I want to follow-up on this past Sunday morning and also encourage you for this new week. In my sermon, “Meet the Holy Spirit” I went through many characteristics of a person that the Holy Spirit processes. He is not just some active force or abstract or metaphysical idea. He is not just a symbol of the presence and power of God, He IS the presence and power of God! I concluded the message with challenging all of us to consider/meditate on/pray about this question: “DO I WELCOME THE PRESENCE OF GOD?“. If you were not here and would like to hear the sermon, you may do so here– Conversations with John: Meet the Holy Spirit. We then had a precious time in worship as a response to the message. I feel such a need for our Body to not just learn about the Holy Spirit but even more so, experience the Holy Spirit! Again, I ask that each of us consider the question: Do I welcome the presence of God in my life?

I also wanted to share this email with the church that I received from Joanne (Jacquart) Pyle this morning:

Your teaching on the Holy Spirit was very good! It was a reminder to me again to “listen” to that voice of the Holy Spirit. In fact, for each new year I usually set goals, but this year I clearly heard only one to focus on. (This was hard for me because I’m a goal setter and list maker) I have hanging on the wall above my computer: “The Holy Spirit is speaking… Are you listening?” He has directed me in so many ways in the past and I’ve seen His miracles, but sometimes I get too busy and don’t “hear” those nudges of the Spirit.

On New Years Eve you asked me where I had an article printed… It was one of my personal experiences when I listened to that nudge of the Spirit. Thought you might like to read it – it’s an application of what you were teaching.

Here is a PDF of her wonderful short article, Live – Nudge of the Spirit 12-30-12 that was published in Live Magazine. It is a powerful story.

Be led by the Holy Spirit!
Love you guys,
Pastor Shawn

Jesus was able to ‘demote’ Himself willingly because: 1. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power. (He knew that God was in control of His life and ministry.) 2. Jesus knew He came from God. (He knew that God was the source of His mission in life.) 3. Jesus knew He was returning to God (Jesus had an eternal perspective rather than a temporal one.) (vs. 3)

Being a servant was Christ’s identity. “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant (Gk: doulos), being made in human likeness. (Philippians 2:5-7) A doulos (or bond-servant) is a slave who when set free says, “I love my master and do not want to leave you” voluntarily giving up his or her freedom and giving their allegiance to their master. A doulos is devoted to their master to the disregard of their own interests.

Identity precedes and affects behavior. Jesus set an example for us that we should do likewise and even promises that we will be blessed if we do. We can serve others, and in doing so serve Christ, when our identity is that of a doulos of Jesus!

The Full Extent of His Love

Seeds do not carry with them instant satisfaction. Don’t we wish they did?! A plant does not grow overnight, well except for Jack’s beanstalk. Seeds represent giving and maybe not receiving anything in return at first. 1 Corinthians 15:36-38 (NLT) says, “When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t grow into a plant unless it dies first. And what you put in the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a dry little seed of wheat or whatever it is you are planting. Then God gives it a new body — just the kind he wants it to have. A different kind of plant grows from each kind of seed.” Our seed must die. This means letting your idea of what form something should have die and allowing God to give it the form or body that He desires and intends.
This past Sunday morning, I provided a way for you to respond to what God was saying to you personally. The response was in the form of a seed in your hand and a pot of soil on the stage in the front of the auditorium. Everyone was asked to take a moment, pray and consider what their seed represented in their life that they needed to let die; give to God; and allow Him to give a new body (new life) to. Next, as an act of obedience, to come forward planting that representative seed. When we truly trust God with everything in our lives, we will also trust Him to give our hopes, dreams, even our greatest need resurrection life!

What does your seed represent? Have you let it die? Do you trust God with your seed?

–Pastor Shawn

A note from Pastor Robert:  If you would like to learn more about your god given strengths, ask pastor Shawn or robert about “living your strengths” books and coaching

Here is a prayer for our church, rewording 1 Chronicles 4:10: And the Church at Whistling Pines called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh that you would bless us indeed, and enlarge our territory (so that we are able to more effectively advance your Kingdom), and that your hand (your power) would be with us, and that you would keep us from evil, that we may not cause pain (we would in no way be a stumbling block to anyone genuinely looking for Jesus).” So God granted them what they requested.

Amen (let it be so).

Pastor Shawn

Do you ever feel that way? You know what you should be doing but forget. Or you do what you are supposed to do but with the wrong heart attitude. Then you get stuck. It is a cycle that Satan likes to keep us in because we are ineffective as Christians when we spin our wheels getting no where or when we stop peddling all together.

I want to encourage you to get off the bike. Simply walk a bit with the Creator of the Universe. Ask Him to continually remind you of His greatness. Get into another routine. Start simple. It could be sitting for a few minutes each day thinking about God – He likes that. It could be washing those dinner dishes with a smile in your heart – He likes that too. Then talk. Talk to God and He will listen.

God is so awesome and He loves you!

Koren Obispo
(CWP KidMaster)

Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all things to the glory of God. I Corinthians 10:31

What does it mean to do all things to the glory of God?
In fact, what is the glory of God? What does the word “glory” mean?
To humans on the earth, looking for the ultimate meaning of life,
Any clues we can pick up are of great importance. 

Why are we on the earth? What is life all about?
What does God want from us? What can we expect from God?
These are the questions for which we are always seeking answers–
Answers that will help us survive in this world… and the next.

