Have you ever had one of those vivid dreams that almost seemed real when you woke up.  Last night I had a doozy.  I had discovered a “new” method of fishing and we caught more fish then could even fit in the boat.  I woke up thinking about it and then began to chuckle as I realized that I knew a familiar story.  Let’s look at that story together today from Luke 5.

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Perhaps this dream was because I haven’t gotten to go out fishing in awhile and was thinking about it.  I like to think that it was a reminder from God about what I am really called to do and what we are called to be, fishers of people.  The interesting thing in this story is that Simon (Peter) doesn’t do anything different than what he had been doing all night.  He simply listens and obeys Jesus and Jesus provides the difference.  He provides the catch.  The same is true when it comes to being fishers of people.  We are simply called to obey His command to go and make disciples.  He is the one who provides the “catch”.  I pray that we would all be like Peter and listen to Jesus.  I pray that we do that and that he fills our boats with a catch!

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Today is the first day of school for Advent Elementary and Middle School.  Our Early Childhood students began yesterday and another year is off and running.  I have always liked the start of a new school year.  A new opportunity for each and every student to make new friends and try new activities.  Often there are new responsibilities that come with advancing up a grade.  New things always bring about excitement and possibility.  The Bible talks about us being new in Christ in II Corinthians 5.  Let’s look at the passage together today.

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

God has made us new, given us a new start and a new job.  Since we have been reconciled to God through Jesus we are now told that we are to be His agents of reconciliation here on earth.  I remember when I was in high school leadership, a few short years ago, I had a job the first day of school to make sure that new students met people and knew where they were going around campus.  I loved this job plus it got me out of a few classes the first week of school.  That is kind of like the job Jesus has given us as a ministry of reconciliation.  We are responsible to introduce others to Jesus.  I pray that as a new year starts we would all be reminded about this job that we have been given and be agents of reconciliation for God. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

Last night I watched a little bit of the little league World Series.  It is fun to see these young kids play a sport so enthusiastically.  I particularly love their celebrations when a good play is made.  One team even high fives the other team after a kid hit a home run that might still be going.  The first baseman, shortstop and third baseman all went over and congratulated the kid on his massive home run.  My favorite celebration was when an outfielder, who looked more like he should be playing tee ball, made a spectacular diving catch.  It was the third out and ended the other teams rally and the players went crazy!  It got me thinking a lot about celebration and what are the things that we celebrate?  The Psalms are filled with celebrations of God, who is certainly deserving of celebration.  Let’s look at Psalm 149 together today.

Praise the Lord.

Sing to the Lord a new song,
    his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.

Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
    let the people of Zion be glad in their King.

Let them praise his name with dancing
    and make music to him with timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes delight in his people;
    he crowns the humble with victory.

Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor
    and sing for joy on their beds.

May the praise of God be in their mouths
    and a double-edged sword in their hands,

to inflict vengeance on the nations
    and punishment on the peoples,

to bind their kings with fetters,
    their nobles with shackles of iron, 

to carry out the sentence written against them—
    this is the glory of all his faithful people.

Praise the Lord.

The little league world series team was jumping and dancing and shouting and piling on each other.  Maybe that’s not what we should do to celebrate God but we should certainly celebrate Him.  Celebrate what He has done and continues to do in our lives. Take time today to celebrate God with some enthusiasm.  Just give someone a warning before you jump on them!

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

Do you ever find yourself wrestling with competing ideas in your head?  I think we have all had times where we have struggled between different choices.  The Bible talks about our ongoing battle between our flesh and the spirit.  Let’s look together at Paul’s words found in Romans 8 on this matter.  

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”

To get a full picture of this passage we need to find out what the first word – Therefore is there for.  Looking back at Romans 7 Paul talks about his own wrestling between the flesh and spirit.  He talks about how he doesn’t do the good he wants to do but sometimes it is the flesh, that he is trying to avoid that he falls into.  I know that we have all experienced this a time or two.  That’s why Romans 8 is so very important.  Jesus has freed us from law of sin and death and given us the freedom to live by the law of the spirit.  We are told to set our minds on the things of the spirit so that we would live more and more by the spirit and not our flesh.  Yet even as we all face times of our own struggle and failure we fall back to that same amazing first verse.  There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Jesus.   When God looks at us He doesn’t see our failure He sees the righteousness of Jesus.  This helps us all to be free to live by the spirit without a fear of failure but with a spirit of thankfulness for all God has done in our lives.  That’s a truth that we all can hold on to!

