You’ve heard it all before… The promises out there for a better life get tiresome after awhile, because you know they don’t deliver. However, they do touch on a profound and inescapable truth: you were created to live out a rewarding, richly-textured relationship with God and others. Deep down, you long to experience that kind of life. But how? Based upon the teachings Jesus gave the last night before he went to crucifixion, SOUL REVOLUTION is about learning to do life with God moment by moment in community with others. It’s about developing a habit of continuous conversation with God, willing to do his will, becoming all God intended you to be.
I can honestly say that after hearing the sermon, I can proudly say that I do not have a problem with thrill seeking. Hallelujah for that! Now, other areas of strategies, that’s a whole different story. I do admit that as I have gone through the “stuff” of life, my desires have changed. The four questions in the bulletin for preparation of the 60-60 experiment was very insightful. Having a Psych degree, I was aware of how we take our earthly parental relationships and tag on how we relate to God, but I poo-pooed the idea applying it to me. I studied the attributes (characteristics) of God in Bible school. I knew He is all-powerful, all-knowing, Truth, Love, and has no favorites; all are equal in Christ. Though I knew that in my head, these questions are making me wonder if when I quote Scriptures in prayer that I am not trying to hold Him to His promise as if He could possibly choose to not follow through for me. Like, secretly, He does have favorites and I’m once again not one of them. So, how do I get what is in my head to take real root in my heart? What strategy will work on that?
Hey for those blackberry users out there that are looking for a simple to use timer, I downloaded this (http://www.berryreview.com/2007/07/13/review-free-chronograph-timer-for-blackberry/) and it seems to work just great for me. I just have to remember to keep my phone on me all the time.
I know we’re only about a day into this, but I’m really excited to see what God does through me by just keeping in regular contact with him throughout the day.
John
Thanks for the tip John..
It’s just been over 24 hours of the experiment and already I am feeling the effects. The timer going off (once I remembered why) was a great reminder of God’s presence. I find myself being more thoughtful and careful in my decisions and patient for a response. I’m looking at things with a careful eye and trying to chose my words more carefully to please God. It is a great reminder that he is always present and not just when I have time.
I, too, feel the effects of the 60/60 in my life…my spirit, my mindset, and my attitude. This is a worthwhile expedition for our church.
I am so glad for this experiment because it is teaching us the reality that God is aware of us all of the time. When we invite Him to be present, or think that we usher in His presence shows that we are mistaken about who He is. This is what the attribute “Omnipresence” means. I know that if I am not aware of His presence, that shows my limitations (or independence) not Gods. I would like to encourage everyone to understand that this means He is with us in every situation, big or small, good or bad, He is with us and he understands our frustrations and our triumphs. This is how the God that created everything and has all power and all knowledge stays in relationship with us…by being with us everywhere, all of the time.
If you haven’t been successful at getting your cell phone or watch to provide an hourly beep, here’s a few very helpful ideas that have come in:
1. If you have a Blackberry: see the info above.
2. If you have a pda phone (such as one that runs windows mobile, etc): I set up for myself an alarm for each hour I am normally awake, and set it to go off daily until march 26.
3. Does your cell phone have a calendar where you can set up an alarm to remind you of an appointment? this is a different function than setting an alarm.
4. Check to see if your phone or watch has a “snooze” function for it’s alarm feature. Pastor Eric has been able to set an alarm and then “snooze” it for an hour each time it goes off!
5. Call your cell phone company’s tech support line and ask them to help you figure out how to set up an hourly beep. They might have an idea that you didn’t think of for your particular phone!
Lastly–we’re searching for any cheap device we can locate that will go off hourly–when we find one we will post info on how you can get one!
It’s great to see the responses on this blog–keep giving your input and sharing your stories!
Pastor Pete
Sorry that this spot was being blocked for comments for a little while–it’s open again now!
