Be Spiritually Fed

The summer after my senior year in high school I worked at a bible camp called NeSoDak. It was at NeSoDak where I spent many summers as a camper and I was excited to go back as a staff person because I so admired the staff people at NeSoDak. That summer I learned a lot; one thing I took away from camp that summer was a way to feed myself spiritually, by playing guitar. I had dreamed of playing guitar when I was a kid but that summer Misty the pastor from Langford taught me how. I traded in my “practice” guitar for one of the old beat up guitars at camp and it quickly became my best friend. I named her Grace and I played her faithfully every day. I would spend an hour in my room or better playing through all the camp songs and singing my heart out, I was a horrible guitar player but it was my time to be with God. It was my outlet, my sacred space. For my birthday my Mom bought me a new guitar that I had been drooling at through the window for months. It was a brand new shiny Fender Squire, I named him Noah. Noah and I spent as much or more time together as I learned all the details of his sound and strings. I passed Grace on to another person who was ready to learn and lover her as much as I did and Noah and I moved on. Noah went through every stage of life with me, and here he sits tonight. (I had my guitar with me) He sits here with at least an inch of dust on any given part. I haven’t played Noah in over a year, sure I pick him up from time to time, but I haven’t spent more than 5 minutes at any one time.

I sit here as a giant hypocrite as I’m supposed to be giving a message on “how to keep yourself spiritually fed” and I am spiritually famished. I have been pouring myself over this sermon and I think I’ve used my bible more in the past three days than I have in the past 6 months. I am probably one of the least spiritually healthy people in the room, and yet here I sit; telling you how to be spiritually fed.

I have come to the realization that I can give this message with good conscience because I used to be really great at keeping myself spiritually fed, but I know that it doesn’t come without work. Church can only do so much, songs can only speak to you you so much, and you need to meet God half way.

So, my goal isn’t to preach as a hypocrite, but to give you tools that I’ve used in the past and will hopefully pick up in the future. Tools that can help you be spiritually fed.

ENGAGE – coming to church and sitting in the pew isn’t enough. You have to engage in the music, the prayers and communion. If you’re at cRAVE BE AT cRAVE. Unplug yourself and give yourself that time to be here. That’s why we give you the opportunity to put your cell phone on the alter as an offering to GOD. You’re not offering your cell phone that’s worth $100 dollars, you’re giving your time, your attention, yourself which is priceless to GOD.
Matthew 16:22-33 23As soon as the meal was finished, he insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the people. With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night.
24 -26Meanwhile, the boat was far out to sea when the wind came up against them and they were battered by the waves. At about four o'clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them walking on the water. They were scared out of their wits. "A ghost!" they said, crying out in terror.
27But Jesus was quick to comfort them. "Courage, it's me. Don't be afraid."
28Peter, suddenly bold, said, "Master, if it's really you, call me to come to you on the water."
29 -30He said, "Come ahead."
Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus. But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, "Master, save me!"
31Jesus didn't hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand. Then he said, "Faint-heart, what got into you?"
32 -33The two of them climbed into the boat, and the wind died down. The disciples in the boat, having watched the whole thing, worshiped Jesus, saying, "This is it! You are God's Son for sure!"
I don’t know how GOD’s word could be more clear… you lose sight of Jesus and you begin to sink…. Yep… that’s where I’m at. Reach for GOD, Meet him Half way.

BE ACCESSIABLE – This is one that I obviously struggle with. I almost always have my bibles and inspirational books stored away with things stacked on top of them, or my guitar that’s sitting on the stand, in my bedroom when I like to spend most of my time in the living room. Leave your bible out, sign up for daily bible verse e-mails; something, anything that gets the word of GOD in front of you every day. Put a few Christian music songs on your Ipod. Sometimes all it takes to connect with GOD is a song that you hear, or a bible verse that connects to you.

PRAYER- I know this seems like a given, but when do you pray? I pray before meals and before I go to bed, and occasionally in the morning before I go to work – If I have time. I think as Christians this is one of our big challenges, I know I remember to pray more when life’s not going so well, but when life is good and I am busy with family and friends and life, I forget to stop and say thank you. Keep a prayer journal and just jot down what you’re thankful for, or write notes to GOD in there. Thessalonians instructs us to pray without ceasing, to always give thanks to GOD.

CREATE A SACRED SPACE- Sacred Space in this context meaning, somewhere you can go or be where you can meet with GOD. When I was in high school we had an unfinished bathroom in the basement of our house. I made it into my sacred space, I called it my studio but I realize now it was my sacred space, I would go in my studio and listen to music and pray and write in my prayer journal or just hang out as a place to escape my parents, my homework or life. When I went to college I no longer had my secluded studio, I was sharing the same space with someone I didn’t get along with well at all and I needed a place of refuge. That’s when I started to go to Chapel on Wednesday nights. I would sit in a circle with my peers and sing praise songs and pray. Somewhere like cRAVE could be your sacred space.

My challenge to you is to create yourself a sacred space where you can MEET with GOD. Spend at least 5 minutes a day, or combine it and spend 25 minutes ONE day a week.

I’m going to go home, dust off Noah and hopefully find my sacred space with him. I wanted to leave you with a verse from Matthew 6:25-35
25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
ALWAYS SEEK THE KINGDOM OF GOD!!!!Amen.