repentance. That's what His grace is for! A phrase I want you to ponder on and remember is one I tell myself over and over: "Grace, not guilt!"
I think about the story of the children that were being turned away until Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 19:14). I believe that Jesus wouldn't say things He doesn't mean. He says that the children belong in heaven. I think this was a lesson to the disciples. We've heard of having childlike faith. Jesus says in the chapter prior, "Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:4). Again, in heaven are children. If we can think about the mannerisms of most children, we know that kids act on impulse, a lot. A little boy playing out in the yard, giving himself a spa treatment with dirt and mud pies isn't going to think twice about jumping in the car as he is when mom yells out that it is time to go to McDonald's for a happy meal and ice cream. In his eyes, the reward is greater than worrying with who he is at the present moment. Let's take a mental note about the insight of children. If they weren't important, then the God of creation in human form wouldn't have mentioned their innocence and compared it to the means necessary for receiving entry into the kingdom of heaven.
God is love and gives us His grace willingly. Finally, there is a solution to our problem. His name is Jesus and He endured the wrath of God so that we could experience paradise and be with Him forever.
I want to close with a few verses from Ephesians chapter 2 (with my own emphasis added).
"…you were DEAD in the trespasses and sin in which YOU once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience--among whom we all once lived (past tense) in the passions of OUR flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. BUT GOD, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us ALIVE together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable RICHES OF HIS GRACE IN KINDNESS toward us in Christ Jesus. For by GRACE you have been SAVED through faith. AND THIS IS NOT YOUR OWN DOING; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, not a result of works so that no one may boast. For we are his WORKMANSHIP (or masterpiece), created IN Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:1-10)
Grace isn't, however, a license or a freedom to give in to sin. "What shall we say, then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may abound? How can we who died to sin still live in it?" (Romans 6:1-2)
Let's glorify our God by accepting grace as it was intended! He loves us.
--Caleb, worship pastor
Currently I'm reading a book by Brennan Manning called The Ragamuffin Gospel. It is a reminder of how the grace of God reaches to the broken-hearted, the hurting, the dirty, and bedraggled. No matter what we've done, He gives us His grace willingly. It's such an amazing concept. As big of a failure as I am, I can always find rest and "the peace the surpasses all understanding" in the thought of His marvelous grace. I'm reminded of 2 Corinthians 12:9 that says, "But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me." This speaks loudly to me because God is saying to us (the dirty, bedraggled, ragamuffins) that in the lowest of our lows, God is glorified and made greater because we can't pick ourselves back up. Since God is full of grace and He wants to extend it to us, it would make sense that He would be offended at the fact that we want to negate the power of His grace by trying to polish up ourselves and put make-up over our proverbial bruises. That's what His grace is for! So many times, I come to God as an impostor of who I want myself to be, not who I really am. I believe it may be as a slap in the face of God by trying to represent myself as better than I actually am. He wants to run to us as we return home like the prodigal son. I attempt to iron my robe of self righteousness, polish my crown of earthly achievements, lace up my sandals of popularity and use holy Listerene to cover up the scent of an untamed tongue. When, in reality, my wounds and disease that I hide underneath the sin of a mask are screaming for a healer. I should come to God as I truly am: a weak and damaged sinner who can't save himself. I need to repent daily of this. I encourage you to examine where you are and what you're "hiding" from God. It is the most shameful of sins that He wants to wipe clean. Give it up to Him, as you are. There is no need to try and clean up who you are before repentance. That's what His grace is for! A phrase I want you to ponder on and remember is one I tell myself over and over: "Grace, not guilt!"
I think about the story of the children that were being turned away until Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 19:14). I believe that Jesus wouldn't say things He doesn't mean. He says that the children belong in heaven. I think this was a lesson to the disciples. We've heard of having childlike faith. Jesus says in the chapter prior, "Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:4). Again, in heaven are children. If we can think about the mannerisms of most children, we know that kids act on impulse, a lot. A little boy playing out in the yard, giving himself a spa treatment with dirt and mud pies isn't going to think twice about jumping in the car as he is when mom yells out that it is time to go to McDonald's for a happy meal and ice cream. In his eyes, the reward is greater than worrying with who he is at the present moment. Let's take a mental note about the insight of children. If they weren't important, then the God of creation in human form wouldn't have mentioned their innocence and compared it to the means necessary for receiving entry into the kingdom of heaven.
God is love and gives us His grace willingly. Finally, there is a solution to our problem. His name is Jesus and He endured the wrath of God so that we could experience paradise and be with Him forever.
