Be a Circle Maker

 Sunday Morning @ Community Heights Alliance Church in Newton, IA

Joshua 1:3 - Be a Circle Maker (from a booklet by Mark Batterson)

The earth has circled the sun more than 2000 times since the day Honi drew his circle in the sand, but God is still looking for circle makers (Mark Batterson)

The story of Israel as circle makers is found in Joshua 6 in the story of the fall of Jericho.  Their motivation was found 600 years earlier when in Genesis 15:7 God promised Abraham and his descendants the land they were about to enter.  (see also Genesis 28:13-15; Exodus 3:6-8; Joshua 1:3)

The message to Joshua in that moment and spoken throughout the ages is--"This is the land I have given You!" " Go and draw a circle around it!

Is there a limit to the Lord's Power? Our biggest problem is often our low view of God.

The Lord answered Moses, "Is the Lord's arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you." (Numbers 11:23 NIV)

Principle #1 - As you draw prayer circles, believe in God's power.

"What do you want me to do for you?" (Mark 10:51)

Principle #2 - As you draw prayer circles, be specific in your requests.

God's ways are higher than our ways

" As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."  (Isaiah 55:9 NIV)

Principle #3 - As you draw your prayer circles, trust in God no matter what.

Principle #4  - As you draw your prayer circles, think in terms of geometry and not arithmetic.

 

 

Keys to Having an Effective Prayer Life

 Keys to having an Effective Prayer Life (Guest Speaker - Jonathan Graff)

1) Understand the purpose of prayer 

The primary purpose is to grow a relationship with God. It's not to deal with crises. It's not to get things done.  It's not to receive things.  Prayer helps us know God and not just know about Him. 

The secondary purpose is to release His Will on earth.  It's the John 15 principle.  John 15:7 flows from the context of our abiding in Him.  The relationship of abiding in Him releases His will in our lives and world. The abiding relationship creates an alignment of our hearts with His.

Examples from stories in the Scriptures - James 5, I Kings 18, Daniel 9, Matthew 17 & Mark 9

Faith is nurtured through prayer (See connection between Matthew 17 & Mark 9).  Prayer creates the expectation level of a congregation.

2) We need to understand our own personality.

God has wired each of us differently.  Our prayers often reflect how God has spiritually gifted us. Corporate prayer should be focused on one thing, giving each of the different giftings freedom to express themselves in how God has made them.  It creates a symphony of prayer instead of forcing everyone to play the same instrument.

We each approach prayer differently.  Some can focus on prayer in the car, on the exercise bike, on a walk, or in a secluded place.  The key is discovering what would get you to the place of connection with God.  Be flexible with yourself.  Explore what would help you connect with God. The key, "What fits your personality?"

Closing Questions

1) How are you praying in keeping with your personality?

2) Who is in your sphere of influence you should be praying for?

3) God wants to change me. Every prayer is actually a surrendering to God.

The Ultimate Answer to Prayer

 Sunday Morning at Community Heights Alliance Church, Newton, IA

Guest Speaker: Jonathan Graff - The Ultimate Answer to Prayer

Obscure passage from the OT and a very familiar NT passage in the New Testament - I Chronicles 13:9-14

1 Chronicles 13:9-14

David in his impatience, decides to bring the Ark to his city to enhance the worship he had setup.  He didn't consult with anyone as to how the Ark was to be transported.  Rather, he just moves it. The oxen stumble, one of the workers touches the ark in an attempt to steady it and dies as a result. David fears the Ark and presence of God.

Obed-Edom the Gittite housed the Ark after the ark stumbled in front of his home. It remained at his home for 3 months, bringing blessing to his home. He later moves to the city of David to be a gate keeper where the Ark was housed.  He later moves to being a musician and then later a doorkeeper for the ark (1 Chronicles 15). In Chapter 16 he enlisted his whole family to take care of the Ark, bringing blessing to his entire family.  Obed-Edom demonstrated a hunger for the presence of God.

Question, do I have that same hunger.  The box for the presence of God today is our very lives. Prayer is the catalyst for releasing that presence.

Luke 11:5-13

The Father desires to give us the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Luke in recording the story of Jesus' baptism is the only Gospel writer who records that the Spirit came "while Jesus was praying". When we pray, we get the filling of the Holy Spirit. in Acts 4:31 the filled disciples experience another filling of the Holy Spirit.

Three Baby Steps for Prayer (Movie: What About Bob)

1) Daily Surrender

2) Daily Meet with God

3) Ask God to increase within you the hunger to know Him and seek Him.

Watch and experience God filling you with Himself.

I am an enthusiastic Mitt Romney guy!

Christie, I, and the boys attended our first Iowa Caucus a few Tuesdays back.  I got pretty excited about getting involved in our nation's political process.   Attendance at our caucus was like being at a poorly run church meeting where you don't know people as well.  

 

We accomplished the following in our meeting.

 

• Elected people to various positions.  Since noboby really knew each other, it was a little slow at first.  Basically they went with whomever volunteered.  Guess what I did?  I volunteered and consequently was elected to be a County Delegate.  I'll let you know later if that was a smart choice or not.
  
• Allowed for each of the candidate's surragates to give a 5 minute speech.  Regrettably, noboby spoke but the young person for Ron Paul.  Though I respected the young man from Missouri getting up to give an impassioned plea for his candidate, I was somewhat put off that he wasn't from our community.  It felt to me like it was contrary to the neighborhood process of the caucus.
• We presented resolutions to be considered for the Republican Platform.  Each of these was recorded, discussed, and voted upon.  Not a bad process.  I was kind of an odd ball.  It's not that I disagreed with anything that was presented in principle, but rather the intensity and inflexibility in which they were presented.  Life, politics, running our country is a complicated process.  I'm looking for good sound principles that can be entrusted to reliable and trustworthy individuals to be reflected in our legislative and executive branches of government.  Though I believe in the concept of the balanced budget, I don't necessarily agree with how most are crafted.  In good years, we should be saving money for a rainy day and in bad days, we should be spending that money we saved.  That to me is what a balanced budget approach looks like.  It's sad that there seems to be a sentiment that we can no longer trust our elected leaders for such an approach and instead have to pass hard and fast rules.
• We adjourned the meeting.

An interesting experience I would like to get more involved wth in the future.  One good outcome, we met another of our neighbors.  He was a dear 84 year-old man who has lived his entire life in Newton, IA.  He had walked to the Caucus and didn't seem to know where to go.  We adopted him and ended up giving him a ride home.

So are you interested in who I caucused for?  Well since I am no longer pastoring a church, I will let you know and explain my reasoning.  Let me first begin by establishing some of my assumptions and observations.

• There is not much difference between the positions and views of the Republican candidates.  I just don't get into this "true conservative" argument.  I do allow, and even appreciate, those whose positions evolve.  Mine do.  Why shouldn't other's positions.  I do like it when they admit it and don't merely try to reframe it.
• There were three primary factors I considered when looking at each of the candidate

1)  Alignment with my world and government views.

2)  Demonstrated leadership; someone who knows and has led others; excutive leadership

3)  Ability to work with others.  I openly and willingly admit not everyone sees things as I do.  I want someone who truly can work with both Democrats and Republicans.  I want some who shares my perspectives but at the same is able to lead, inspire, and speak to all of America.

4)  Someone who I believe is trustworthy.  I am looking for a leader who not merely shares my perspective but can be trusted to lead, appropriately compromise, and collaborate with all of the diversity that makes up our country.  His or her life should demonstrate such trustworthiness.

Therefore, after much thought, I finally decided to caucus for Gov. Mitt Romney.  I believe he is the best person to lead our country forward.  He is not my concession.  He is my choice.  That is not to say I can't be furthered swayed.  But it is my perspective from where I sit today.

Reflections from Sunday

New Year's Resolutions, setting them at least indicates I have an interest in change.  And, I know God is interested in change. God is working change into our lives (Philippians 1:6).  In working with him...

Daily...

• Surrender to God (Romans 12:1) - Dear Lord, my day, my activities, and all that I am belong to you and today I make them available to you.
• Study the Word of God (Psalm 1:1-3) - Lord, I want to have Your mind and perspective.
• Silence my heart (Psalm 37:7) - Lord, I want to hear Your voice, sense your direction and so I intentionally pause, wait, and listen.

Weekly...

• Set a day to worship and honor God (Exodus 20:8-11) - Lord, I purposely interrupt my normal routines of living, making money, and pursuing my desires and set aside a day to remember You, Your goodness, and Your activities.
• Serve someone (Mark 10:45) - Lord, I have created margins in my life to be Your love, presence, and care with who you bring across my path this week.
• Share with someone (Philemon 6) - Lord, I chose to engage other, live in community, 

Monthly...

• Survey your progress (Psalm 139) - Lord, I desire all of who You are to search and try all of who I am.  
• Share your responses with a trusted friend - Lord, I choose to live a life of accountability.

Christmas 2011 Dunwell Family #3.mov

Christmas 2011 Dunwell Family #2.mov