Money and the Meaning of Life

Last week's sermon by Adam Hamilton was incredible (as usual!).  The topic was concerning money and the true meaning of life.  If you would like to view it, here is the link:  Money and the Meaning of Life.  Here are my notes from the sermon, along with the notes from the daily scripture readings:

• Scripture reference:  Ecclesiastes 2:3-11, selected verses:  I built houses for myself and planted vineyards.  I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them...I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me.  I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings of provinces...I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me...I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure...Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind.  
• Sometimes we are not committed to God with our whole heart (i.e. Solomon). 
• The real meaning in life is not having more, but sharing more.  Gladness begets generosity, and generosity begets gladness!  
• Giving is an act of worship and devotion; is an antidote to materialism; and is investing in God's work.  It is showing that God is truly first in your life, and that you are being obedient to Him.  
• When you remember your true purpose in life (bringing glory to God), you find true joy.  
• 2 Corinthians 9:6 - Sowing and reaping: make giving the daily rhythm of your life.  Always think of ways to bless and encourage others, or surprise someone.  
• 1 Timothy 6:9, 18-19 - My desire in life is to be rich in good deeds!  At the end of my life, I want people to say "her life was defined by generosity!"  
• Matthew 6:19-24 - There can only be one main focus and main goal in life, and Jesus urges us to choose God and the values of God's unseen kingdom.  
• Philippians 2:1-11 - An attitude like Jesus: Jesus pursued goals that were different than much of his (and our) culture.  He did so with dignity, strength, and resolve.  Paul urges his readers to guide our lives by Jesus' values.  
• Philippians 4:6-13 - Learning the secret of being content: Paul writes that prayer, hope, a focus on the good, and contentment build one deep trust in God were the basis for his world-changing life.  

My thoughts and reflections from the sermon: 

• Why be committed to anything or anyone BUT God?  He is the only one who will never fail you or let you down, regardless of what you do or have!  
• I want to use my life and assets to bless and encourage others, so that they may come to see and know Jesus!  
• As we know, choosing to serve only God is easy - it's the execution that is not always easy!  I have unsubscribed from all emails from stores that tempt me to go shopping, and have started using Dave Ramsey's "cash envelope" system.  While sometimes I still struggle with choosing Starbucks or shopping over giving, this has greatly helped me see the good that can be done when we put our focus on Jesus!   

Sunday Sermon: The Most Important Commandment of All

Today our pastor concluded with the sermon series of "Finding Joy in Real Life - 5 Habits for Living Well" with "The Most Important Commandment of All."  

Scripture:

• Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord alone.  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.  ~Deuteronomy 6:4-5 
• A lawyer asked [Jesus] a question to test him.  "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?"  He said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the greatest and first commandment."  ~Matthew 22:35-38 

Notes and Reflections:

• Every decision you make and every action you take is a reflection of your love of God!  
• Shema Israel - Yahweh is the source of all life and everything
• The Lord is my God, and I am meant to love Him with all of my heart, my soul, my mind, and my strength 
• Some reasons why I believe in God:
• The beauty and order of the universe, and the laws that govern it.  i.e. Alphabet soup does not get poured out in alphabetical order, no matter how many times you pour it out!  The creator of the big band theory was a Catholic priest   In the universe we see God who's pattern shaped it, and we see His glory in it!  
• The witness of other people - people I know and meet, and Biblical authors and characters, and modern-day people such as Mother Theresa 
• Jesus Himself - was buried and rose from the dead
• The impact of faith in the lives of others 
• My personal experiences with God and my faith - my own life is radically different, and I feel most fully alive when I have been praying, reading the Bible, etc.  I have also become more loving, forgiving, etc.  
• God shapes how I respond to circumstances in my life 
• When I die, I think I will like having lived my life better believing in God than if I didn't! 
• He is where I find hope in the face of death
• Just like any relationship, we must spend time talking, listening, and nurturing the relationship with the other person - we must nurture our relationship with God!  
• When you love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, you find joy and meaning in life!  

The Secret to True Wealth Sermon Recap and Life Thoughts :)

It never ceases to amaze me how God places things/people/sermons/etc in our lives with just the right timing.  I had a lengthy discussion with my boyfriend of six years last night about this topic, and about being happy no matter what your income level is.  I am a firm believer that God's will is the best thing for our lives, and that we should focus on seeking Him first and finding His will for our lives, and doing it!  These scriptures are ones that I hold on strong to, and have proven true for me and my life:  

• "There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next.  In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged.  Quite the contrary - we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!"  ~Romans 5:3-5 (MSG) 
• "It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for.  Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, He had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in everything and everyone.  It's in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free - signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit.  This signet from God is the first installment on what's coming, a reminder that we'll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life."  ~Ephesians 1:11-14 (MSG)  
• "Don't fret or worry.  Instead of worrying, pray.  Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.  Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."  ~Philippians 4:6-7 (MSG)  
• "Actually, I don't have a sense of needing anything personally.  I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances.  I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little.  I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty.  Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am."  ~Philippians 4:11-13 (MSG)  
• "You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, His generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus."  ~Philippians 4:19 

"I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances."  Once I was able to be completely content with my life, and where I am at in life, I was able to experience for the first time the true joy and peace that can only come from God.  It is such an incredible way of living, following Him and His path - so much better than any way I was trying to live before!  