I want to close with a few verses from Ephesians chapter 2 (with my own emphasis added).
"…you were DEAD in the trespasses and sin in which YOU once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience--among whom we all once lived (past tense) in the passions of OUR flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. BUT GOD, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us ALIVE together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable RICHES OF HIS GRACE IN KINDNESS toward us in Christ Jesus. For by GRACE you have been SAVED through faith. AND THIS IS NOT YOUR OWN DOING; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, not a result of works so that no one may boast. For we are his WORKMANSHIP (or masterpiece), created IN Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:1-10)
Grace isn't, however, a license or a freedom to give in to sin. "What shall we say, then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may abound? How can we who died to sin still live in it?" (Romans 6:1-2)
Let's glorify our God by accepting grace as it was intended! He loves us.
--Caleb, worship pastor
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Set List: July 29
Gladiator: Week 4
North:
The Only One--Chris Tomlin
Desert Song--Hillsong
Forever Reign--Hillsong
Shelby:
Your Love Never Fails--Jesus Culture
Hymn Medley
Strength of the Almighty--Element Church
Revelation Song--Kari Jobe
Here is a link to the song Strength of the Almighty, written by Caleb Blanton and Skip Allen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBkVgkW_du8
North:
The Only One--Chris Tomlin
Desert Song--Hillsong
Forever Reign--Hillsong
Shelby:
Your Love Never Fails--Jesus Culture
Hymn Medley
Strength of the Almighty--Element Church
Revelation Song--Kari Jobe
Here is a link to the song Strength of the Almighty, written by Caleb Blanton and Skip Allen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBkVgkW_du8
Friday, July 20, 2012
Devotion: Friday, July 20
1 Corinthians 13:7- "Love believes all things, hopes all things"
The more relationships I develop and the further they develop, I realize the key to loving people in general, is to believe the best in them! EVERYONE has positives and EVERYONE has negatives, and what makes relationships difficult is that the negative is easy to focus on! This is never more true than in marriages where two sinful, selfish, people live together and see each other at their worst. This also shows through in the workplace, where multiple sinful people are together insisting their own agendas and pushing for what they think is best! What should separate believers from non-believers, saved sinners and unsaved sinners, is whether we focus on the positive attributes, or the negative attributes in people! What we think about and dwell on, conditions our hearts! If we are constantly dwelling on the negative attributes in people and the negative things that people have said to us, it will begin to kill marriages and relationships! Divorces are a probability when we dwell on what our spouse is or isn't doing for us or to us! Church splits happen when people focus on the negative in church leadership and what other people aren't doing instead of what they are doing! Hate breeds when our minds are fixed on how people have hurt us, manipulated us and treated us unfairly! We have to avoid dwelling on thoughts of negativity, or Christ will not be magnified in and through our churches, marriages and relationships!
The only reason we should ever think about negative things in our relationships is to pray for them! Everyone fails and has areas of growth, the sad thing about being a human is that it is easy to downplay our own negative attributes and look under a microscope at the people's around us! Love chooses to believe the best in people! Let's be a church that loves! Let's be a church that ALWAYS believes the best and ALWAYS hopes! When you think on things that are lovely, pure and above reproach, it is easier to love! Church, we have to lead our thoughts and not let our thoughts and emotions lead us! I hope you all have a great weekend and we can't wait to see you Sunday! We love you!
Serving Him Together,
Jeff Marburger
The more relationships I develop and the further they develop, I realize the key to loving people in general, is to believe the best in them! EVERYONE has positives and EVERYONE has negatives, and what makes relationships difficult is that the negative is easy to focus on! This is never more true than in marriages where two sinful, selfish, people live together and see each other at their worst. This also shows through in the workplace, where multiple sinful people are together insisting their own agendas and pushing for what they think is best! What should separate believers from non-believers, saved sinners and unsaved sinners, is whether we focus on the positive attributes, or the negative attributes in people! What we think about and dwell on, conditions our hearts! If we are constantly dwelling on the negative attributes in people and the negative things that people have said to us, it will begin to kill marriages and relationships! Divorces are a probability when we dwell on what our spouse is or isn't doing for us or to us! Church splits happen when people focus on the negative in church leadership and what other people aren't doing instead of what they are doing! Hate breeds when our minds are fixed on how people have hurt us, manipulated us and treated us unfairly! We have to avoid dwelling on thoughts of negativity, or Christ will not be magnified in and through our churches, marriages and relationships!
