Here are some points to part one.

You were not CREATED to be CONNECTED NOT SEPARATED

Three basic needs God has created within all of us.

1. Everybody needs somebody to love. 2. somebody to understand them.
3. Everybody needs to be needed.

Loneliness can be lethal
when I feel UNNOTICED. UNNEEDED. UNNECESSARY.
A tribe is any group of people, large or small, who are connected to one another, a leader, and an idea. For thousands of years, humans have been seeking out tribes … Everybody needs a tribe.
You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. – You want to radically change your life? Surround yourself with examples that it’s possible. You want to live a deeper, more meaningful existence? Engage in deeper, more meaningful conversations with the people talking about deeper, more meaningful things. Don’t let the limitations of what those around you can do become your reality. Seek out possibilities, surround yourself with inspiration, and what seems impossible will soon become the only thing you know.
Get in a tribe you want to be like.

If you feel tribe-less, rest assured in the knowledge that your tribe is out there. In addition, if you’re already surrounded by a supportive tribe, remember that there are probably many members of your tribe that you have not met yet. …BOOM!

Here is the outline to part one on Gone Tribal.

GONE TRIBAL

Pastor Steve Lummer

“It is not good for the man to be alone.” Genesis 2:18

From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. Acts 17:26,27 (NIV)

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” Revelation 7:9,10

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28

WITHOUT A TRIBE
“For I have no one else of kindred spirit “ – Philippians 2:20
SEPARATION – ISOLATION – REJECTION

Christ incarnate (“be made flesh”), from in- + caro (“flesh”).
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 (NKJV)

He Came to us on Our TERMS – He came to Our TURF
He came to Our TRIBE

Psalm 68:5,6 A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, Is God in His holy habitation. 6 God sets the solitary in families

Some Trademarks of Our Tribe
1. Love without limits.
John 13:34 – A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (NKJV)

2. Getting through without giving up.
Luke 15:20 But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

3. We fight for without fighting against .
Fight the good fight of the faith. 1 Timothy 6:12

Here is a great thought on becoming part of the tribe of the transplanted .

At a National Prayer Breakfast held annually at the Washington Hilton Hotel. The breakfast is a bipartisan gathering of leaders from all branches of government and both houses of Congress as well as delegations of leaders from foreign countries. The speaker that year was Bill Frist. Prior to his tenure in the U.S. Senate, Dr. Frist performed more than 150 heart transplants as a thoracic surgeon. During his remarks, he talked in reverent tones about the moment when a heart has been grafted into a new body and all the surgical team can do is wait in hopes that it will begin to beat. At that point he stopped speaking in medical terms and starting speaking in spiritual terms. He almost seemed at a loss for words as he described that miraculous moment when a heart beats in a new body for the first time. He called it a mystery.

Heart transplants are a marvel of modern medicine, but it goes way beyond what medicine can explain or understand. The heart is more than a physical pump. It doesn’t just circulate five thousand quarts of blood through sixty thousand miles of blood vessels day in and day out. The heart has a mind of its own. Studies suggest that the heart secretes its own brainlike hormones and has cellular memory. So a heart transplant isn’t just physical; it’s metaphysical. Heart transplant recipients don’t just receive a new organ; they receive cellular memories.

In his book A Man After His Own Heart, Charles Siebert shares a scientific yet poetic depiction of a heart transplant he observed at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. Not long after, Siebert attended an annual banquet for transplant recipients and he was deeply moved by their profound appreciation for life. They spoke in reverent tones about the second chance at life they had been given. They humbly acknowledged their responsibility to honor the donor. And many of them talked about new desires that accompanied their new hearts.

Siebert concluded—and his research is backed up by numerous medical studies—that transplant recipients don’t just receive a new heart. Along with that new heart, they receive whole new sensory responses, cravings, and habits.

Siebert called this group of heart recipients “the tribe of the transplanted.”
When you give your heart to Christ, Christ gives His heart to you. And you become a part of the tribe of the transplanted. That new heart gives you a new appreciation for life. You humbly acknowledge your responsibility to honor the donor. And the cellular memories that come with that transplanted heart give you whole sensory responses, cravings, and habits. You literally feel different. Why? Because you feel what Christ feels. And chief among those sanctified emotions is compassion. Your heart begins to break for the things that break the heart of God. You become part of the this coup de compassion that started at Calvary. And that is the heart of what it means to love God with all of your heart.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Gone Tribal

Pastor Steve Lummer

What Makes Your Baby Leap?
Happy Mother’s Day
Pastor Steve Lummer

“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.” – Luke 1:41-44 – (niv)
GOD CARES FOR US AS A MOTHER
“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son…It was I who taught [them] to walk, I took them up in my arms…I led them with cords of human kindness, I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks. I bent down to them and fed them.” Hosea 11.3-4

The Tender Care of Mom

Like a mother, I HURT for you.
“For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held myself back. But now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out, I gasp and pant… I will not forsake them.” Isaiah 42.14-16

Like a mother, I’ll never FORGET you.
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” Isaiah 49.15

Like a mother, I’ll always COMFORT you.
“As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you” Isaiah 66.13

The Watchful, PROTECTION AND PUSH of Mom
“As an eagle stirs up her nest, flutters over her young, spreads abroad her wings, takes them, bears them on her wings: So the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.” Deuteronomy 32.11-12
What make’s your baby leap?
As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.” – Luke 1:41-44 – (niv)

THE NATURE OF GOD IS LIKE THAT OF AN EAGLE

EXTRA ORDINARY SIGHT – An eagles can spot a rabbit from as far as a mile away.
Bald eagles are capable of seeing fish in the water from several hundred feet above WATER – Five to six times sharper than a human’s.
this picture reminds us how that God vision is strong and broad enough to see everything that is going on around us and everything that is going on inside of us..

