How Do You Church?!

As I'm laying here in bed thinking about everything I need to do tomorrow before, during and after church, my mind wonders. I wonder about my attitude toward doing these things. I wonder about the people participating in all of these things. I wonder about you.

Are you going to church tomorrow? How are you going to church tomorrow? Are you yelling at your children or spouse all the way to the doors of your church? Are you already thinking about everything else you need to do? Do you go in your church and clap along out of habit, or because you're thankful to be there? While you're sitting there in service, are you actually listening and soaking up what's being taught or are you wondering what the scores are to your teams game? Maybe you're texting, on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Are you engaged or going through the motion

Who do you go to church for? Is it out of habit or so others can see you? Or is it because that's the only time you meet with your savior? Are you going to church to serve others and play your part in this team?

So I pray right now that God is speaking directly to you, and me, comforting your restless mind. Giving you peace about the day ahead, and laying on your heart where, how and why to serve. Someone who serves just because another asked or told them to will grow tired of it, but someone who serves because they know the heart of their Lord and wants to give back will be great! Let us know why we go to church and let us EXPECT GOD to do the imaginable, the unthinkable, the impossible!!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford

Mighty Power! Colossians - Week 3, Wednesday

Colossians 1:28-29

²⁸ So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. ²⁹ That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.

Look at the world around you, how many of the people know and have a relationship with Christ? How many people live out their faith? Do you have a relationship with Christ? Do you live out your faith?

These are questions that this scripture causes us to ask. Are we warning and teaching everyone about Christ? You see we can do this by the way we live, our everyday activities. This is for me just as much as it is for anyone else. While I read this in my study this morning I was forced to ask myself this very question, Am I living my life so it can be an example for others. Not only that, I work in a church with Pastors!, is there anyone that I am investing time into? What about you, how many people do you have working around you all day at work or school that you have an influence over? What are you showing them?

It is hard work investing that much time into someone, but I love that we have an answer for it! Paul says that he has to depend on Christ's mighty power. That's fantastic! You know Christ has a LOT MORE power than we could ever dream about having, but all of that power works within and through us!

So today's challenge, ask God to lay someone on your heart that you can invest in. I know that was my prayer this morning. Some of you may work in environments where that can be difficult, maybe you work around pastors or your work is kind of a one person job, this is where we spend a little more time and effort. I look forward to seeing what God does!!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford

Are You a Servant?! Colossians - Week 3, Monday

Colossians 1:24-25

New International Version (NIV)

Paul’s Labor for the Church

24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness—

Do you ever feel like you no matter what you try to do someone is always talking about you? Or maybe it's a different form of suffering? At that moment rejoicing is probably the furthest thing from your mind! You see suffering is just that, suffering. It's painful. It isn't enjoyable. And yet we read here that Paul rejoices in the suffering. Why in the world would anyone rejoice in suffering or pain?!


Matthew 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

John 15:20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

It's biblical. We will be persecuted and have to endure suffering. But our Jesus has already endured it and already overcome it!

What if you were going through that suffering for someone else? Would you be willing to do that? I can honestly sit here before you and tell you that I have not had to do that. I can only imagine that it would be very hard! As I am about to become a mother I think about the scenarios my children might have to face one day. What sort of persecution and suffering will I endure for them. My prayer is that I will be willing to endure it, that I will not be a selfish mother.

As a Christian I have endured persecution. I have been faced with people, even people very close to me, doing and saying everything in their power to tear me down. Or tear my faith down. But never have I had to go through any sort of suffering for another person.

This makes me think of what Jesus went through. He didn't go through all of that suffering for himself. He did it for you and for me. So that now we have a way out. In the end we have the victory!

2 Corinthians 4:8-10 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

This sort of faith take action. It takes being a servant. Paul says in verse 25 that he is a servant by the commission that God gave him. What commission has God given you? Where has he called you to serve? And how important is that to you? Because it by that measure, the importance God's commission holds to you, that you will be persecuted. BUT, it also by that measure that you will see the victory that is for you.

Will you serve and carry the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus will be seen?

My prayer for you and me is that God would show us the commission he has already laid on us. That our ares of service to him and his kingdom will be revealed in a way that is undeniable! Also that we would be willing to endure the suffering not only for ourselves, but for the sake of every soul that we will reach! Let God awaken you today!

~Awaken Us~
Brenna Stanford