"Wealth is the ability to fully experience life."  ~Henry David Thoreau 

"A simple life is a happy life."  ~Philip Arnold 

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Notes from the sermon:

• Generosity - three types:
• Generosity of Spirit - Act with kindness and graciousness to all, look past the fault of otheres and considers their best.  Encourage others.  Do small acts of service.  Say thank you often.  Realize that what everyone does for you is a gift.  All relationships work better with generosity of spirit!  
• Generosity of finances - Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also! 
• Generosity of time and talents - Jesus was constantly interrupted, and always stopped to help others.  You will always feel more alive and fulfilled after you have taken the time to serve others!  

Scriptures referenced in the sermon: 

• Ecclesiastes 5:10 - "Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.  This too is meaningless."  (NIV) 
• Provebs 22:9 - "The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor."  (NIV) 
• Luke 12:15 - "Then he said to them, 'Watch out!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.'"  (NIV) 
• 1 Timothy 6:18-19 - "Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."  (NIV)  

Forgiveness

Sunday sermon recap:  "Six Words to Set You Free"

Scriptures:

• Colossians 3:13 - "Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive."  
• Luke 17:3 - "Be on your guard!  If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive."  
• Matthew 6:14 - "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you."  
• Matthew 5:23-24 - "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.  First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift."  
• James 5:16 - "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."  
• Matthew 18:21-22 - "Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?'  Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'" 

Notes:

• Without forgiveness, it is impossible to have relationships or joy in our lives   
• A true apology includes the following: 
• An awareness of how you wronged the other person
• An earnest feeling of regret or remorse
• A confession accepting responsibility for the action
• A commitment to change
• Repentance is an authentic apology
• When forgiving, you relinquish what feels like the right to get even
• Grace is forgiveness you don't deserve 
• You find life when you extend forgiveness
• We need to extend grace and mercy to each other 
• Prayer: God, I give this to you.  I'm not going to hold it anymore! 

First Sunday as a New Member!

After a year of being involved at the church I have been attending, I officially joined last week.  I had not thought much about joining over the past year, because I had always been so welcomed there and already feel like part of a big, wonderful family.  All of the pastors there are incredible people and talented preachers; you can see and feel God speaking through them every Sunday!  Each service is a powerful worship experience.  

What sets it apart from other churches and makes it feel like a good fit for me is that the senior pastor encourages everyone to use both your heart and your head for knowing and loving God.  He says that it is good to ask questions and use your intellect, and that it is not bad if you do not agree with everything he says.  The church started in 1990 with the intention of starting a church for thinking people.  Learning and thinking are activities I love very much, so I feel that I was born to be a part of this congregation!  They also have a big focus on loving and serving others, and bringing light to a world of darkness.  I also love their purpose, vision, journey, and values: 

Purpose: To build a Christian Community where non-religious and nominally-religious people are becoming deeply committed Christians. 

Vision: Changing lives, transforming communities, and renewing the church.  

Journey: Knowing, loving, and serving God.  

Values: We will do God's work with the qualities we most value: integrity, grace, excellence, relevance, authenticity, passion, humility, faith, inclusivity, commitment, joy, and love.  

Throughout the past thirteen years, the church now has over 18,000 people worshiping, studying, and serving at four campuses.  I love that God's touch is now being felt all over the city, and that I get to be a part of this!  

Today's sermon was the second in a series entitled "Finding Joy in Real Life - 5 Habits for Living Well."  They have been giving out little playing cards with the scripture, prayer, and focus for the week with the bulletin:  

 I tape mine to the bathroom mirror, so I can see it and be reminded every morning to love others all day every day!  

Notes I took during the sermon:

• Religion should not be about making us happy, but about doing God's will.  It is not about going where we want and dragging God with us, but going where God calls us and following Him.  This will create more joy in our lives! 
• God tells us we need to speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves - the widow, the orphan, the alien (immigrant), and the poor.  
• This is exactly what I want for my life: "Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.  Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile."  ~Mother Theresa 

Referenced scripture in the sermon:

• Micah 6:1-8 
• Zechariah 7:9-10 
• Proverbs 31:8-9
• James 1:25 

It is my prayer and focus this week to speak up for the vulnerable and powerless who need me to speak out for them.  I pray that God gives me courage, and helps me to pay attention to those who need me.  I pray that I bestow kindness on every person I interact with, as a daily part of my life.  I pray that I will be a bold, courageous Christian, and do justice and kindness to everyone.  Have a blessed week!!!