Feb 01, 2012
Hallowed Be Your Name
Posted by Michael Howarth in Prayer - Worship | Comments (0)
There is a deep and transforming power when you begin prayer with praise. Praise has to do with adoration, respect, honor and priority. The Lord’s Prayer begins this way, saying, “Our Father, who is in Heaven, hallowed be your name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done…” It begins this way for a reason. It puts God and His glory first, at the center of our focus. In speaking specifically about our worrying for needs like food, clothing and other basic provisions, Jesus says in Matthew, chapter six, “But seek first the Kingdom ofRead More...
Jan 28, 2012
Managing God’s Joy
Posted by Michael Howarth in Gospel Living - Worship | Comments (0)
The Bible as a whole, the New Testament in general and Jesus in particular, have a ton to say on how we handle our time, our money, our possessions and our relationships. God is the one who created all things, sustains all things and is the owner of all things: that tree, that car, that spouse, that child, that awesome pair of jeans, those planets, that ocean, that cute kitten and that wonderful morning cup of coffee. He owns it all. We are privileged to enjoy them, and it reveals God’s immeasurable grace and kindness that He wouldRead More...
Jan 25, 2012
The Breathing Church
Posted by Michael Howarth in Gospel Living | Comments (0)
Months ago, I began to wrestle with the idea of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, and what it means to make disciples for Him. What's necessary? Sure, discipleship requires "everything," but I have a job and I'm in school and I got this thing and I stayed up late last night and you know, life happens. Can you be a disciple and attend church gatherings once and a while? Can you follow Jesus and just kind of learn at your own pace? What is it that we do exactly? The following are three essentialRead More...
Jan 21, 2012
The Engine of Spiritual Growth
Posted by Michael Howarth in Gospel Living | Comments (0)
To repent is to turn from and intentionally forsake the disobedience in your life that is dishonoring to God; to turn from those things that God says are destructive to your life; to endeavor by Christ's strength to obey His commands. Repentance is both a single act of spiritual aggression towards a particular sin, and a gradual, lifelong reprogramming of your heart towards God. Repentance is the engine of spiritual transformation. It is something we practice; however, it is first a gift that is granted to us by God. It is His kindness that leads us to turn fromRead More...
Aug 14, 2011
Lazy-O’s
Posted by Michael Howarth in Gospel Living | Comments (0)
“The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he will not even bring it back to his mouth!” - Proverbs 19:24 I used to think this proverb was a little ridiculous. Have you ever gotten out a bowl, poured some cereal, added milk, sat down and then been too lazy to lift the spoon to your mouth? Me neither. However, as one would suspect (it is in the Bible after all), there is wisdom in this verse – and not just a little. What can this proverb tell us about ourselves? You and I live atRead More...
Apr 23, 2011
Marks of the Covenant
Posted by Michael Howarth in Theology | Comments (0)
*There is an account in John’s Gospel of a woman who is caught in sin. This woman is discovered in the act of adultery, a sin punishable by death. She is dragged through the dirt streets of Jerusalem, her shame exposed, her guilt on parade. Is she clothed? Probably, but she may as well be naked. Her shameful act has been seen first hand, and she has no defense. She is hauled to Jesus in disgrace. She is placed at His feet for justice. We are this woman. Each of us has been found in the midst ofRead More...
Apr 16, 2011
Husbands, love your wives…
Posted by Michael Howarth in Gospel Living | Comments (0)
In our culture, work is a primary provider of identity. This is evident in our values, the pace at which we live, and the behavior we reward. For men, job-identity is an especially large problem. We are saturated with the belief that our accomplishments define us. When challenged on this issue by our wives we utter the seemingly invincible retorts: “I do it for you!” or “Somebody has to pay the bills!” or the classic Christian crane-kick: “God has called me to this!” Men, if you're married, your job is husband.Read More...
Sep 15, 2010
How to Love: Your Agenda vs. True Transformation
Posted by Michael Howarth in Gospel Living - Mission | Comments (5)
In the most recent sermon series “Unvangelism” Pastor Todd has been dismantling the contemporary view of sharing the gospel we all know as “evangelism” and advocating for a return to a very biblical and revolutionary invention: the church as a gospel community. The differences between the two are quite dramatic and I would encourage you to listen to the entire series so far as it takes some time to unpack the nuances. Here are some reflections thus far... Us vs. Them This sectarian mentality is a very well worn rut that Christians haveRead More...
Aug 25, 2010
I Pity the Fool!
Posted by Michael Howarth in Gospel Living | Comments (4)
The book of proverbs has a lot to say that is practical and applicable to everyday life. Some even read it daily, there are 31 chapters so it fits well to read a chapter per day monthly. Proverbs is a book full of little sayings of wisdom: some are funny, some confusing, some are sobering, and all of them are good. There are a number of topics that are repeated throughout the book but one of the main themes in Proverbs is the contrast between the foolish and the wise, the proud and the humble. Look at chapter 26:3-12,Read More...
Aug 18, 2010
Sinner?
Posted by Michael Howarth in Theology | Comments (0)
For a long time in my life I was exposed to a thread of teaching in the church that intensely discourages believers from acknowledging their sinful state. The thinking goes like this: 1) Jesus died on a cross for me. 2) Therefore I am a new creation. 3) The Bible says I am the righteousness of God. 4) To call myself a sinner is to disrespect all that Jesus did for me. I completely agree with points 1-3. Number 4 is where we take the wrong exit and eventually end up somewhere other than the Bible. I used to think this teaching was benignRead More...
Jun 20, 2010
Communion in Suffering
Posted by Michael Howarth in Theology | Comments (0)
I recently read a quote by a man named Alvin Reid that intrigued me greatly: "We must revisit the biblical teaching that we are never more like the prophets or Jesus than when we are rejected." It intrigued me because it implies a special communion brought about by the shared suffering of Christ and his people. We've all heard that suffering can lead us to greater intimacy with God but can suffering and rejection be seen AS intimacy with God? Does scripture display this? I believe it does and that is what we'll explore in this post. WeRead More...
May 26, 2010
A bear lives there.
Posted by Michael Howarth in Gospel Living | Comments (5)
For most of my Christian life I have had the general awareness of pride in my heart and the knowledge that it affects my life in a variety of negative ways. I think many Christians, myself included, interpret this vice as one that expresses itself brashly….like cutting someone in line at Starbucks or interviewing yourself on your own talk show. I’m not sure if you’ve seen the talk show I'm talking about but I kid you not; the host sings the the opening song as images of him are beamed onto the sidesRead More...
