Advent and Personal growth

Advent and Personal growth

Posted on by Matthew Laker

Advent and the power of rhythms for goals.

In my life, I practise something called advent. Advent is a Christian tradition that starts four Sundays out from Christmas day.   

Advent is a season to reflect and be reminded of the power of waiting and rediscovering hope.   

One of the powers of such a time is the journey of reflection to gain focus. It has the ability for one to look at one’s life and gain perspective or focus.   

For me, there is a spiritual component as I prepare for Christmas and reflect on how the teaching of Jesus and the person of Jesus impacts my life.   

Personal,  I also use this time for reflection on my goals from the past year, and on setting my goals for the new year.  

Advent is a reminder about who they are to be and a call to walk that way. 

You may or may not follow Jesus, but the rhythm that advent brings can be of great help to find focus.  

There is a cross over principle for goal setting or productivity. To stay focused, one needs rhythms that call us back. 

Do you have set rhythms to reflect on reality and gain a bigger 

perspective? 

Do you have a regular rhythm to figure out the next steps?

 Do you have rhythms that call you back to focus?

If you are going to set yearly goals and reach them, then you are going to need some rhythm to keep you focused.   

Christmas – The day after the Celebration

Posted on by Matthew Laker

Series Christmas 2015 – part 6 Series Christmas 2015 – part 6

How now do we live in light of the great coming of Jesus?

 

For many there is a great build up to Christmas and then it is over.  We must now come down off the mountain, and journey along the road of life.

 

We need the mountain top experiences of seeking Jesus, but life is lived down below.  We meet Jesus at the top of the mountain and also in the regular rhythms of life.  Jesus came to transform your  life. Jesus, taught in such a way that he believed it would have an impact on the daily rhythms of life.

 

2 Corinthians 5:17-18 says, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ” (NLT).

 

As you look ahead to the new year and following Jesus. What do need to you let go of from the storm?

To live in the new life ahead, what do you need to let go of from the past?

 

When we follow Jesus it does not mean all our storms go away. The storm may still be around, but how do you engage, enter, and experience the full life that Jesus came to give?

It starts with him as your center.

 

John 10:10 New Living Translation (NLT)

10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich

and satisfying life.

 

Christmas is just the beginning of the Christian calendar year.  I encourage you to find a reading plan to take you through the gospels and discover Christ with fresh eyes.

This new year how will you intentionally use the resources God has given you to impact and spread the word of God.

 

Let me leave you with two resources.

 

One, is to sign up to receive weekly post from my blog.  Most weeks you will receive 2-3 post directly to your email.

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The second, is to consider getting a life coach. A life coach can help bring clarity to where you are and want to go, then help develop a plan to get there.

This year do not sit in the back seat, but grab the steering wheel and enter, experience and engage the life God is calling you to.

 

May you have a great year and God be with you.

God’s Arrival – Micah 5:2-5a

Posted on by Matthew Laker

Series: Christmas week reflection 2015- Part 4

In scripture, there is a long story of the coming seed, a coming messiah. This passage contains both a promise for the moment, and a promise for the future.  It is important to note that this passage comes on the heels of God speaking about the last days.  Through the prophet, God shares a picture in chapter four of His end goal.  Then in 4:11 God shares that he sees the storm His people are in.  They cannot control their circumstances and they are all wondering: where is God?  Chapter four ends with the prophet sharing that the storm does not know the thoughts of the LORD or understand the plans of the LORD.  It is in the midst of the storm that God meets his people and sends a message.

In Chapter five, in the midst of the storm, there is a promise of a king, a shepherd who will come.  In the arrival of this King, Shepherd, ruler, there will be a peace (5:5).  This is not a peace from the storm, but that they will have peace in him.   (Eph. 2:14)

In this promise, they are reminded the Shepherd will not abandon them. In this promise, they are reminded when the messiah comes they will live securely.  In this promise, they are reminded when the messiah comes he will be their peace.

This advent week and Christmas Eve we remember that the messiah has come. His peace does not come from having more, or military or political, or selfish gain. It is a peace that will come from one who is from ancient times. This is a different peace than what our world knows.

The challenge for many is trusting this peace. If it were a bridge, do we trust that it will hold us up when we do not have control? This Jesus who has come gives peace. He calls us to follow him and as we journey with him a peace comes. I am not sure if I fully understand the power of this peace or have embraced it fully, however, Jesus stands near to you and says follow me.

For many, we go searching for peace in everything but Jesus, at times drawing on other sources other than the one who has come. We believe that we will get ourselves through the storm and be our own everlasting peace.