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

The other morning as I was backing out of my driveway I saw a couple walking at the last second before I backed out.  I quickly apologized and went on with my day.  No one was harmed and I didn’t even come close to hitting them.  They were simply in my blind spot.  The thing is sometimes we have blind spots not just in our cars but in our spiritual lives as well.  It is important that we have people in our lives to help point out those blinds spots so that we can avoid trouble.  Let’s look together at Proverbs 27 today and reflect on having someone in our life who can help us along the journey of life. 

Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;
    an outsider, and not your own lips.

Stone is heavy and sand a burden,
    but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.

Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,
    but who can stand before jealousy?

Better is open rebuke
    than hidden love.

Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
    but an enemy multiplies kisses.

One who is full loathes honey from the comb,
    but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

Like a bird that flees its nest
    is anyone who flees from home.

Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart,
    and the pleasantness of a friend
    springs from their heartfelt advice.

Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family,
    and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you—  better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.

Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart;
    then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.

The prudent see danger and take refuge,
    but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
    hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.

If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning,
    it will be taken as a curse.

A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping
    of a leaky roof in a rainstorm;

restraining her is like restraining the wind
    or grasping oil with the hand.

As iron sharpens iron,
    so one person sharpens another.

Who do you have in your life that helps to sharpen you?  Sometimes that means encouragement.  Sometimes that means pointing out our blind spots.  It can be a pat on the back or a kick in the backside.  The point is we all need people in our life who have our back and have our permission to be that for us.  If you have someone like that in your life thank them today.  If you don’t seek that out in your life.  We all need it in our life so that we can be the best version of ourselves.

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

Have you ever had one of those days that’s starts in such a way that you think oh boy here we go.  Today was such a morning.  I got up early and jumped in the shower.  No hot water.  Oh well I thought a cold shower on a hot summer morning isn’t the worst thing.  I got dressed and looked for my keys and could not find them anywhere.  Turns out Sarah had used my car to run to the beach to see the sunrise (I’m pretty sure she was also responsible for the no hot water thing but that’s another story)  While I was looking for the keys still I started a pot of coffee so I was ready when I found them to head over to church.  I heard it finish brewing and walked excitedly over to the pot of coffee to have that first delicious sip of – hot water.  In my haste I brewed a pot of hot water.  Turns out the coffee grounds are an important step in the process.  I’ll I could do is laugh and think oh boy this is one of those days.  My mind quickly turned to Psalms 118:24 let’s look at some verses from Psalm 118 together this fine morning. 

Open to me the gates of righteousness,
    that I may enter through them
    and give thanks to the Lord.

This is the gate of the Lord;
    the righteous shall enter through it.

I thank you that you have answered me
    and have become my salvation.

The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone. 

This is the Lord’s doing;
    it is marvelous in our eyes.

This is the day that the Lord has made;
    let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Save us, we pray, O Lord!
    O Lord, we pray, give us success!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
    We bless you from the house of the Lord.

The Lord is God,
    and he has made his light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
    up to the horns of the altar!

You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
    you are my God; I will extol you.

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures forever!

This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. 

This is a truth and also a mantra we can hold to when our day doesn’t quite start like we may have hoped.  It would have been easy to start today with a bad attitude, frustrated, and in a lousy mood.  Sometimes those little hiccups to start our day do just that.  When we hold onto the truth that this is the day the Lord has made, we gain the perspective that God has good things for us this day as well.  He has given us each day as an opportunity to share His love and message with others as we go throughout our lives.  No matter how your day has started I pray that you might hold on to the truth that God has made this day, let’s go forth and make the most of it! 