Thanks! I’ve found another great tool both for 60/60, but also just for life in general to try to keep your prayer life on track. It’s a website called Echo Prayer, you can find it a http://www.echoprayer.com. Basically it allows you to send yourself prayer reminders via email or text message on a pre-determined schedule.
I’ve used it to setup up my 60/60 reminders, but plan to also try to keep my prayer list in there as well to keep track of what I need to be praying for. It also allows you to mark answered prayers, etc.
It’s all free, so check it out.
John
Has anyone noticed, or is it just me, how much more engaging we are together in worship? This 60/60 experiment has me excited to come together for worship. It’s great to always have Him on my mind – but lately, it seems that when Pastor J. begins the first song, we’re there! No preparation or unthawing necessary! And it will only get better! As we draw near to Him, as spoken so often, He will draw near to Us! And when He does, we can expect to “Step back, watch, and Be amazed!” It’s like going to Taste of Minnesota and being able to sample everything – FOR FREE! And, then go home and know it just a few short days, I can go back again! FOR FREE! See you at our next gathering!
Thanks John. I hae set up echoprayer.com to remind me about the 60/60 and to help me with my personal struggle with weight. I’m giving it to him in prayer to help me beat this struggle once and for all! It is a great tool!
Relate: A new way of living together. To respond relationally. How did you say it pastor, wounded people wound? I knew that. That is why, in part, I did not respond relationally, I was wounded, knew it, and didn’t want others to to be infected by it. Simply put. I didn’t want them to be contaminated by my wounds, and I didn’t want the infection to spread. I’m sure you don’t remember the first time I came to RLC, but I do. Everyone was asked to greet one another and it had been what seemed a lifetime since I had any human contact. Many of the members wanted a hug, that was way too much for me. I was wounded, hugs hurt. Yet, you were sensitive to that and did not insist I engage with the greeting, yet you would not allow me to leave without relating to me. I never forgot that. Yesterday, I had two opportunities to respond relationally at work. One coworker just returned from burying her mother and caring for a despondent brother. I hugged, I allowed her to leak. The other was a young woman who let me know that she was going to have a sensitive heart surgery. Without hesitation, I reached out my hand toward hers, asked if I could pray for her, and did. What a few years of gently responding relationally can do. Thanks.
The best part of the Soul Revolution is that it exposes the lie that Satan loves to tell. We all think our sin is too much! “If only I hadn’t done that…” Fill in the blank. We’ve all been there but Satan convinces us that were alone. That were just too bad for God to forgive. The more I read Soul Revolution the more I realized that my story isn’t all that different from other peoples. Exposing Evils lies takes away from the power that he has over us. “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1)
God listens but do we listen when we hear him??? Thats the part I have been working on. I have heard him time and time again in my life and have ignored him far too often. Since doing the Soul Revolution I’m doing all I can to be obedient and listen when I hear him. Last week that obedience paid dividens! I was bumped out on Tuesday night as I ran into a delay in getting the family room at church carpeted in time for Easter service. I was driving along and heard God tell me to make a U-turn. Anyone who knows me knows I make a lot of U-turns when driving. But, this time I wasn’t lost and hadn’t missed my turn. At least not on the route I was going. Anyway, after just needing a little more prompting I made the U-turn and when I did directly in front of me was a tiny little carpet store I hadn’t even checked out. I went in at 7:45pm just before the store closed with Hunter and baby Soren (I’m not accustomed to be out alone and shopping with the two of them alone as one of them is hard to manage let alone two) Anyway, in the store I went and told them my situation that I needed good, berber carpet installed at the church before Sunday. The man at the store picked up the phone and called the warehouse and then the president of their Company and before I knew it I was scheduling the carpet installation for Friday morning. The best part of it was there was no cost! Yep, they removed and hauled away the old stuff, and installed the new stuff on Good Friday! And it was 10 times better than the original stuff we were going to put in. Can you believe it??? God cares about CARPET! if those details of our life are important to him imagine what he can do with the big stuff if were willing to give it to him and then listen to the answers. God is GREAT!