However, Jesus stands before you today, your only hope, and is calling you to follow. This Christmas eve invite him into the storm and let the light shine in the darkness. This Christmas eve, celebrate that he has come for you and know that the peace which surpasses all understanding is yours. Take a moment of prayer and drink from the everlasting living water.

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God’s provision – Isaiah 12:1-6

Posted on by Matthew Laker

Series: Christmas week reflection 2015 – Part 3

God’s people live with the end in sight.

The passage today begins with “In that day,” and transfers us to a future reflection.  It is a song of anticipation.  Like a child joyfully waiting for the moment to unwrap a Christmas present, we wait in anticipation of the second coming of Jesus.    When that day comes there will be peace in God’ s creation.  In part, some of that peace has come in Jesus.

 

Isaiah chapters 7-12 speak to those who are hanging on to God in the midst of the surrounding storm of sin and international war.  He has been challenging King Ahaz to trust in God, but the king has rejected God’s offered signs of his presence with his people.  I wonder how often we do that?

Who around you do you need to look to for help or can be reminders of God’s provision?Isaiah speaks out from the storm of a great enemy upon them and shares a light in the form of a descendant of David who would be God with us. Israel lived in the tension of will God provide what they need in this moment or do they put their trust in Assyria?  Isaiah, however, was living with the end in sight. Yes, the storm was great around them, but a peace would and was coming.

Followers of Jesus live with the end in sight because it reminds us of who God is.

This song of anticipation reminds us that God is at work.  He will provide what you need for the storm and future.  Our hope and peace are based upon who God is, not upon how we feel.  Likewise, God’s provision is based upon who God is, not how we feel.

 

We have some of this provision today.  God’s anger has been turned away from those who follow Jesus.  Advent is the beginning of the story as we look to Easter and the death and resurrection of Jesus.  God’s wrath was placed upon Jesus for you.  God is our salvation, he equips us for life and brings us out of the darkness and into the light.  Will you follow him there?

Will you draw joy from the living water (v.3)?

This song of Isaiah becomes an anticipation of the newness that would follow.  It is living with the end in sight because it reminds us that God is at work.  In Jesus, God provides what we need for the storm we are in.   This is the salvation that Isaiah speaks of.

God’s Guidance – Luke 1:69-79

Posted on by Matthew Laker

Series: Christmas week reflection 2015 – Part 2

The music group Third day wrote and sang a song with the tagline “Keep holding on.”  The song is about the storms and the challenging seasons of life.

Here are the words.

I won’t pretend to know what you’re thinking. I can’t begin to know what you’re going through. I won’t deny the pain that you’re feeling,

But I’m gonna try and give a little hope to you.

Just remember what I’ve told you. There’s so much you’re living for

There’s a light at the end of this tunnel. There’s a light at the end of this tunnel

For you, for you, there’s a light at the end of this tunnel.

Shinin’ bright at the end of this tunnel, For you, for you

So keep holdin’ on

You’ve got your disappointments and sorrows. You ought to share the weight of that load with me. Then you will find that the light of tomorrow.

Brings a new life for your eyes to see

So remember what I’ve told you. There’s so much you’re living for

Zechariah in our text today is also singing a song.  Zechariah reviews the promises and recalls the voice of God through the prophets and King David. He recognizes God’s mercy and salvation even in the face of sin as well as in the wake of suffering, destruction and death.  His song declares God has remembered.  He declares that Jesus will guide our feet into the path of peace (Luke 1:79).

We are reminded this week that God is active in our world and keeps his promises.  In the midst of the storm, it can be so dark it is hard to see.   Psalm 23 reminds us that the great shepherd comes and meets us in the valley.  He sets a table and instead of taking us out, builds us up.  He feeds us, declares we are his and prepares us for the journey out.  There is a light at the end of the tunnel

When Zechariah was at that point in his life, he wondered if God would ever guide and fulfil his promise.  He would have to wait, but it would come.    Jesus came to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death (Lk. 1:79).  He is for you and with you.  Jesus is the one who rescues you from the grip of fear, evil, sin, and enemies.  Jesus enables us to serve God, to live in holiness and righteousness, and helps us to experience the life we were created for.

I will leave you with these words from a friend:

If I am unhappy, God will be with me.

If I am unhappy, God will hold my hand and lead me to still waters.

You want peace, let God into your story this Christmas, this season.  He was always there.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Do not fear the storm. Hang on.

God loves you.

God is with you.

God is for you.