Tag: jesus

Following Jesus Means Being Used By Jesus…

On Sunday I shared how God actually chooses to use you and me to accomplish his purposes. He actually wants to use you to impact others, to be apart of their transformation, and to meet others needs.

Lindsay earlier this week made a comment on the blog, that God uses us in all of our awkwardness and weakness. And that struck me. God actually wants to use you as you are even if you feel inadequate, or awkward, or unsure. God’s doesn’t feel at all inadequate, unsure, or awkward about using you and whatever gifts you have to further his work in the world.

This for me is the beauty of following Jesus. There is something beautiful in knowing that God acutally desires my partnership with him; God actually values me as I am now; God believes I can actually do good in this world; and God is inviting me to join in with something bigger than myself. And he desires the same thing for you…

God sees something in you worth sharing with others…

God is choosing you to be apart of his mission of love and life…because you have value to give…

The questions is do you believe that? And if so are you ready to step out? Because God is ready to direct you…

by Andrew Mills

Where I Saw Jesus This Week…

This week I really sensed Jesus in a unique place – at a pastor’s retreat.

This might sound obvious at first glance, but sometimes it’s very easy amongst pastors to talk a lot about God, Jesus, and the church that you miss actually being in the presence of Jesus. This can happen easily in anyone’s life. Where you attend church lots, go to lots of meetings, help out somewhere, but forget that those things aren’t a replacement for a relationship with Jesus – they are the outflowing of it.

So this week I sensed Jesus while out with a few pastors for wings late on Monday night. We ate, shared stories, laughed, and connected. And how did I specifically sense Jesus in all of this? Well I was reminded how often Jesus is seen in the gospels simply connecting with friends around food.

There is something spiritual and spectacular when while eating, drinking, laughing, and sharing…you pause…stop and smile…and realize you are with good friends, cared for, and connecting…and just know that Jesus is with you enjoying the conversation as much as you…

by Andrew Mills

Compassion leads to…Action leads to…change…

This Sunday I want to explore something that is quite personal to me. My feelings and motives. I want to explore the idea how when we feel like Jesus we end up acting like Jesus.

In our journey following Jesus, it’s when we actually start to feel like him that we are moved to become like him. When our heart, desire, and emotions are shaped by God then we end up responding to those situations like God would. This is where the prayer “God let my heart break over the things that break your heart” stems from. When our heart breaks over the same things that break God’s heart that is simultaneously a difficult place to be and the only place we should want to be; because then our actions will represent God when at our core they have the heart of God.

This is what I want to explore next Sunday through a story of Jesus and the feeding of the 5000. But before we get there maybe start to explore this reality through your own story.

  • When have you impacted / acted like Jesus prompted by a Jesus like heart?
  • When has someone else changed / impacted you because they acted out of a heart moved by God?
Because it’s my belief that our lives get changed because of people who have a heart like God and then act on it. If this has been true in your life, share it through a comment below or you can simply email me.
For the rest of this week though focus on feeling like Jesus would and let that guide your actions…
by Andrew Mills

Following Leads to Becoming…

Yesterday I shared a bit on how Jesus invites regular and ordinary people to follow him. Through that invitation he is actually inviting us to become like him. When you follow someone you become like them. And Jesus has invited each of us to follow him to become like him and invite others on the same journey.

I ended with challenging us to invite people to follow Jesus; and also to recognize, affirm, and encourage people when they are becoming like Jesus. I encouraged us to say to people – that we see Jesus in them and how they act.

And yesterday proved one thing to me so clearly: that Jesus is within PEMC and shapes you.

Yesterday the church welcomed me and my family officially. We’ve already been welcomed into the family, and made to feel apart of it by so many but yesterday was more of the official welcome Sunday. As part of that welcome Krista and I were not only so surprised but so overwhelmed by the support of the church. And I think for the first time in Krista’s life she was made speechless. People gave gift cards, notes of encouragement, food, homemade preserves, and there was even a cake.

So I simply want to say to PEMC:

  • I see Jesus in the way you are generous;
  • I see Jesus in the way you care;
  • I see Jesus in the way you welcome
  • I see Jesus in how you are open and vulnerable;

In short, I see Jesus in you…

by Andrew Mills

Following Where Jesus Leads

This Sunday I shared about how Jesus calls us to follow him. It’s a gift to be able to follow Jesus. But as I was reflecting on following Jesus, I realized that the next obvious question is where is following Jesus taking us?

Or to put it another way – Where is Jesus leading us?

Now that’s a question that I really believe deserves some attention and time. Where is Jesus leading you in your personal life? Where is he leading you in the community…in your family…in your job?

If we are truly devoted to following Jesus then the next step is to find out where he is actually leading us.

This will be the topic of my next sermon – where Jesus is leading each and everyone of us.

And I’m excited to explore this topic because wherever Jesus leads is worth it. And I want to be where he is leading. The question is what about you?

by Andrew Mills

“Learning to Follow Jesus”

This Sunday was the very first Sunday in our new Sermon Series “Learning to Follow Jesus”. We are going to be learning together how we might better follow Jesus. I’m excited about preaching on it and learning about it. So check out our little flyer here to see where we will be going for the next few weeks.

by Andrew Mills