Month: March 2020

Are you listening?

/ Don McGarvey / Leave a comment

This past Sunday I spoke from Romans 8:28 and brought Part I of a teaching called, “That’s Good!” The second part will be coming on April 19, 2020, the Sunday after Easter.

I’ve really been thinking about what good God will bring out of this. I’m pretty sure there are things that I can’t even imagine at this time but in the meantime, there might be a couple of things that I can see.

First, most of us are dealing with more time on our hands than normal. This frees us to do things around the house that we had been putting off. It frees us to read those books and magazines that we’ve stacked up. It also frees us to pray more and to read the Bible more.

Second, for many of us, this has been a time to slow down (okay, more than most of us wanted.)

Third, and I think one of the greatest things to happen is that more people are hearing the Gospel through all the on-line church services than ever before.

May I offer a suggestion for your prayer times?

Praying is more than talking to God. Praying also involves listening to Him. So, in your times of prayer, stop and simply ask God if there is something He’d like to say to you. Then listen. Just sit and allow God, by His Spirit, to speak to your spirit.

I don’t believe God will thunder His answer. It might simply be an idea; it might be a thought or two; it might be a picture that He wants to show you that will open a whole new realm.

Several years ago, I listened to someone share how God had been speaking to him in dreams. Someone asked him why he thought God was speaking in this manner. His explanation for why God was doing this was that since he was asleep and being still, God could finally get a word in.

One other suggestion I would offer is in these quiet times, make sure you have a notebook and something to write with. This will help you remember what it is that God wants you to know. It also might be a good time and place for you to write out some action steps about what God spoke.

Here’s a great question for you to consider: “What do you think would happen if we listened to God like we think He ought to listen to us?”

He’s speaking. That’s not the question. The question is, “Are we listening/obeying?” Listening and obeying are the same thing.

Always in Pursuit!

Don

Dad Joke #2: CASHIER: “Would you like the milk in a bag, sir?” DAD: “No, just leave it in the carton!’”

Helpless & Hopeless?

/ Don McGarvey / Leave a comment

No matter who I speak with, the sentiments are the same. We’ve never seen anything like this before.

It just seems as if we are being bombarded with bad news that only seems to get worse.

Many are wrestling with anxiety and fear. Many are wrestling with feeling alone and helpless. I’m sure some have even dipped down into the ranks of feeling hopeless.

In 2 Kings 6:8-23 is a great story about Elisha, his servant and the army of Aram. Take a moment to read it.

I love the part where Elisha’s servant sees the enemy army and panics. He feels helpless and hopeless. But Elisha prays, asks God to open his servant’s eyes into the spirit realm, which God does.

The servant looked up and saw that the army of heaven outnumbered the army of Aram. Then God struck the enemy army with blindness and Elisha and his servant led the entire army into the city of the King. Just the two of them.

I wish we could see into the heavens today. We’d see a similar picture. The army of heaven is armed, ready for action on our behalf. The army of heaven will help bring about a great victory through all of this.

I know it’s nothing like we’ve seen before and hopefully will never see again but I know God will help us.

Take a minute and pray for someone you know who might be a bit anxious about all this. Ask God to wrap His arms around them. Then, take another moment and give them a call just to let them know you are thinking about them.

Blessings to you!

Don

Dad Joke #1: Do you know what they call someone without a body and without a nose? Nobody knows.

I know it’s goofy but please keep track for me how many times you repeat it! I know you will.

That’s Good, Part I

/ Don McGarvey / Leave a comment
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Sunday, March 29, 2020
That’s Good, Part I
Romans 8:28, 35, 37, 38-39

Bible Reading: Psalm 116:1-8

Teaching Notes:

Immediate Good–

Ultimate Good–

Three Verses to Never Forget:

Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor, a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”

Malachi 3:6 “For I am the Lord, I do not change.”

Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.”

Busy Never Stops

/ Don McGarvey / Leave a comment

For some of us, life has slowed down. I’m sure in some ways it feels as if life as we knew it stopped. In some ways, it did. Social distancing, self-quarantines, school closures and work at home orders have changed life as we knew it.

A highly valued and respected friend posted on social media this morning a short video of her playing the piano and singing. She preceded the segment by saying she hadn’t sat down to play the piano and sing for months due to a busy life. I know her and her husband. For them, busy never stops.

Some of the families I am privileged to pastor are finding themselves at home, both from school and from work. I’m sure they are facing new challenges of how to deal this. I’ve watched them deal with seasons of “busy on steroids” for several years now. I will be curious as to how they have dealt with this season.

Let me challenge you with a thought. I know there are some things you did that you can no longer do. When this over, ask yourself the question, is that something we really need to start doing again or can we go forward without it?

We have the opportunity to create a new normal, not only in this season of quarantine but in the season to come.

I’m hoping there are more folks who taking the time in this “new normal” to talk to one another, go for walks, play games, read books, including the Bible and other activities that perhaps being busy had robbed them of.

We have the potential to learn something from every season. Sometimes we learn from our mistakes while at other times we learn from new ideas or from new technology. What new ideas have you come up with during this season? Is something you’d like to continue?

If you would like, you can share some things you have already learned. I would imagine some of these things could be things you want to continue doing but I would also assume there will be some things you won’t want to ever do again.

I noticed one person said something about spending more time talking to their spouse and determined they really weren’t so bad.

My favorite was from a guy who was quarantined alone. He mentioned a conversation he had with a spider. He found out he was a web designer.

Always in Pursuit!

Don

Living Sacrifices, Part III

/ Don McGarvey / Leave a comment

My Sermon Notes

Sunday, March 22, 2020

Living Sacrifices, Part III,

Romans 12:1-2

#1—You give God your body—v1

Luke 2:22 Joseph & Mary brought Jesus to the Temple to present Him to God

To present: to place beside; to place at one’s disposal; to surrender; to offer, as to offer a sacrifice/offering to God; or to present a special offering to God

Luke 9:23 “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

#2—You give God your mind—v2a

Don’t be “conformed” to society. Don’t lower yourself to the values of those who are contrary to God’s ways. Instead, rise above the values of the world; have the mind of Christ in you by following the leadership of the Holy Spirit in your life.

Hide God’s Word in your heart! Stay in fellowship with other believers! Focus on the good things God has to offer.

#3—You give God your will—v2b

In Pursuit!

/ Don McGarvey / Leave a comment

Many years ago a colleague would step into my office and ask the question, “So, how is God pursuing you today?”

I never really knew how to answer his question. He continued to do this for several days and finally I stopped him and asked him to explain.

He very quickly stated that most Christ-followers felt that pursuit was only a one-way thing. Most felt that it was them pursuing God and they never really gave a thought to the idea that God is pursuing us.

I mulled that over for a few days and finally, with the help of the Holy Spirit, began to see how God was pursuing me.

He was pursuing me through His Word (the Bible); through books I was reading; through relationships; through times of prayer both verbalizing things to God but also listening to Him; and even through the mundane events of my day.

It took me awhile to come to the point where I accepted the fact that God was crazy about me; that God wanted relationship with me because He loved me and not because it was His job.

Out of that came the title for my blog. I will be posting some of the original blog posts on this new (to me) site as well as posting new thoughts for you to consider.

I hope and pray you will come to discover God’s pursuit of you through these writings as I did.

By the way, thanks Dave for making me aware of God’s pursuit.