Fasting

by John Palmieri 22. January 2011 04:26
Family of God - I trust that your season of fasting is going well. I've been praying for you and asking that God be glorified in and through your life during this special time in our church. Although fasting is difficult I enjoy the intentional empty spaces that it creates. The empty space cries out to be filled...and reminds me that I am a man of prayer (we are a people of prayer) and therefore I turn to the bread of heaven to fill me;

John 6:35 "Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."

When that empty space is filled with the bread of life and living water - I am satisfied - I need nothing else - all idols are cast down. 

Lastly - remember the kind of fast that pleases God is one that seeks peace and gives to the poor.

Isaiah 58:6-7;
 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
   and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
   and break every yoke?
 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
   and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
   and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 

In His Peace, Grace and Joy,
 
Pastor John

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Creating Open Spaces - A Lenten Meditation

by John Palmieri 4. March 2010 17:56
The Season of Lent provides an intentional time of enriching our lives spiritually. Although fasting is to be a regular spiritual discipline of every Christ follower, Lenten season is an occasion of 40 days of focused abstinence. Seasons of fasting fatten our spiritual lives in at least two ways; first when we deny ourselves things that we are regularly accustomed to (food, media, treats, sex) we create open spaces for God to fill. For example, when I feel the pangs of hunger I look to the “bread of Life” to fill my empty place.  When I want to decompress from a hectic day; instead of turning on the TV I light some incense, play soft music and read inspirational spiritual works. I create empty places in my life for the sole purpose of God filling them.

Secondly, participating in Lent prepares us for Easter. It’s the isolation in darkness that fills us with gratitude for the fullness of dawn. The valley prepares us for the breath taking vistas of the mountain top. Meditation on Christ’s suffering fills us with praise for his resurrection. The denial of self puts us in touch with our weakness and gives us empathy for those who feel hopeless in this world. The despair of hopelessness always precedes the life giving hope of His resurrection. So why not be intentional in getting in touch with the suffering that comes before Easter? I would imagine that if we are deliberate in this respect, a new appreciation of Easter will birth in our hearts.

Scriptural Meditation: Psalm 63:1-8

 

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Life Balance is Overrated

by John Palmieri 8. February 2010 14:51
There isn’t an easy or pat answer to maintaining balance in your life. Sometimes I think that Christians overate “balance”. It’s not so much about balance as it is about boundaries…living your life in such a way that the Holy Spirit is un- quenched and un-grieved in all your relationships/endeavors.

Practice life and ministry out of the intimacy of your relationship with the Trinity –just like Jesus did. In reading the gospels it often looked like Jesus life was out of balance…yet he only did what the Father told him to…he lived his life out of the overflow of his relationship with the Father.

 - JP

 

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7 Reasons Why You Should Join a Small Group

by John Palmieri 1. February 2010 10:06

Relationships: A small group gives you the opportunity to get to know people at a more intimate level.  Sunday mornings are an awesome time to worship with the whole family of God, hear a sermon, engage in corporate vision, but a small group gives you a chance to build deeper friendships.

Learning the Word of God: Sunday’s sermon is a great time to get a broad teaching of the Word of God. However, small groups provide time for one on one discussion. Your group can provide a time to clarify answers to questions from Sunday’s sermon.

Opportunity to Serve Others: One of the greatest joys of being in a small group is the chance to bear others burdens, serve their needs, and step out beyond your own issues.

Place to invite friends: A small group is a natural place to invite friends and family. Sometimes people are more comfortable going to a small group then attending a Sunday morning service.

Place to Pray and Share your needs: A gathering of a few people is a natural environment for prayer. A big part of prayer is conservation with God and small groups provide the perfect environment for communing with God.

Engage in worship: Gathering in a small group allows you to experience worship at a very intimate level.

Follow the New Testament pattern: Acts 2:42-47 gives us a blueprint of what the early church was passionately committed to. The early Christ Followers gathered in homes, shared meals, read the Word, prayed, and worshipped. When you participate in a small group you are following the New Testament pattern.

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Intentionally Thankful

by John Palmieri 29. April 2009 11:29

Today I’ve chosen to be intentionally Thankful and oh! What a breath of fresh air giving thanks has been to me. I’ve lost count on how many times the Spirit of God has nudged me to give thanks…you know to focus on the positive instead of camping in the land of the negative. When I give thanks to the Lord I begin to become unstuck, I see and think more clearly and above all I cultivate an atmosphere of faith in my own heart…one that spills out into the lives of others. Oh God, let me never be comfortable in the land of an unthankful heart. I choose this day to praise you and give thanks unto you…you are good! Amen.

I Thess 5:18 “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Psalm 106:1 “Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” 

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3rd week of Advent

by John Palmieri 15. December 2008 14:48
We are now in the third week of Advent. Derived from the Latin venio, (come) and ad, (to) or come to, in Advent we anticipate the celebration of the coming of God in flesh. Often, I’ve found great comfort in the truth of God’s incarnation. There isn’t a day that passes when we do not hear of some type of human suffering, Throughout history, injustice, poverty, scandal, health issues and more have all dotted the map of humanity and yet in the midst of it all – God has come. He has answered the problem of human suffering by becoming human himself. Indeed, he has not abandoned us but took on our vulnerable state and taught us how to really live.

      My prayer for you this Advent season is to find time to nurture a sense of appreciation and anticipation of the coming of Christ –not only as a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes; but also as the Second Coming King. 

John Palmieri 

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Faith Building People

by John Palmieri 5. October 2008 16:34
The story in Luke 5:17-26 of the four friends lowering their paralytic friend through a roof to Jesus has always inspired and intrigued me. It’s within this story that we see the faith of others believing for someone who couldn’t believe for himself. Faith building people are like that. They believe for those who can’t believe for themselves. There will be times in your life when God is going to put you directly in the path of people so paralyzed by doubt, depression, fear, addiction, financial problems, disease that they can’t believe for themselves. You need to believe for them! It’s a revolutionary thought…that your faith can radically change the destiny of another person. Your faith can’t make another person a Christian but it can completely have an effect on the people around you. Look at the four friends that carried their paralytic friend to the roof of a house, dug through it and then lowered him directly in front of Jesus. It’s important to note that Jesus doesn’t comment on the faith of the Paralytic but on the faith of the friends. The text, verse 20, says that Jesus saw their faith, “and seeing their faith”. This is a powerful insight…because Jesus took into account the faith of the group of friends. There is power in the united faith of God’s people--power to bring change in the lives of family, friends, neighbors and co-workers.
This is the kind of faith you will find at New Life Mont Clare. I encourage you to come, invite a friend and see that your faith can make the difference!

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