The only reason we should ever think about negative things in our relationships is to pray for them! Everyone fails and has areas of growth, the sad thing about being a human is that it is easy to downplay our own negative attributes and look under a microscope at the people's around us! Love chooses to believe the best in people! Let's be a church that loves! Let's be a church that ALWAYS believes the best and ALWAYS hopes! When you think on things that are lovely, pure and above reproach, it is easier to love! Church, we have to lead our thoughts and not let our thoughts and emotions lead us! I hope you all have a great weekend and we can't wait to see you Sunday! We love you!
Serving Him Together,
Jeff Marburger
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Set List: July 22
Gladiator, Week 3
Shelby--Katie Freeman, worship Leader
Desert Song--Hillsong
White Flag--Chris Tomlin
You Revive Me--Christy Nockels
From the Inside Out--Hillsong
North
Say, Say--Kristian Stanfill
Mighty to Save--Hillsong
Simple Man--Lynyrd Skynyrd (connection song)
South
All We Need--Charlie Hall
Give Me Faith--Elevation Worship
Amazing Grace--Chris Tomlin
Shelby--Katie Freeman, worship Leader
Desert Song--Hillsong
White Flag--Chris Tomlin
You Revive Me--Christy Nockels
From the Inside Out--Hillsong
North
Say, Say--Kristian Stanfill
Mighty to Save--Hillsong
Simple Man--Lynyrd Skynyrd (connection song)
South
All We Need--Charlie Hall
Give Me Faith--Elevation Worship
Amazing Grace--Chris Tomlin
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Devotion: Wednesday, July 18
Read John 13
During this section, Jesus is in Jerusalem and He is about to begin His upper room discourse or final discourse. During that him He is giving His final words of instruction and encouragement to His disciples before he will be taken away and killed. In this section of scripture He is not worried about Himself. The only thing that He is worried about is serving His disciples. The King was literally serving His servants. Foot washing was something that Gentile slaves did as the guest would enter the house. This was something that a Jewish rabbi would never be found doing. It was humble, lowly, and unclean. But it’s what the King of king and Lord of lords was doing hours before He was taken to be crucified for OUR sins.
In Verse 14 Jesus says that you ought to wash one another's feet. This was not a literal call that everyday we need to wash someone’s feet. It was a command that we need to follow in Jesus’ footsteps and serve the people around us in any way possible, no matter how lowly or uncomfortable it is. Verse 2 tells us that it was during supper when Jesus did this. The foot washing was something that was to be done as the guest entered the house. Jesus recognized that the washing had not been done so he seized the opportunity to serve and fulfill a need that His disciples had. Jesus command in verse 14 is to have a constant servants heart.
Think of some ways that you can serve others today.
In what ways have you not had a servant’s heart? How are you going to change this?
Aren’t you glad Jesus was willing to serve us the way He did by dying on the cross for us? If we as Christians will live this commandment out, as Jesus did, we will start to see the world change in amazing ways for the Kingdom of God.
-Skip
During this section, Jesus is in Jerusalem and He is about to begin His upper room discourse or final discourse. During that him He is giving His final words of instruction and encouragement to His disciples before he will be taken away and killed. In this section of scripture He is not worried about Himself. The only thing that He is worried about is serving His disciples. The King was literally serving His servants. Foot washing was something that Gentile slaves did as the guest would enter the house. This was something that a Jewish rabbi would never be found doing. It was humble, lowly, and unclean. But it’s what the King of king and Lord of lords was doing hours before He was taken to be crucified for OUR sins.
In Verse 14 Jesus says that you ought to wash one another's feet. This was not a literal call that everyday we need to wash someone’s feet. It was a command that we need to follow in Jesus’ footsteps and serve the people around us in any way possible, no matter how lowly or uncomfortable it is. Verse 2 tells us that it was during supper when Jesus did this. The foot washing was something that was to be done as the guest entered the house. Jesus recognized that the washing had not been done so he seized the opportunity to serve and fulfill a need that His disciples had. Jesus command in verse 14 is to have a constant servants heart.
Think of some ways that you can serve others today.
In what ways have you not had a servant’s heart? How are you going to change this?
Aren’t you glad Jesus was willing to serve us the way He did by dying on the cross for us? If we as Christians will live this commandment out, as Jesus did, we will start to see the world change in amazing ways for the Kingdom of God.
-Skip
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Devotion: Tuesday, July 17
Hey guys! Caleb Blanton, here. We are going to start posting devotions from various staff throughout the week. Hope it can encourage you and challenge you!
