Reflections on Listening

This season of Lent, we are exploring spiritual disciplines together as a body. The following is a reflection on the discipline of Listening from Mary Zimmerman.

In my early years of walking with Christ, I learned about prayer… about asking in faith, having quiet times, praying the scriptures, many wonderful methods and helpful instructions for which I’m grateful. But strangely, missing entirely was the listening side of prayer. It was a one-way discourse, not a dialog. And I believe this left a growing disconnect between my head (jammed with Bible knowledge and doctrine), and my heart. Something was missing. I didn’t need more knowledge about God. I needed God. Eventually circumstances of life brought me to a wilderness, away from the noise and hurry of our culture. As the fog cleared, I spent more unhurried time with Jesus, exploring ancient Christian disciplines and rhythms. He began to open my eyes and my ears…. to speak into my soul. But I am naturally suspicious, especially towards myself. Could I really hear God aright? What about my own inner critic, or the wants and wishes? How to distinguish? What if I was deluded by the enemy? Then there were the distractions that rose up whenever I tried to settle into quietness. And finally, I was aware of the necessity of obedience in all this; what would I do with an “Eli message” such as Samuel received? As I began to learn and to grow in spiritual receptivity, the peace of God slowly enveloped me, bringing light to bear upon my questions and fears. I saw that the Triune God is here, with us and in us, and is ever-communicating. I began to trust that our Creator has graciously given us the capacity to discern his voice. Best of all, he desires this as a vital part of our relationship. “The heavens declare the glory of God…day after day they pour forth speech”

If you would like to learn more about this discipline, click here for the community group guide we are using to explore this together.

Reflections on the Ash Wednesday Service

By Laurie Murphy

Our family attended the Church of the Apostles Ash Wednesday service last year, and we are so thankful that we did.

  

We almost didn’t attend because it was a dark, cold week night, and my husband had to meet our children and me at the church after a long, hard day at work. I did not grow up in the Anglican tradition and had only ever been to one other Ash Wednesday service, but for years had heard French friends speak of the beauty of “le Mercredi des Cendres” (“The Wednesday of Ashes”). Beautiful ashes… such a different way to see the world.

  

As we entered the church, we noticed that the sanctuary was over half filled. The music was beautiful and worshipful. The tone of the service was one of peacefulness and quiet reverence.

  

Near the end of the service, we went forward, and one of the pastors placed ashes in the shape of a cross on each of our foreheads, saying the classic Lenten reminder, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” They were strange and somber words, and yet they awakened something hopeful in me… a merciful reminder of the fleeting nature of life and the preciousness of each day. After receiving the cross of ashes on our foreheads, we returned to our seats for a time of reflection, repentance, and prayer. Seated there, Ken and I felt encouraged to see our three normally distractible young children drawn in by the reverent tone of the service and bowed in prayer. Just hours earlier, my mind had been swirling with so many random thoughts and distractions… choosing paint color samples for our home, picking the right pair of boots, reading my sister’s Facebook posts… all good things, but how quickly I had lost my focus and purpose for the day. Now in the stillness of the service, God was calling me to be still. The quiet time of prayer forced me to face my heart and my sins, my petty selfishness, my addiction to sugar, worrying about my brother…so many burdens I had been carrying…so many things holding me back from whom God wanted me to be, so many things from which he wanted me to be free. 

  

Hebrews 12:1-2 reads, “…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus…” As we prayed, I saw in the upcoming days of Lent a hopeful picture of letting go of the old in order to take hold of the new. The Ash Wednesday service helped me to focus on Jesus and His love. It reminded me of one of my favorite parts of worship: taking Communion. For me, Communion just never gets old. Almost every time I take Communion, I am moved by His great mercy, remembering that I am nothing without Jesus. Like the bread in my hands each week, the cross of ashes on my forehead that day reminded me that Jesus loves me so much that He was willing to suffer greatly to save me from sin and death and to give me new life and new hope.   

  

One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Zephaniah 3:17. We have it framed in our home, and I look at it each morning: “The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”  During the Ash Wednesday service, God quieted me with His love. God showed me my brokenness so that He could begin to heal and to restore me. My time of “sackcloth and ashes” was not my whole story. Philippians 1:6 reads, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Leaving the service, I felt hopeful, remembering that God had not given up on me in all my mess and sin.  He was carrying me and renewing me. He is the God of all Hope and Grace.

The Sunday Set-Up for February 15, 2015

We have all had conversations with people who differ over questions of life. Should abortion ever be allowed? When does life begin? What is best for our country as far as this issue goes? We have often gotten into debates over right and wrong. What if we changed the conversation? What if there is something even more persuasive than “right and wrong?” 

Join us Sunday as we examine this issue in light of a surprising response from Jesus when faced with a question of life.

Reading: John 9:1-7

The Sunday Set-Up for February 8, 2015

What does the Bible really have to say about homosexuality? What is God’s opinion? What is the church's stance on homosexuality? 

