New Starts

School. Who would have thought it was actually upon us already? I didn't even start on my summer. Oh well.

As we look to this fall, I want to keep one thing on the front of my mind: what is God calling us to do as a church? A good place to look is Mark 16: 15-17: "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." The purest form of our relationship with God is a right relationship with others that is missional in nature. We are not our own; we've been bought by the blood of Jesus and everything we have is His.

What does this mean for you? Rededicate yourself to a life of missions to those around you. I've got a new part-time job so I can be an impact for Christ to those around me. I'm purposely exposing myself to the world who knows not our Lord so that God can use me to be His witness to the community. This relationship with God needs to be your everything. As you become more vulnerable with God, so you can be more vulnerable with others around you to witness what you have known and seen with God. Love boldy in His name.

Spiritual Act of Worship

Everyone worships. That is what we were created to do. We will naturally find something to devote ourselves to, wholly and completely. Anything from a job to the position of being a mom to the TV. Worship, therefore, is the act of devoting oneself to something or someone. Whatever we are spending our time doing, wherever our hearts find the most pleasure and delight, this is the focus of our worship.
Read this with new eyes: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing, and perfect will." What comes to mind for you? Respond in the comments below.
Me, I see Paul addressing the three parts of a human: spirit, body, and mind. We offer God our bodies and transform/ renew the mind to give Jesus a spiritual act of worship. Let's discuss this, because I know going through this sermon series may leave some people lost or angry or rejected. Let's talk about what worship means to us.

Transferring the Title

This is a house. This is the house that God built and we get to give back to him. Sweet.

Fusion this week!

Bring your A-game this week! We're celebrating so much on Saturday and Sunday. We're closing the sermon series and confirming our youth on Sunday. It's a lot, so be sure to invite everyone for the celebrations!

Pressing on Toward the Goal

What a sermon this week! Let me say this, though: do not be discouraged or dismayed. There are so many people who are in need because we don't talk about a healthy sex life in the church. Please talk with us if this is something you want accountability with or advice: we're here to serve you!
Philippians 3:13-14 says this, "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward to Christ Jesus." My wife and I have started training for the 2011 Disney marathon in January. If I know any feeling besides the pain and joy of pounding the asphalt minute after minute, it is that of the last mile. It doesn't matter if I've run 3 miles or 18 miles: When I know I am at the last mile, I get a slight spring in my step. I feel lighter. My brain tells me I am happier, though my body may be aching from hours of torture. That last mile, I forget everything that was behind me in the race (and everything else going on in lfe) and I strain for the end. My body gets excited to finish that last bit and to taste the victory of crossing the finish line.
That's what Paul is talking about here. When we know what we are running the race of life for, we strain towards it like there is nothing else in the world going on. And there is no greater feeling than collapsing in the arms of Christ Jesus through stressful and difficult times! Be encouraged wherever you are in your race, that we are all racing together to do the work of Jesus. Keep running!

Something to think about...

What do you think of when you're working? What's your work space look like? Mine is like this:



Very cluttered. Sometimes I can't figure out if I've got a lot of projects going on at the same time, or just really messy. I tend to over-religeous-ise all that I do. What I mean by that is everything turns into an issue that I need to take to God. I start worrying about how the work of my hands will look to others, how God will view it, and what people will think. So I start to self-doubt and think about how I might fail. But Philippians says this, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." It's the simple truths of our faith, the ones I found so easy to grab as a child, that trip me up now. Do you find it hard to give everything to God and stop worrying about it?

Through any trials or speedbumps in life, I remind myself to always trust in God and let him be the perfector of any work I do, so it is not I who receives the glory, but him.

Hearts afire

Here is some of the art from last week's gathering. I guess we all agree that we'd be overflowing with God's love and grace!

Romans 12 says this, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Go back to the image Meredith gave us Jesus coming behind us and putting his hands in ours and working through us. What a great concept! All we have to do is give ourselves to God and he works through us. Eating. Talking. Breathing. Offer it all to Christ and let him work through you. Be encouraged!

Creating Space

So who's going to use this week to make time for God? Comment on the blog to let others know how you're making God a priority.

What did you think of this past gathering? Comment there, too if you want. No comment is too honest.

Me, I'm getting back in the habit this week of reading the Bible every morning with breakfast. It may be just 15 minutes, but I've just finished reading Ruth and am starting 1 Samuel. Those stories sometimes keep me reading for a long time...

When you see me next, ask me how my reading is going. I'd love to talk about it, but even moreso, I'd love the accountability from you all.

The Study

Did you see it?! Wherever you are in your walk with God, there is a cleansing, a renewing, a fresh start. Let me take the sermon one step further: what do you need to remove in your mind to allow room for God? Reply with your thoughts.