EXTRA ORDINARY SPEED -Bald eagles are powerful fliers who can reach speeds of up to 100 – 180 miles per hour during a dive. Average flight speeds are about 20 to 40 mph . They can soar for hours on end.

EXTRA ORDINARY STRENGTH – Eagles weigh about 25 LBS but they can lift 3x’s there weight.

It reminds us of the incredible power and strength of our God!
EXTRA ORDINARY PATIENCE – At from 10 to 11 weeks of age, eaglets are fully feathered, nearly full grown and can fly from the nest. BUT IT ISN’T AN EASY ADVENTURE. – The largest bald eagle nest ever recorded was found in Florida. It was more than nine feet wide and 20 feet high and weighed more than two tons.
Though many of us have seen pictures of a huge eagle’s nest high in the branches of a tree or in the crag of a cliff, few of us have gotten a glimpse inside. When a mother eagle builds her nest she starts with thorns, broken branches, sharp rocks, and a number of other items that seem entirely unsuitable for the project. But then she lines the nest with a thick padding of wool, feathers, and fur from animals she has killed, making it soft and comfortable for the eggs. By the time the growing birds reach flying age, the comfort of the nest and the luxury of free meals make them quite reluctant to leave. That’s when the mother eagle begins “stirring up the nest.” With her strong talons she begins pulling up the thick carpet of fur and feathers, bringing the sharp rocks and branches to the surface. As more of the bedding gets plucked up, the nest becomes more uncomfortable for the young eagles. Eventually, this and other urgings prompt the growing eagles to leave their once-comfortable abode and move on to more mature behavior.
EVENTUALLY THERE IS THE LEAP – WHAT MAKES YOUR BABY LEAP?

Pastor Steve

Mother’s day is just around the corner and I wanted to preview this Sunday’s message outline.

OUR GOD CARES FOR US AS A MOTHER

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son…It was I who taught [them] to walk, I took them up in my arms…I led them with cords of human kindness, I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks. I bent down to them and fed them.” Hosea 11.3-4

The Tender Care of Mom

Like a mother, I HURT for you.
“For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held myself back. But now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out, I gasp and pant… I will not forsake them.” Isaiah 42.14-16

Like a mother, I’ll never FORGET you.
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” Isaiah 49.15

Like a mother, I’ll always COMFORT you.
“As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you” Isaiah 66.13

The Watchful, PROTECTION AND PUSH of Mom 
“As an eagle stirs up her nest, flutters over her young, spreads abroad her wings, takes them, bears them on her wings: So the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.” Deuteronomy 32.11-12

WHEN WE HAVE BAGGAGE ABOUT MOTHERING
“For if my father and mother should abandon me, you would welcome and comfort me. ” Psalm 27.10 (TLB)
“because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 (niv)

Also, here is a powerful clip from Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant talks about falling in love with the game of basketball, how it changed his life and the surreal feeling of being the NBA’s MVP.

A powerful mother’s day message.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=10893208

Hope you enjoy.

Happy Mother’s day friends.

Steve

THE RACE YOU FACE
Pastor Steve Lummer

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ….so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. – Hebrews 12:1-4

You cannot GOOGLE the race that you face!

1. Be first at LOVING people.
Defining love – Storgay/Phileo/Eros/Agape
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

2. Be first at FORGIVING.
FORE GIVE – PRE – GIVE
Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Colossians 3:13 – Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
Luke 6:37 – “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

3. Be first at HELPING OUT.
Hebrews 13:16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Philippians 2:4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

4. You cannot GOOGLE a relationship with God.
Proverbs 25:2 “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.”
Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Psalm 42:1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.

https://vimeo.com/93046186

THE RACE YOU FACE
Pastor Steve Lummer
Part 2

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. – Hebrews 12:1-4

TWO QUESTIONS?

WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?

WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
John 17:4 – I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.
2 Timothy 4:7 -I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
1 Timothy 6:12 – Fight the good fight of faith,
1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

THE INSPIRATION FOR THE RACE.

Hebrews 12: 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,

2 Timothy 4:8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

THE POWER OF A CLEAN SLATE
Pastor Steve Lummer
Easter Sunday 2014

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Romans 8:11 NIV

The Power of Memory
John 18:18 Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.

John 18:27 Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.
1. He replaces GUILT with GRACE.
Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

2. He reconditions FEAR with FAITH!
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

3. He rewires our FUTURE , by forgiving our PAST.
John 18 Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.

Don’t confuse a SINGLE mistake with a FINAL mistake.

John 21:9 Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there,….10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”