Today is the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost as we continue our Summer Sermon Series!
As “Just like Jesus” author Max Lucado says:“God loves us just the way we are, but refuses to leave us this way. God wants us to be just like Jesus.” I pray you will enter into this with me, and open your own hearts for God’s liberating work. Please invite a friend to come with you to church, or feel free to share the videos on your own.
Every Sunday until August 15th, we will look at the various aspects of having a heart like Jesus. Two weeks ago we looked at what it means to have a forgiving heart and last week a Compassionate Heart. For this Sunday, we look at Chapter 4: A Listening Heart! In this chapter we are looking at how to listen to God in our prayers and especially in our Bible reading.
Today in Mark’s Gospel story even the wind and the storms and sea listen to Jesus. The God who loves us has heard our cry for help and sent Jesus to calm our everyday storms of daily living.
To further take a “deep dive” into this material our Wednesday night Zoom Bible study at 7 p.m. for both churches, friends, and neighbors continues. We will review what it means to have a Listening heart with a look at the next two chapters: A God-Intoxicated and Worship Hungry heart!
The Spirit will lead and guide us which is symbolic of this Pentecost Season. This is also called “the long green season” as the color for Pentecost is green, and the season goes well into October! We celebrate and honor, as we did on the Day of Pentecost and Holy Trinity Sunday, the Holy Spirit of God moving in, with and through our lives.
I firmly believe that we must do our part to keep our spiritual lives stirred up! I know it’s hard and I know we are all busy, yet I believe God is calling all of us as a family of faith to grow to be more like Jesus.
Introduction
Now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation! Now we are in the storm, the boat almost swamped; but Jesus is here now, and when we call him, he will calm the storm. Even the wind and waves listen to him as they would to their creator. We also listen to him and are called to believe in the power of God’s word in him, a power greater than all that we fear.
