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The New You Resolution Day Three
Welcome to Day 3. I want to encourage those of you who missed Sunday’s service or haven’t started a fast and prayer schedule to… JUMP IN with us. It is not too late. You can view the service by clicking on this link.
We are separating ourselves from our normal routine and listening more intently to God’s voice. We are distracted with all the clutter and activity of our normal live. During the next 3 weeks, we want to intentionally focus on God with targeted prayer and fasting. Reading scripture is also crucial to feeding your spirit.
Yesterday and today, my mind has been captivated by the process. I am constantly thinking about my physical needs. What I can eat, what I can’t. What I want to eat, what I can’t. Hunger. Frustration. Pain. The physical is difficult, however, it is not near as difficult as the mental struggle. To me, the psychological struggle is much more difficult than the physical one. This struggle is what it is all about. Don’t be worried if you don’t feel real spiritual yet. That will come. Just fast and pray. God will show up. Don’t doubt it.
This morning, I gathered with the church staff and we prayed for about 40 minutes. Then, we went over our homework sheet from Sunday. It was so good to discuss each other’s strengths and weaknesses. I hope that some of you have filled out the paper and get a chance to discuss with someone this week. It is so good to have that type of transparent conversation. We talked about our 1s, 3s, and 5s. Ouch. The 5s. We also talked about how we think our perspective will change in 3 weeks. We will probably answer the worksheet much differently at the end of this fast. Ironically, I think we will change some of the 1s to 3s. We don’t truly understand how screwed up we are just yet. After, getting closer to God, you realize that some of the areas you thought were ok, were really not so good after all. 
Didn’t get the worksheet? Click here for it.
For breakfast today, Erica and I ate Ezekiel 49 Cereal with Almond Milk. Not too bad. For lunch some of us went to Jason’s Deli for soup and salad (no free ice cream today). Drinking more water today! Yay!
All for now,
Robin
The New You Resolution Day Two
Day Two! Our first non-church day fasting and praying together.
I had a VERY difficult time getting out of bed today. I wanted to keep sleeping. This is not normal for me. I typically have a fairly easy time waking up around 5:30am. I struggled with a headache for most of the day. Finally, this afternoon, it went away. I am actually feeling good at this point.
For those who missed my post yesterday, I am fasting from meats, sugar, junk food. I am eating fruits, vegetables, lentals, some whole grains. I ate a fruit smoothie for breakfast. Erica made a vegetable soup last night. I ate that for lunch. I ate a banana as a snack this afternoon. I have not drank enough water today. That is always something I struggle with.
I had an impromptu prayer meeting after coming to the church this morning. Something was going on in my office, so I left and went to the prayer room. I had a quick and powerful time expressing myself to God. I encourage you to jump into these types of conversations with God throughout the day. LISTEN. He will speak to you. What is he saying?
Sometimes during a fast, I feel heaviness and even slight depression. It does not last through the day, but will linger here and there when I think about what I am fasting from. If this happens to you, don’t worry. It is normal is MISS what you normally enjoy. You will have cravings. That is normal. Supplement or replace your activities with reading the Bible, prayer, conversation with others. If you struggle with this, be honest with someone you trust. Have them speak words of encouragement to you. Make sure you go to someone that is also fasting. This is very important.
How was your day two? Please comment on this post!
All for now,
Robin
Day One -New You Resolution 2017
Today, we kicked off the New You Resolution and I want to add a public blog entry each day.
We had a great time at church in all 3 services in San Marcos. I heard good reports from the Lockhart campus as well.
I will be following the Daniel Fast this year. No meats and sugar. I do eat some grains during a Daniel Fast. Mostly vegetables, fruit, juices, water, smoothies, etc. I will eat beans and rice. Nothing fried. One day a week, I will fast from all food until dinner. This morning I drank a fruit smoothie. I snacked on grapes during church. I ate veggie bowl at Chipotle for lunch. Dinner? I have no idea yet. 🙂
I will continue my daily devotions and add prayer times throughout the day. I am thinking through the 4 Ws. My Worries. My Wrongs. My Wounds. My Wishes.
God what are you telling me?
I simply put this info here to keep myself accountable and help encourage some of you. Please do what you feel is a challenge for you.
If you have questions or comments, feel free to post below.
+ Robin
No Show Sunday 2016
NO SHOW SUNDAY
Today, Worship is a lot different from a normal Sunday.
If you are a guest today, normally, you would have had:
- people helping you in the parking lot
- folks meeting you at the door and helping you find a seat.
- The grass would have been mowed.
- The Student Center would have been unlocked! Teachers would have been over there to welcome your family, check in the kids and teach them about Jesus!
