Take the lowest place

Today was a great day at NRN as we conducted the third Focused Living Retreat. The Focused Living Retreat is the first phase of the ReFocus effort of North Raleigh Church of the Nazarene. ReFocus is a journey of spiritual discovery designed to help the people of our church listen afresh to God. The basic principle is that personal renewal precedes corporate renewal. The process is to create a ReFocus Team from those completing this first phase. The ReFocus Team will be working with the church board in discovering our core values and vision goals, which will enable us to create a mission statement and strategic plan which is pleasing to God.


I am really looking forward to tomorrow as we return to our series of messages in the book of James. In the morning I will bring a message from James 2:1-13 entitled "The Problem with Favoritism."



Here is a clip I will not be able to show at the church. It is from the McGee and Me series about what it means to humble ourselves and place others before ourselves:

Any idea where that passage of scripture is found? Here's a hint:

7 When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: 8 “When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? 9 The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!
10 “Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. 11 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (New Living Testament)

This is a trustworthy saying.