Has this topic ever come up in conversation with others as you have been speaking about your faith in Christ? It can be a real bridge burner. How do you handle questions like this? Where do you begin? Is there a way to deal with this question that actually builds (rather than burns) bridges of faith for others to walk across, even when so many in our society have conflicting views on this topic? 

Join me Sunday as we delve into these hard questions. (And please pray that I will handle them well in a manner that pleases God and helps people.)

In Christ with you,

Patrick

Reading: 1 Corinthians 6:9-20

Bulletin: February 8, 2015

The Sunday Set-Up for February 1, 2015

A Question Of Science

My 11th grade Physics teacher Mr. Prim was an excitable guy. He climbed on top of tables to demonstrate inertia. He shot lasers across the classroom. He dropped tennis balls from the roof of the gym to demonstrate gravity. And in the middle of every experiment, he would exclaim, "OOOOHHH, VERY GOOD!!! HOW EXCITING!!!" 

Mr. Prim - Former Millbrook HS Physics Teacher

I loved Mr. Prim, but I was terrible at physics. Nevertheless, Mr. Prim's excitement was infectious, so I stayed engaged. (Incidentally, he's now retired and is an oil painter living in Durham, NC.) Some of us are more science-minded than others. Facts, evidence, measurable results matter in the world of science. But do they matter when it comes to faith? Does science preclude faith, or vice versa?

Come and consider this further this Sunday. See you then!

Eric Bolash

Readings: Genesis 1:26-2:3 and Colossians 1:15-23

Bulletin: February 1, 2015

The Sunday Set-Up for January 18, 2015

A friend of mine recently asked, "Why do Christians accept some things in the Bible literally and not others?  On what basis does one decide what is “gospel” as opposed to what is cultural?”

This, and some other questions posed by many of you, got me thinking. How can we be sure we are interpreting the Bible correctly? How do we know that it has been translated accurately? How can we be confident that it hasn’t been changed over the thousands of years since it was first written? 

Join us this Sunday as we consider these matters. 

Readings: 2 Timothy 3:14-17 and Matthew 5:17-20

Bulletin: January 18, 2015

A Question of Pain...In Real Life

by Jim Dotson

Haven’t we all asked ourselves the question Patrick drew from the hat last week,  “If God loves us, why doesn’t he protect us from pain and suffering?” 

In November of 2003, I absolutely asked myself that question over and over again.   Perhaps you heard me asking it, because I screamed it a few times as I walked or ran outside determined to wake God up so he would answer me. 

Certainly my pain paled in comparison to the pain that many others face: broken relationships, health issues or the loss of a loved one.  Mine was simply being fired from the job that I had allowed to define me for 15 years – leaving me lost, confused, and afraid.

Apostles’ pastor at the time, Terrell Glenn, asked me a piercing question the afternoon of my termination after he sat and listened patiently as I unpacked the events of the day;  “Is this between you and your employer or between you and God?” Terrell went on to encourage me to keep my eyes and ears and expect God to show up and reveal himself in a new way.  He also encouraged Ann and I not to hide the pain and suffering but to let the church walk with us through it.

In the sermon last week, Patrick offered four options to consider regarding our belief and understanding of why God allows pain.  Based upon my story and experience, I cast my vote for Option # 4: God is good, loving and powerful – yet, God allows suffering for a higher purpose.  Actually, I am banking my life on Option # 4 and encourage you to do the same!

I learned that the pain and suffering was not what God wanted FROM me but what he wanted FOR me, and my family.  He clearly had a higher purpose and he allowed the suffering because he knew it was what I needed to cause me to grow in my knowledge and understanding of HIM.  God loved me too much to allow me on the path I was headed on – not that it was bad, but it simply wasn’t best.  God sometimes allows pain and suffering because it is the path we need to travel to experience his abundance.

One of the many lessons learned during this season was learning to receive.  I enjoy giving, but would rather be independent and self-sufficient, not needing to depend on anyone for anything.  God had to teach me to be a gracious receiver, to allow me to be a better giver.  Ann and I have never felt more loved and cared for than during these six years as our Apostles Family loved and cared for our family in such a beautiful way. 

I believe so strongly about Option # 4, that I wrote a book about it, Taking on Goliath.  No, I didn’t write it after last week’s sermon – but last week’s sermon certainly stoked my passion and excitement for the truth it.  In the Lord’s perfect timing, I will be doing a book signing this Thursday evening, January 15, 2015, at 7:00pm at Quail Ridge Book Store, 3522 Wade Avenue in Raleigh.  Beginning at 7:00pm, I will be sharing for about 30 minutes about the story behind my book.  Ann and I invite you to join us at Quail Ridge on Thursday. 

You may find my book of interest as you will know the cast of characters (the names of the “bad guys” have been changed to protect the guilty :) and enjoy reading about the love demonstrated through the Apostles Family.  Most of all, please pray that the book will be an encouragement to those who are suffering to run to God rather than run from Him!

Jim Dotson

If you want to learn a bit more you can go to: www.jimdotson.net