Of course, at the heart of all things and underlying all things is God–
Author of the universe and its essential meaning.
But how do we relate to God? What does He want?
And what is our expectation? Our ultimate destiny?

A pivotal word in the answer to these questions is “Glory”–
The glory of God; the glory of Christ; the glory of Godís people.
Sometimes the word is used synonymously with God–
“Unto Him that is able to present us faultless before the presence of His glory.”

Whatever is of God is a reflection of His glory.
Whatever glorifies Him is essential to the meaning of life.
As electric current produces an arc, and an arc reflects electric current,
So, whatever is of God, reflects His glory.

But what do we mean by the word, “glory?”
Like so many abstractions, it can mean so much, and so little.
It can describe trivia–”Having a glorious time!”
Or meaningful human concepts–”Old Glory,” the United States flag.

Whatever it may mean in the common vernacular,
We need to know what God means by it in His Word.
The Hebrew word is kabod–”weight”; that which has substance.
Gold, for instance, has substance; its weight shows its worth.

The Greek word is doxa–”That which is apparent.”
The glory of the temple was manifested in the splendor of its gold.
The glory of Godís substance is manifested to the world,
In the radiant splendor of His creation.

“The heavens declare the glory of God
And the firmament showeth His handiwork.” (Psalm 19:1)
In kabod God has the substance to be the reality of the universe;
In doxa His substance is manifested in radiant splendor.

The central purpose of every element of Godís creation
Is to glorify God–to reflect His glory.
“Whatsoever you do… do all things to the glory of God.”
But what does that mean? How do humans do that?

Humans do it the same way nature does it–
By simply being humans; living according to Godís purpose.
Plants provide food or color or fragrance according to their purpose,
And manifest the glory of God, in simply being what they are.

Humans are “partakers of the divine nature” (II Peter 1:4)–
Imbued with the attributes of God in limited measure.
Our purpose is to interact with God, forever–
Commune with Him; worship Him; serve Him.

Whatever we do for Him; however we relate to Him,
Becomes a part of His glory–the radiant stream of His splendor.
This purpose was obscured in the tragedy of Eden.
It is restored in redemption to all who receive His Spirit.

Possessed by His Spirit, we are able to manifest His glory.
We are able to commune with Him; to understand His purpose;
To sense His presence–His love and grace and joy;
To live by faith and express His Word to the world.

We are, in another figure, “God-trees,” producing the fruit of “godness.”
David says we are the godly, who love His law.
We are like trees planted by the watercourse
Bringing forth fruit in season–the fruit of “godness.”

Our fruit is not pious “religiosity,” but the expression of the heart of God.
Later, David says that we are inferior only to God,
And have dominion over all His works (Psalm 8).
And Peter says that we are “partakers of His divine nature.”

The main purpose of a fruit tree is to bear fruit.
The purpose of the peach tree, is peaches (not other peach trees).
The peaches may be less than excellent, but they are still peaches.
Our natures are far less than God, but like God, nevertheless.

Nature produces what it is designed to produce.
The elements of creation glorify God in a great many ways.
Some simply exist in beauty and wonder, producing after their kind.
Other elements produce for human benefit with obvious purpose.

The sheep, for instance, grows wool and provides food.
It does nothing but express these capacities.
It neither pulls wagons, nor plows, nor carries riders.
It stays in the pasture and eats, and gets fat, and grows wool.

We are likened to sheep; not cattle.
Cattle are often in a frenzy of activity.
Pastors are sometimes more like cowboys than shepherds,
Driving the sheep to ever more frenetic effort.

Christ said, “Come unto me… my yoke is easy, my burden is light.”
In God’s economy, each element of nature does what it is designed to do.
And each glorifies God–by splashes of beauty; or by provision,
But each according to its design and capacity.

However, much of what is produced is known by God alone.
Great herds of wild beasts provide neither food nor clothing.
Great fields of flowers and flocks of fowl are known only to God,
But known to Him they are, “For not a sparrow falls to the ground without Him.”

The snowflake, so exquisite; each unique in design,
Glows for a moment in the air, and vanishes in the frozen wasteland.
Just so human beings. Many do exploits in obvious ways,
But many abide for a moment and are gone–glorious to God alone.

And the less comely–the offensive–they too are His creation.
In the overall pattern of God, they are beautiful to Him.
Like the musical device of scordatura (instruments tuned off key),
They too serve the Great Composer; they too, glorify Him.

It is not a matter of being great for the glory of God;
But letting God glorify Himself through us, however He sees best.
Sometimes what we are and do seems lowly in the eyes of others.
John the Baptist said, “I must decrease.” Paul said, “I have become refuse.”

The flesh must often be shattered that the glory of God may be revealed.
Death is often referred to as glorifying God.
“This He said, signifying by what death He should glorify God.” (John 21:19)
We are but vessels of clay housing the glory of God.

The desert is full of wildflowers, minute and microscopic.
Each one, exquisite in design, is usually seen by God alone.
This is what it means to live for the glory of God.
Giant Bird of Paradise, or tiny Verbena, everything is for His glory.

As members of His body and the radiant effluence of His Spirit,
Whatever God wants us to do, He will give us the capacity to do, and the desire.
And whatever we do, however trivial it may seem,
Will become part of His glory, manifested in the world.