My Utmost for His Highest: Becoming Closer to God Through Constant Stewardship (Chris)

Our recent classes in Open Door have addressed a general theme: "How do I transform spiritually by building a stronger and more personal relationship with Jesus Christ and by getting closer to God in the process?"  This entry from My Utmost for His Highest reflects on what it means to be a "vigorous saint" -- a faithful and effective Disciple.  The key is to recognize that our lives exist wholly in relationship to God.  There is no division or distinction between things that belong to God and things that do not.  Everything rightly is God's.  In the Wesleyan tradition, "stewardship" is the word used to explain this basic truth about our lives.  We will explore this concept and its potential to help us in our personal relationship with Christ.

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My Utmost for His Highest: My Brother and Sister's Keeper (Randy)

We have focused the past few weeks on our relationship with Jesus and what results from that.  In addition to the internal transformation, which I have covered in past weeks, and the supernatural peace "that surpasses all understanding" (Philippians 4:7), which Chris covered last week, it also generates the power to love our neighbor as ourselves.  We are all on this journey together, and Christ calls us to love one another, but we cannot do that (very well) if we don’t focus on our love for Jesus first.  Oswald Chambers asks, “Are we our brother and sister’s keeper?” and, if so, what does that look like?  Where do we find the power to serve in that way?

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My Utmost for His Highest: The Gift of Peace (Chris)

Last week, we explored the truth that Discipleship is dedication to a person (Jesus Christ) and not to a cause (religion, morality, or anything else).  The result of this relationship with Christ is a supernatural peace "that surpasses all understanding" (Philippians 4:7).  This week, we are going to consider this marvelous and miraculous peace.  What is it, and how can we find it in a broken world that fights so hard to promote anxiety, doubt, and selfishness?

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My Utmost for His Highest: A Person, Not a Cause (Randy)

This week's lesson is called, "A Person, Not a Cause.”  Inspired by Oswald Chamber’s January 24^th entry and building on last week’s lesson, we will explore how our faith differs from other common worldviews. Most people feel a need to pursue a cause – some goal, some outcome, some change they want to see in the world – but they end up frustrated by their inability to achieve it.  If they are fortunate enough to succeed, they end up dissatisfied and want more anyway.  Meanwhile, Christians pursue a relationship with Jesus, not a cause (not even the Christian cause), and that makes all the difference in how we live.  Join us as we explore the difference between a life devoted to a Person rather than one focused on a cause.

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My Utmost for His Highest: One Thing Only (Randy)

Continuing our series based on My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, this week's lesson is called, "One Thing Only: Reflecting Jesus in our Lives.”  We know beauty when we see it: a beautiful piece of art, a stunning sunset, time with friends.  Yet life distracts us from paying much attention to most beautiful things, and especially from the ultimate beauty, our Lord Jesus Christ.  How can we focus on God’s glory, and how does God transforms us into his likeness when we do?

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My Utmost For His Highest: Calling, Service, Joy (Chris)

Continuing our series based on My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, this week's lesson is "Calling, Service, and Joy."  According to Chambers, each of us is CALLED by God.  The essence of that calling is living in a way that draws us closer to God's nature.  As we get closer to God, love and devotion then lead us to SERVE God and others.  Moreover, the way in which we serve ideally should reflect our nature in the form of our unique God-given abilities and attributes.  When these two forces are aligned, being called to God and serving God bring great JOY to our lives.  Joy is elusive in this world.  How do we find the Joy in Christian Discipleship?

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My Utmost For His Highest: A Faith Received (Randy)

In this lesson, we delve deeper into our new series based on one of the best-selling devotional books of all time: "My Utmost for His Highest," by British teacher Oswald Chambers.  We explore his entry from January 10^th where Cambers challenges us to think about our faith in stark terms. Have we truly received the gift of the Holy Spirit from God, or are we just going through the motions of religion? It’s a serious question that merits personal reflection, but it’s also a liberating one once we recognize what we have in Christ.  Joins us as we explore “A Faith Received.” 

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