generousity

The Message from The Gathering Place, March 12, 2023

thegatheringplacefl.org

We need to develop creative ways to practice the presence of God, seeking to become aware of God ‘in the common business of life.’

Being present is being grounded in the here and now. — SOMETIMES IT REQUIRES US TO TAKE OFF OUR MASKS AND JUST BE REAL WITH GOD. GOD WILL SHOW UP—> Share wailing wall experience.

We can be so detached from ourselves, others, and God — live in Christian religious bubble. No wonder we have a hard time living missionally — not living on our purpose to extend God’s redeeming love.

1. Be intentional to use your phone/social media less — make this a goal to lower screen time. Mindless scrolling is the opposite of mindfulness. It is not helpful for the soul to be inundated with targeted adds, it is hard to be grateful when you are comparing your life with what you see on social media— The research is starting to suggest overuse of social media being linked to metal health issues (i.e depression and anxiety)

2. Connect with your immediate surroundings - observe nature or your community, cultivate the appreciation of beauty and curiosity (sky, sunsets, clouds, flowers, smells), go for a walk

3. Give Your Undivided attention to others— I feel devalued when I’m talking to someone and interrupted by phone. Yet, I do it more often than I would like to admit.

4. Avoid Multitasking - danger of increased stress, less efficiency, poorer memory and emotion regulation, reduced relationship satisfaction, —Try to focus on one task at a time.

5. Take more breaks and be willing to take a pause —

6. Get out and Play! When was the last time you went outside and played — childlike faith.

The Benedictines seek to embody the practice of ‘work and play ’which is an intentional way of combining contemplation with action, encouraging us to punctuate our working day with regular disciplines of prayer and meditation on the word of God.

When we are present — We can really experience God and each other in more meaningful ways.

WESLEY'S COVENANT SERVICE

Commit yourselves to Christ as his servants. Give yourselves to him, that you may belong to him. Christ has many services to be done. Some are more easy and honorable, others are more difficult and disgraceful. Some are suitable to our inclinations and interests, others are contrary to both. In some we may please Christ and please ourselves. But then there are other works where we cannot please Christ except by denying ourselves. It is necessary, therefore, that we consider what it means to be a servant of Christ. Let us, therefore, go to Christ, and pray:

Let me be your servant, under your command. I will no longer be my own. I will give up myself to your will in all things.

Be satisfied that Christ shall give you your place and work.

Lord, make me what you will. I put myself fully into your hands: put me to doing, put me to suffering, let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you, let me be full, let me be empty, let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and with a willing heart give it all to your pleasure and disposal.

Christ will be the Savior of none but his servants. He is the source of all salvation to those who obey. Christ will have no servants except by consent; Christ will not accept anything except full consent to all that he requires. Christ will be all in all, or he will be nothing.

Confirm this by a holy covenant. To make this covenant a reality in your life, listen to these admonitions:

First, set apart some time, more than once, to be spent alone before the Lord; in seeking earnestly God's special assistance and gracious acceptance of you; in carefully thinking through all the conditions of the covenant; in searching your hearts whether you have already freely given your life to Christ. Consider what your sins are. Consider the laws of Christ, how holy, strict, and spiritual they are, and whether you, after having carefully considered them, are willing to choose them all. Be sure you are clear in these matters, see that you do not lie to God.

Second, be serious and in a spirit of holy awe and reverence.

Third, claim God's covenant, rely upon God's promise of giving grace and strength, so you can keep your promise. Trust not your own strength and power.

Fourth, resolve to be faithful. You have given to the Lord your hearts, you have opened your mouths to the Lord, and you have dedicated yourself to God. With God's power, never go back. And last, be then prepared to renew your covenant with the Lord. Fall down on your knees, lift your hands toward heaven, open your hearts to the Lord, as we pray:

 
 Copyright: “Covenant Renewal Service” Copyright © 1992 UMPH. Wesley Covenant Service abridged by Ole E. Borgen.

https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/book-of-worship/covenant-renewal-service

Notes from oct. 23 at The Gathering Place, Palm Beach Gardens

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore 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.””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28:18-20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

 And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” ( Matthew 29:20b NIV 

““Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18:19-20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

 And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” ( Matthew 29:20b NIV )

The Message from The Gathering Place,  Sep 25, 2022.
thegatheringplacefl.org

1 Corinthians 4:14-17 (NIV) 14 I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. 15 Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.

 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34 NIV)

The Message from The Gathering Place, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
thegatheringplacefl.org

Mark 4:1-9 NIV

Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

Mark 4:13-20 NIV

13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”