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave 

Do you ever experience worry?  I don’t consider myself a big worrier but like everyone I struggle with worry sometimes.  As school starts I am sure that students, teachers, and parents are probably all experiencing a little bit of worry.  Paul gives us a brief passage about how to deal with worry and gives us three steps to combat it in an unusual way.  Let’s look together at Philippians 4 today

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

First of all Paul starts by telling us to rejoice.  That’s probably not anyone’s first thought when it comes to worry but maybe it should be.  We rejoice in what God has done and continues to do in our lives.  When we rejoice we remember His faithfulness and it puts our minds in a different space.  It resets us and reminds us of God’s goodness to us.  Once we are in that head space we are told to place our anxiety on God through prayer.  I find that most often we worry about things that we have no control over anyways.  Why not give those worries over to the one who has control over everything, Jesus.  We are promised that when we really give those things over to God in prayer we will be given a peace that passes understanding.  The problem is that often while we pray we also hold on to those worries instead of truly releasing them to God.  Most of us are closet control freaks and even though we can’t do anything about it by holding on to worry we retain a sense of control.  We need to learn to release the situation fully to God and trust that He will work for our good.  Then the last step Paul gives us is to shift our thoughts to whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable anything that is excellent or praiseworthy.  I find the best way to do this is to recall some of the promises of God from the Bible.  Today I leave you with an assignment look up some of the many promises of God from the Bible and write your favorites down.  Hold on to them and next time you need them remind yourselves of just how great our God is.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave

It is already that time of year again.  Teachers are back at Advent getting ready for the start of the school year.  Today we have our first chapel with teachers as they prepare for the start of another great year here at Advent.  This morning I was reflecting on different teachers that I have had throughout my years.  One thing that struck me is that the greatest lasting impact I had from them that I can specifically recall is not any knowledge I have gained.  I know that I was taught much over my years as a student.  The thing that stands out to me today is how much I learned from watching how my teachers lived.  The way they modeled faith and life has stuck with me.  Paul offers this advice to Titus in his letter to him.  

Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

It is one thing to be taught how to treat others and how to follow God.  It is something entirely else to see it in action.  When we see faith modeled it is something real and tangible and powerful in our lives.  We all have the opportunity to be teachers in this capacity and we all remain students as we go through the journey of life.  I pray that we would all “teach” others what it looks like to share the love of Christ with our lives.  I also pray that we would all continue to be students and watch and learn from the way others live out their faith.  Please join me in prayer for a great year for our students and teachers here at Advent. 

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

What refreshes you?  When you are feeling spent what do you do to recharge?  Maybe exercise helps you.  Perhaps you enjoy a nice walk along the beach.  Maybe you need prayer or solitude.  We all have different ways to recharge our batteries.  I find that I get recharged often by spending time with friends and spending time with God.  I am coming back refreshed from spending a few days away with some good friends on vacation.  I recently read an article about the need for “mini vacations” or two hour blocks of time to de-stress and refill.  The author suggested that each week you should figure out how to do this mid-week sometime.  For him it was a Wednesday night ritual of his hot tub, a glass of wine, and some prayer time with God.  Let’s look at a familiar passage of scripture that talks about being refreshed.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2 

    He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

3 

    he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.

4 

Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

Green pastures and quiet waters sound refreshing but the key for me in this passage is that it is God who refreshes our soul.  Whatever your method to experience refreshing in your life, make sure that you are incorporating some time with God.  He is the only one who can and does refresh us spiritually.  When we are refreshed spiritually the rest of our life tends to stay more refreshed as well.

In His Grip,

Pastor Dave

I have this crazy thing where whenever I go out of town something goes wrong with my house.  I am not the most handy guy but some things I like to think I can fix and certainly figure out how to get it fixed.  Well once again as I am out of town my AC went down.  It makes you feel worthless when there is nothing you can do to help from afar.  It got me to thinking about how God never goes “out of town”.  When we have problems he is always available for us.  Let’s look at His words in Deuteronomy 31 together today.

6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” 7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. 8 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Whenever we are facing tough times or challenges God promises that we do not have to be afraid or worried because He will always be with us.  I don’t know about you but that truly gives me confidence as I go through life knowing that inevitably things will happen but that no matter what I may face God will be by my side.  Hold on to that promise today and the broken Ac’s of life won’t seem so daunting. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave