I like to watch infomercials.  I love the way they persuade me to cut aluminum cans with my kitchen knives, cook whole frozen turkeys in just thirty minutes, and watch my waist slim down just by pressing the “on” switch to some new contraption.  I was thinking of infomercials when I started preparing this week’s message on personal devotion.

Asking people to engage in acts of personal devotion to God is sort of like what I see taking place in the infomercial.  The salesman didn’t put on his little bow tie just to explain that sharp knives cut better than dull ones; we already believe that.  I mean, who doesn’t value a good meal in a short amount of time?  And needless to say, they don’t have to convince us that exercising is better than not exercising.  My point is that I don’t have to sell others on the value of personal devotion.  We already believe that praying and Bible and worship are important.  What seems to be needed is the motivation to act on what we already value.

Now, I don’t mean to devalue Godly devotion by comparing it to sales and manipulation.  But I think there is a lesson to be found in the infomercial illustration–albeit maybe just a small one.  Here is what I get from this comparison…We sometimes need a boost of motivation to begin doing what we already value.  In other words, I’m not interested in giving the audience a lecture to explain why prayer, the Bible, and worship are good for us–that will be assumed.  What I am looking for is a holy inspired motivation where we “get off the couch” and begin to do it.

Let’s get past the salesman’s deal…after all he only had to get you to call up and order the exercise equipment.  Once he delivers the goods, it’s up to you whether it gets you buff or collects dust.  Now think about a hiring a personal trainer.  A personal trainers job would be to continually motivate you to do what you value.

So how much motivation do you need to act on your personal devotion throughout the week?  Do you need more consistency, do you need a schedule, do you need someone to personally train you?  My hope is that Sunday will be a motivation to our devotion, and perhaps–as they say in the infomercials…”you’re guaranteed results in ten days or less!”

If you haven’t chimed in on the personal devotion poll, please do so, and I’ll see you Sunday!

This Sunday, I will be speaking about personal devotion. At Team Church we have three basic areas where we want to see believers grow in personal devotion to God: prayer, Bible, and personal worship.

I’ll explain more on Sunday, but for now, please take a moment to chime in on the following three polls. It’s anonymous by the way. Polls work best when more people join in, so please pass the link along to others. Your input could be helpful for my message Sunday.

Be sure to click “Vote” for each of the three polls. Thanks!

This weekend is going to be fantastic! I call it “Swim Sunday” for lack of a better name, but it’s a lot more than just meeting at a swimming pool. First of all we’re going to be baptizing. Secondly, since we’re not going to be meeting at the gym, we won’t be setting up all the normal gear. I hope our volunteers will enjoy the break. And last, but not least, this is another chance to eat together! Remember, last Sunday, I asked everyone to make dinner or lunch plans with another family…This is at least one way you can get a chance to sit and talk over a meal with someone new.

As for the baptism, let me explain a little about that. In the last section of the New Testament book of Matthew, Jesus told exactly what believers ought to be doing. I call this “Jesus’ Great Purpose:”

Jesus came to them[the disciples] and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Baptism seems to be something that Jesus desires for everyone who comes to put their trust in Him as Savior, and makes Him Lord of their life. That’s when you become a disciple, and you see that He also intends for every disciple to be taught to obey and experience the everlasting presence of Jesus.

The baptism itself looks like the disciple going under the water for just a moment and coming up.  That symbolizes that the disciple has died to him or herself by being buried in a watery grave, and then, just like the resurrection, the disciple is brought up again out of the water to symbolize the new life Jesus gives us.

To be honest, it’s not the easiest thing to explain, but it’s one of those things that you get it when you see it.  I hope you’ll come ready to experience a really unique Sunday morning. You can find more info on our style of baptism at www.teamchurch.com/baptism.

See you then!  Bring your sunscreen, a folding chair, and lots of friends!

I had a conversation with a good friend of mine last week that was so refreshing.  He had been thinking about the message series on relationships, and specifically considering what it takes to become the spiritual leader of his home.  Here’s someone who doesn’t just walk away from a message and think, “Okay, that was fun,” and never thinks about it again.  He genuinely listens to what God may be telling him, and actually tries to put it into practice.

I’m afraid that it is just too easy for us to feel a conviction from God, and then do nothing to back up what God is saying to us.  And what’s worse is that after ignoring God’s commands for a while, sometimes we may not hear anything new from Him, and we wonder, “God, where are You?  Why don’t you speak to me?”

In the New Testament book of James, the writer says,  ²²Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

In the message Sunday, I spoke about four responsibilities that we share in being on Jesus’ Team. I’ll list the four below, but you can get a better description and videos that will help you understand more at www.teamchurch.com/our-values.

• Love One Another
• Serve the Church
• Give to God through the Church
• Share Jesus with Others

Now, it would be easy to have heard this message, pumped your fist, and said, “Yep, we’ve got to love more, and serve others… oh and what were the other two???”  You could definitely spend this week making no change at all …BUT what if you were like my friend, and asked, “How, can I do those things that you said were like the most basic responsibilities of every believer?” Ask yourself some tough questions, like taking a hard look in the mirror, and make some changes.  After all it’s what God has been asking you to do.

• Do I really know what it is to love my co-workers?  How do I show love when I am so frustrated by them?  Am I afraid to love because I may not get love in return?
• I know there are people worse off than me, but why don’t I serve them?  I want others to support me when I need help, but I haven’t helped others that much lately.
• When it comes to giving, do I really trust God to provide what I need…or maybe I’m afraid He wants to whittle me down to only my needs.  I know my money is a huge worry to me, and at the same time I’m guilty that I don’t give more.  What am I supposed to do?
• Am I anyone special to talk to someone about Jesus?  Won’t they laugh?  Won’t I feel ashamed?  But if God opens up an opportunity and is asking me to say something, isn’t this just a question of will I do what He says or not?