- Loving Volunteers in the Nursery that have passed an extensive background check would have been loving on your babies and changing their dirty diapers while you worshipped over here.
- There would have been a band and singers up here!
- There would have been words on the screen when we tried to learn that new song.
- There would have been some lights turned on
WHAT HAPPENED?? Jesus came back and raptured all the real Christians! We are the only ones left.
Actually, TODAY IS CALLED NO SHOW SUNDAY. WE ASKED ALL THE VOLUNTEERS TO NOT SERVE TODAY! Our goal is to have the worst worship experience of PromiseLand San Marcos.
If your kids get a little antsy, we understand. We provided some colors and a piece of paper for them to do some artwork. AT THE END OF SERVICE, EVERYONE GETS ICE CREAM THAT LISTENS INTENTLY.
If you are a guest, we invite you back next week. It will be awesome!
Two objectives today!
- The current volunteers will hear our heartfelt thanks! We could do it without you, but it would really stink.
- That we will recruit the potential of some of you.
Let me show you this in the Bible:
John 2:1 The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. 3 The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.”
Honor was everything in their culture. In our culture, profit or success or achievement is everything. In their culture, you were supposed to honor each other and when you ran out of wine you had failed to honor your guests.
TODAY, we had no wine for you. We did not honor you or God today. This happens a lot in churches in America. Churches fail to honor God and guests.
We have always made it a priority at PSM to honor our guests and make them feel welcomed in our home. When it doesn’t happen, we do everything in our power to make it better. Guests are a big deal at PSM.
Over the last 13 years, we have had 9467+ of people walk through our doors! Our Question is: Will we have wine at the party? Will we honor our guests. When they get here we need to be able to give them the very best!
When we honor guests, we honor God!
We have some big weddings in our day and time. (bridezillas) Weddings in Jesus’ day were HUGE. They could last up to a week. This was an opportunity for a wedding, but also for gift giving. For us to not have order, excellence, joy is a disgrace, dishonor. We are the church of God. We are serving the bread of life.
God is great and greatly to be praised!
Our culture here at PSM is one that honors God and serves His people!
- Every member is a minister (everyone represents God to others)
- Every task is important
- Everybody is a 10 at something.
Some today might say, I like this environment, it is quieter, we don’t need the lights and loud music. If God wants to save them, then he can save them. If you are leaning that way, make sure you aren’t using God’s sovereignty to hide your apathy. Just because he can doesn’t mean he will. HE CREATED YOU FOR A PURPOSE. Get in the game!
Mary had just hinted that Jesus should do something about the wine problem.
4 “…woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”
KIDS, this is the one time you can not do what Jesus does. Do not use this verse. You can’t use this passage as WWJD. – “Son, do your homework…woman, my time has not come.”
Jesus says that this has nothing to do with him. He could have every right to say that about all of earth including our sin. “I’m pure, spotless. They are unholy. What does this have to do with me?” Instead, he empties himself for us. Jesus is about to turn water into wine. It seems like is a bit out of place. Making wine at wedding?
Some might think that they are over qualified to serve. Look at Jesus. Do you think that you are better than Jesus? Jesus was doing quite well separated from humanity but instead lowered himself to become like us and then to die a gruesome death in our place.
In a few minutes, I will give you all the opportunity to jump into serving here at PSM and we will all have to face One of the biggest barriers to serving: PRIDE.
Shaking hands, smiling at people, parking cars, picking up trash, serving coffee.
YOU ARE OVERQUALIFIED FOR ALL OF THESE TASKS.
Jesus was way over qualified to take your sins on his back and carry them to the cross. He was way over qualified to turn water into wine.
You are never more like Jesus than when you are serving (giving).
Even Jesus, had to be prompted to act!
5 But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.”…
Jesus takes something very ordinary and puts ordinary water in them. See God make something supernatural with it.
This happens every week at PSM: I want to CELEBRATE our volunteers for a moment! We have 180 volunteer positions on each Sunday. That encompasses: 360 hours per Sunday, 1512 hours per month, 18,144 hours a year! At minimum wage that is a value of: $3000/week and $156,000/year! Many are doubling up multiple jobs and many are working both services.
And these are not minimum wage jobs! We have
- business owners that are open doors and park cars.
- ‘stay at moms’/professional moms that sing and prepare Sunday School lessons
- IT guys that work all week at the office and then get here and make this place look amazing!
- We have single parents that get here at 7:00am on their day off with all their kids dressed well and get ready to serve you. (Parking in top lot)
7… When the jars had been filled, 8 he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. 9 When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over.
