faith – Page 8 – John Markum

Re:Church

Posted on August 22, 2011 by johnmarkum

Edgewood is very excited to bring a new event beginning on the weekend of September 17-18. In all 3 of our adult services (as well as Elevate, our youth service on Sun. 10:45am) we are bringing the focus back on church. A lot of people get out of church for many reasons:

Had a bad experience.
Got busy.
Got bored.
Got hurt…

And there are so many distractions, pressures, and priorities pulling us in every direction. Over and over in the Bible, we see God with this habit of not throwing things away. He recycles, restores, and rebuilds. This fall, it’s time to rediscover the God who has never once given up on you. Join us, and return to a church that wants to help you reconnect with God.

We’re believing God to do powerful things in many, many peoples lives this fall. If you haven’t been in church for awhile, we want to welcome you back for another look. We believe you’ll be surprised by what you find. If you are already in church, then this is a great opportunity to bring a friend with you. People reach people.

Begin praying now, and inviting others to experience God at Edgewood for Re:Church!

Blessings,

John

Jump!

Posted on August 17, 2011 by johnmarkum

Tiffany and I are now the parents of a kindergartener! It seems unreal… when did I get this old?!

Anyway, we had our kids at the pool here recently and were having a lot of fun with the kids. Emilee, who is now 5 and learning to swim was doing good. Until, of course, I had the genius idea to get her to jump into the pool to me. She was terrified of it. All of my persuasive powers were useless against her… until she saw her little sister do it!
Finally I coax her to the edge and she counts to 3 (for the hundredth time!) and actually jumps to me! And, just as I predicted, she loved it. So she gets back out of the pool, but will she do it again? Nooooo! Even though she had so much fun, even though she sees her little sister do it, even though daddy caught her, each time it’s like pulling teeth to get her to trust me enough for her to jump.

But often I’m no better… God tells me to trust Him, step out on faith, and watch Him work. And even though He has never missed catching me, each time difficult circumstances arise, requiring me to trust God, I can be even more difficult than getting my little girl to jump into the pool to me.

And as frustrated as I can get at her as her parent, I wonder, “Does God ever feel the same way? What would God say to me when I stress out over things I can’t control?” I imagine it might be something like…

Trust Me! JUMP!
I caught you last time didn’t I?
Have I ever let you drown?!?
It’ll be so exciting to leave the ledge of your safety and see what I can do when you trust Me!
I’m serious! JUMP, BOY!

And it’s particularly interesting how Emilee insists on jumping to me in the shallow end. As though she can touch the bottom on either side! The truth is, it doesn’t matter how much water is below me, if I’m within reach. Because I love my kid so much that I’d never put her in a situation that I couldn’t get her through.

And it doesn’t matter how “deep” this situation is over the last time. Our God has promised to “never leave you, nor forsake you.” Whatever is at stake, He’s in control, and capable of bringing you through it… just like He did last time… just like He’ll do every time.

Go ahead… Jump!

Blessings,

John

Getting OUT of a Spiritual Funk

Posted on August 16, 2011 by johnmarkum

You ever feel like you stopped growing? Or your prayers weren’t getting very far? I know I’ve been in some places in my life like that. Here are a few things to consider doing when you feel like you’re in a spiritual funk:

Identify the Source – I recently had a funk I was going through. I was frustrated, irritable, reluctant to pray… I didn’t feel like myself. When I realized all these things had a common source it put everything into perspective for me. This is usually the case when we’re in a spiritual funk. Is it a sin issue, a fear, a work-related tension, a relational struggle, etc.?
Pray – Often when we’re in a spiritual funk, we resist praying. Go to God with your funk. And be honest about how you’re feeling. “If My people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face… then I will hear from Heaven…” 2 Chronicles 7:14
Confess – Not every funk is because we are doing something wrong. But it often is because of sin. Sin gets in the way of our walk with God. Confess means to “say the same thing.” When I confess something to God, I am acknowledging that it is what God says it is. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from every unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
Praise – It feels unnatural when we’re down, but it’s a sure place to find God. And usually a good cure for our pain. I often use music that speaks to what I’ve been going through and acknowledges God’s faithfulness and power over it. This alone is one of the most powerful things to help me get out of a funk. God “inhabits the praises” of His people. Psalms 22:3
Do Something – Lethargy is a good way to stay in a funk. Go exercise, get back in church, talk to a trusted friend, take care of some errands, clean your house… anything that makes you feel better, more productive, or obedient to what you know God is telling you to do. It might be wise to deal with the source of your funk, to get it out of the way first.

You’ll get through this. And you’ll be closer to God and able to trust Him more for having gone through a tough time. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. And you are worth it.

Blessings,

John