Church Renewal

:: 20::  “You will know them by their fruit. Do people get bunches of grapes from thorny weeds, or do they get figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, and every rotten tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit. And a rotten tree can’t produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, you will know them by their fruit.” (Matthew 7:16-20)

Jesus makes an observation: Good trees produce good fruit, and bad trees produce bad fruit.

:: 18::  I will praise God’s name with song; I will magnify him with thanks. (Psalm 69:30)

In worship, we sing hymns and praise songs to express our faithfulness and devotion to God. The songs chosen for worship are as significant as the sermons preached and the prayers prayed. They capture important points of our theology and teaching us biblical lessons, but they also stir the soul and awaken our spirit. They help the people gain a deeper love for God.

Through singing, truth moves from the head to the heart. Christian truth should not only enable right thinking, but also right feeling.

:: 15 ::  The word of Christ must live in you richly. (Colossians 3:16a)
My identity as a disciple of Jesus is dependent upon stories, culture, and practices. The best stories we are given are found in Scripture. The word of Christ is contained within the Bible, a text that points beyond itself to our Triune God. Therefore, the Bible must be read, experienced, and understood. And the best place for that to happen is within the culture and practices of the church, the people of God.

As you make Bible reading a daily practice, you will obtain a deeper understanding of the story of all of God's

::10 ::  “Pray like this...” (Matthew 6:9a)

Our reading today is from Matthew 6. Open a Bible and find the passage. Jesus says, “Pray like this,” and then provides us with what we have come to know as the Lord’s Prayer. If you know it by heart, then you have obtained a very helpful guide for learning how to pray, not only in repeating Jesus’s words but in adopting the themes for other concerns

Jesus tells his disciples to petition our heavenly Parent, asking that we become aware of and work for God's Kingdom to be present among us, because that is what honor's God and tells the world God is

:: 8::  Do not be anxious about anything; rather bring up all of your requests to God in prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks. (Philippians 4:6)

What are you most anxious about? Do you juggle to make ends meet? Is your marriage not the best? Are you unhappy with your career? Do you have relationships that are under strain?

Life is not easy. We are burdened by the concerns of the commonplace, the small yet continuous concerns that come with being in relationship to other people, with having responsibilities in the workplace or school, with keeping our commitments.