All the guests at the wedding had no idea of what happened to make the miracle happen. But the servants knew!
Every week Jesus is turning water into wine for people at PSM!
You may not see it, but every week we get responses from people who have gone through divorce and yet God has given them peace.
- Jenny diagnosed with stage 3 cancer and then a turnaround where there is no treatment needed.
- Paul on the edge of a breakdown and God turns around his situation, emotions, marriage.
- 2 weeks ago 82 people were baptized! What about the dozen volunteers who were at the church at 6am getting speakers loaded in trucks?!
- Last week, 115 School Backpacks given out! What about the volunteers who gave, went shopping, stuffed the pack, handed out the packs!?
- Over 200 have attended the Growth Track this year. Who served the food, put up the tables, sat down for 1-on-1 counseling?!
Everyone gets to taste it. But only those that serve get to see the transformation.
PromiseLand has some fine tasting wine! In order for God to produce the wine, he is working through a lot of servants who are faithfully taking ordinary clay pots and filling them with ordinary water.
God is doing some amazing things around our house and those that are serving are participating in the miracle!
STARTING TO SERVE IS SIMPLE:
- Take the piece of paper in the seat in front of you and circle ONE box.
- Another way is to go on the CITY this afternoon and all of the specific spots available will be listed.
- If you are ready to make a move, then follow through. If you are feeling guilty here today and sign up and then we try to reach you and you won’t ever call or email us back, then don’t waste the time filling out the card.
If you have been here a while and have been drinking the wine and you are ready to start carrying a jar then, we need you to start carrying a jar!
We have spots available with kids, in social areas, in private areas, cooking meals, shaking hands, cutting grass, working in the dirt!
Carry a jar! There are some servants that are carrying your dead weight. If you are only wanting to social sip at the PSM spiritual wedding, then it’s time to move along! Either move spiritually deeper or move to a church were sitting around is acceptable.
I’m hoping that we will never take for granted what happens here at PSM. We need to treat everyone like a VIP.
Let’s do John 2:5- God is going to continue to turn water into wine! Will you be a part?
- What happens at PSM changes lives forever. This is not a social club or a religious death trap.
- Faithful people humbly make a difference every week. Some every week, some biweekly. Some once a month.
- It takes a little jolt or ‘ask’ from someone else to motivate.
At the Movies: Secret Lives of Pets | Sermon Notes
Sermon notes for the final message in the “At the Movies” series.
Who here is a pet person? Do we have any cat ladies in here?
We have 2 dogs. Weiner dog and a Yorkie. I love dogs until I smell them. Then, it is over. That is a challenge in our house. When we got our Yorkie, we were trying to name her as a pup and my brother-in-law said, “You should name her ‘poops and pees a lot’.”
“The Secret Lives of Pets” is all about a dog named Max who is in love with his owner, but is struggling with this identity. He is struggling with her acceptance of him. He is tempted to believe that another dog would steal her affection away from him. When Duke shows up it reveals his secret turmoil (that is subconscious) and drives him in to a secret plot of sin. He does all sorts of things when his owner isn’t looking.
Have you ever wondered what your pet is doing when you’re away? Ever know of someone who sat up a “pet cam” to see what’s going on?
Surveillance is big business today. Everybody from the military to the corporate world launches satellites so sensitive they can read words on a golf ball sitting in your front yard. Security cameras capture your every move in the mall, the grocery store, the school. We even have security cameras here on our church property.
But nobody sees everything you do, do they? It just so happens that one person does.
One of the characteristics of God is that he is omniscient, which is a big way of saying “He knows everything”,
Psalm 139:1-3 O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do.
God knows the amount of Hairs of your head, Your past, your future, those things no one else knows. (Might make you feel uncomfortable),
He sees not just what’s going on outside, but what’s going on in your heart and your head, the motives and attitudes and feelings nobody else sees.
He sees the insecurities and identity problems you have (as MAX) when DUKE shows up!
Few of us do very little wrong (I hope) on Sunday morning at church, because we know everybody’s watching. But what about when we’re away from church, when we’re at home, at work, or alone? Do we have a SECRET LIFE Mon-Sat?
Not necessarily something that happens everyday or every week, but thoughts, attitudes, events that happen from time to time that no one else knows about. That we would hate for others to find out?
WHAT DO WE DO WITH THESE TIMES? WHAT DO WE DO WITH THESE THOUGHTS…THESE HABITS?
If ever there was a person who fell into a secret life, it was King David. David wasn’t caught on tape, but records of what he did are in the Bible. David was a Great warrior. A Great leader. One of the greatest kings of all time. Loved and respected by many. God (his Owner) loved him so much.