For me, it's life in general. I am so focused on my wife, my job, my other job... Time adds in integers that I can't calculate and by the time the week is done, I've forgotten the most important part of my life. Read with fresh eyes:

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
-Psalm 62:5-8

Whew! What a comfort to know that in the business of life, we can find rest in God alone because he is the one we fill our thoughts with. I can't tell you the times I've felt overwhelmed the last few weeks and have had to stop and give all my problems back to God. I focus on him and my problems are nothing. Why? I know who is my rock and salvation, my ever-present hope in time of trouble. And because he cares for his creation, his sons and daughters, he gives lavishly to his own. Praise God for his grace and mercy!

Launching Life

Yay! We made it through our very first gathering? What were your thoughts? Let me know. As we set into this new season, our thoughts, hearts, and minds need to be set in the right place.
I've been struggling with work my whole life (all 8 years I've been working). As a man, I have that inerant need to get satisfaction from the work of my hands. I feel really good about what I'm doing when I know I've done a good job and have served people. But how much work is too much? Do I sell myself short as far as how much I get paid? I don't know. But I often need to look at Adam in Genesis, our first father, and see his flaws. Because he and Eve ate the fruit to be like God, they were cursed: Adam with the work of his hands and Eve with trying to lead in relationship. Because I know where my struggle with satisfaction comes from, I know where I need to be looking for direction: God. My satisfaction should not be directed towards earthly goals but on my relationship with God.
Let me ask this: how often do you feel completely satisfied when in God's presence, when you've completely submitted yourself to His will in His presence? Me, I always feel content in His presence. If I feel discontent with the work of my hands, then, I ought to turn towards God for satisfaction.
What are your thoughts? Let me know!

Isaiah 55: Invitation to the Thirsty

So I've been feeling the strain of working two jobs, over fifty hours a week. Life is hectic trying to balance a life of servant leadership to everyone. I had a rehearsal on Thursday and just felt too dry to offer anything to those under my care. Last night, I had some time at Black and Brew in Lakeland to just sit and think. And read.

I usually avoid the prophets in the old testament. Nothing against them, I just prefer something that sounds relevant to my life, like Paul. Well, I flipped to a random page in Isaiah and found this passage:

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grom the pine tree, and instead of the briers the myrtle will grow. This willl be for the Lord's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed.

This says two things to me: first, that we are being invited to God just to take food and drink because we have need. He's not asking for a tithe or hail Marys or fasting or anything that religion says we need to do to "earn" the love that was shown to us. He just wants to give to us of himself. The second is that when we have taken from him, we will be so overjoyed that we're gonna run around naked shouting and rejoicing and all of creation will be rejoicing, too. We'll be so happy and peaceful that it will be impossible to hide.

I pray that today you find some time to kneel before God and drink of his spirit and become refreshed.

Youtube Channel

Right, so in preparation for the new launch, I've attempted a Youtube page. And yes, there are some poorly-written, poorly-shot videos on there. Just wanted to make sure I knew what I was doing. Here's the url: http://www.youtube.com/user/BeymerFusion
Not sure if I know how to do a hyperlink. Suggestions?

So... 23 days. I can't believe it! However, the first gathering is a DO-NOT-MISS kinda thing. We're shooting video, getting some awesome music going, and living in the now. Not sure what "living in the now" means, but this is going to be big.

Coming Home

I was just talking to someone today about how I view Christianity. It turned out to be a loaded question that started a huge debate, but I'd like to start where we ended our conversation. To me, being a Christian is having a relationship with God. Just like with other humans, we do things with and for them to show that we love them. I verbally affirm my wife that I love her. I encourage people I work with. I converse with anyone and try to be pleasant and open to listen. And I think that's where relationship with God starts: trying. We try, as idiotic as it may sound, to talk with God. We try to do things for him. And when we try, the attitude we should have is one of humility. Love is the verb that says, "I choose you over me." If we are loving God and humbling ourselves enough to allow God to be in charge of life, we are practicing relationship, which is the basis of Christianity.

As a church body, we are not looking to condemn. I know it may seem like that sometimes, and I know that people get hurt by people in the church who claim to have a relationship with God. We are in no way perfect. We struggle with the same issues you do. As a community of believers, we want to explore the idea of God. We want to seek new avenues of worship and adoration of our creator and Lord. As a staff of Fusion at Beymer, we want to say a huge welcome to anyone who may be seeking God, or even a real relationship with another human. Let's discover the potential for "iron sharpening iron," for holistic worship, for brotherly love. We're excited to begin on this path and hope you join in and enrich our lives as much as we hope to enrich yours.

Peace.