Today's devotion that I'd like to share with you is taken from reading a book by Oswald Chambers called My Utmost for His Highest.
Jesus is laying down the rules of conduct in this passage for those people who have His Spirit. He urges us to keep our minds filled with the concept of God's control over everything, which means that a disciple must maintain an attitude of perfect trust and an eagerness to ask and to seek.
Fill your mind with the thought that God is there. And once your mind is truly filled with that thought, when you experience difficulties it will be as easy as breathing for you to remember, "My heavenly Father knows all about this!" This will be no effort at all, but will be a natural thing for you when difficulties and uncertainties arise. Before you formed this concept of divine control so powerfully in your mind, you used to go from person to person seeking help, but now you go to God about it. Jesus is laying down the rules of conduct for those people who have His Spirit, and it works on the following principle--God is my Father, He loves me, and I will never thing of anything that He will forget, so why should I worry?
Keep the thought that the mind of God is behind all things strong and growing. Not even the smallest detail of life happens unless God's will is behind it. Therefore, you can rest in perfect confidence in Him. Prayer is not only asking, but is an attitude of the mind which produces the atmosphere in which asking is perfectly natural. "Ask, and it will be given to you..." (7:7)
Today's devotion that I'd like to share with you is taken from reading a book by Oswald Chambers called My Utmost for His Highest.
The Concept of Divine Control
"...how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" (Matthew 7:11)
Jesus is laying down the rules of conduct in this passage for those people who have His Spirit. He urges us to keep our minds filled with the concept of God's control over everything, which means that a disciple must maintain an attitude of perfect trust and an eagerness to ask and to seek.
Fill your mind with the thought that God is there. And once your mind is truly filled with that thought, when you experience difficulties it will be as easy as breathing for you to remember, "My heavenly Father knows all about this!" This will be no effort at all, but will be a natural thing for you when difficulties and uncertainties arise. Before you formed this concept of divine control so powerfully in your mind, you used to go from person to person seeking help, but now you go to God about it. Jesus is laying down the rules of conduct for those people who have His Spirit, and it works on the following principle--God is my Father, He loves me, and I will never thing of anything that He will forget, so why should I worry?
Keep the thought that the mind of God is behind all things strong and growing. Not even the smallest detail of life happens unless God's will is behind it. Therefore, you can rest in perfect confidence in Him. Prayer is not only asking, but is an attitude of the mind which produces the atmosphere in which asking is perfectly natural. "Ask, and it will be given to you..." (7:7)
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Office Tour
The video below is a tour of the office's of Element Church. Enjoy.
Sorry for the narrow screen...the tour was shot from an iPhone
Sorry for the narrow screen...the tour was shot from an iPhone
Monday, July 9, 2012
Set List: July 15
Gladiator Week 2
Romans 9
North:
Learning to Be the Light--NewWorldSon
All Things New--Brett Younker
Sweetly Broken--Jeremy Riddle
Shelby:
God is Able--Hillsong
One Thing Remains--Jesus Culture
Cannons--Phil Wickham
Lord, I Need You--Chris Tomlin
South:
The Welcome Song--Pocket Full of Rocks
White Flag--Chris Tomlin
Revelation Song--Kari Jobe
Romans 9
North:
Learning to Be the Light--NewWorldSon
All Things New--Brett Younker
Sweetly Broken--Jeremy Riddle
Shelby:
God is Able--Hillsong
One Thing Remains--Jesus Culture
Cannons--Phil Wickham
Lord, I Need You--Chris Tomlin
South:
The Welcome Song--Pocket Full of Rocks
White Flag--Chris Tomlin
Revelation Song--Kari Jobe
Friday, July 6, 2012
Set Lists: July 8
Gladiator: Week 1
Shelby
Soldier (connection song)--Gavin Degraw
Glorious--NewSpring Worship
You're Beautiful--Phil Wickham
All Things New--Brett Younker
North
Dead or Alive (connection song)--Bon Jovi
One Thing Remains--Jesus Culture
I Found A Love--Jesus Culture
Go Tell It--NewSpring Worship
Shelby
Soldier (connection song)--Gavin Degraw
Glorious--NewSpring Worship
You're Beautiful--Phil Wickham
All Things New--Brett Younker
North
Dead or Alive (connection song)--Bon Jovi
One Thing Remains--Jesus Culture
I Found A Love--Jesus Culture
Go Tell It--NewSpring Worship
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