2 Samuel 11:1 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.
2 Samuel 11:2-4: Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath 3 He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4 Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her.
David was in a place he where he should not have been and as a result found himself tempted in an intoxicating way. If David had his attention where God wanted it, he would never put it where God didn’t want it. David begins a chain of secret events that leads to murder.
Here are 3 important facts about Secret Lives:
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Secret Lives Hinder Purpose
David’s sin was not in seeing Bathsheba. His sin was not trusting that God would provide satisfaction for him. He believed the lie of the devil that said, “Bathsheba will provide you the satisfaction you need”.
David’s purpose in life (like you and me) is to honor God and live for him! It is that simple. We make life so much more complicated.
When David started down the secret path of life, he started deviated from the original purpose in which God created him.
Your life will have so many details: occupation, marriage, finances, school, hobbies, fun stuff, hard stuff. Because we are so busy with all those categories of life, we can forget the original purpose and plan back at the garden of eden. Worship God. Be a good steward over the earth.
We get distracted just like Max. We get distracted just like David. We start doubting our worth. We start desiring immediate satisfaction. We doubt our impact on others. We are afraid of not having enough money. We start thinking about ourselves TOO MUCH.
Thinking about yourself too much is PRIDE.
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.
This proverb is your warning sign today! Your God-given purpose in life is going to be stalled, distracted and ultimately destroyed by your selfish perspective.
That leads us right into fact #2:
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Secret Lives Have Consequences
2 Samuel 11:5 Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message, saying, “I’m pregnant.”
David attempts to hide his sin so that it is not exposed. Sins leads simply to more sin.
David brings Uriah home to give him a report on the war, Throws him a party, Gets him drunk, and hopes that he will sleep with Bathsheba. Offering a cover-up for her pregnancy.
The lies, manipulation, and impact on the armed forces who remain in battle without one of their leaders is obvious. Plan fails. Uriah is loyal to his men who are at battle with the enemy
Then, David puts Uriah on the front line so that he will be killed in the intensity of battle. The disregard for human life in order to keep his sin hidden is again obvious.
David is willing to pursue anything that will keep his sin from being exposed. It takes all of his energies, and the one sin multiplies itself into more sin.
Sin always promises something it cannot deliver.
When we hear these promises, we are tempted to give in, to accept the deception and justify our action. David must have done that.
We delete texts. We make up stories. We erase internet history. We have others cover for us. We lie to ourselves. We say that it really doesn’t matter to anyone else. We say that our kids will grow up and not be affected.
The whole concept of hiding our sin is deceptive. Our sin is never hidden before God and only hidden with difficulty from our conscience. Our hidden sin hinders our fellowship with God and others and is a barrier to spiritual life and power.
The good news is that NO ONE is too far gone for God!
That takes us to Fact #3 about Secret Lives:
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Secret Lives Can Receive Forgiveness
The first verse of chapter 12 introduces us to Nathan,
One of the bravest and boldest men in all the Bible. Nathan told David a parable-type story of a very rich man who killed the only sheep of a poor man.
Story that revealed David as if he were looking in a mirror. So that David can “get a good look at himself.” David had a sense of right and wrong.
When he heard Nathan’s story, he probably sprang to his feet and demanded, “Where is this man? We will arrest him. We will execute him!”
It is interesting how easily we can see the sin in somebody else, but we cannot see it in your own life. That was David’s problem.
Can you imagine the look on David’s face when Nathan says, “It is YOU!”. David has done the things that God said, “Thou shalt not do.” Is he going to get by with it?
We all need a “Nathan” around us who will tell us the truth about ourselves and help us stay humble before the Lord.
Through Nathan’s boldness, David had a different attitude. His heart had changed once the “cover up” was revealed.
He didn’t excuse himself or justify his sin, but freely owns it:
2 Samuel 12:13 …I have sinned against the Lord,
He submitted to the conviction. He owns his guilt
Psalm 51:2-3 Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.
Psalm 51:12: Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
In spite of what we do God still loves us!
None of us are too far gone…Quite possibly God has sent me today to warn you of some things going on in your life right now. If you have felt the uncomfortable tension of conviction, then listen to the Spirit today.
Mark 2:17… “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
1 Corinthians 4:4 My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. 5 So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.
Let’s give everything to God today. Maybe you are locked in some habits or addictions. Maybe you have struggled with your identity or your acceptance from others.
Receive the Good News today that God accepts you and loves you. He wants to make your life shaped in his plan and will.
God wants to forgive you and heal you today through the power of Jesus Christ!
Robin Steele 