Tim Rowland

Wayne Grudem speaking on Creation

Tim Rowland — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 21:34:44 +0000

Wayne Grudem is a professor of Bible and Theology at Phoenix Seminary in Phoenix, Arizona. I am giving you the link to a site where you can listen or download four lectures by Dr. Grudem on the subject of creation. He speaks on the topics of how God created, how long it took him to create and creationism verses evolution. I think you will find his lectures both interesting and informative.

Tim

New fall series at River Oaks

Tim Rowland — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:26:01 +0000

This Sunday I will begin my fall teaching series, Great Statements of the Bible. Of all the verses in the Bible, and there are 41,173 of them, I have selected a handful that I consider vital to understanding the nature of God, the core doctrines of the Christian faith and the essential attributes of a Christian. I am truly looking forward to this series and I hope that we are all challenged, encouraged, and motivated to live a life as a devoted follower of Jesus Christ.

Tim

As good as it gets!

Tim Rowland — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:23:13 +0000

This past Sunday was a great day at River Oaks! From the morning service with the fantastic praise and worship time and the observance of the Lord’s Supper to the evening baptismal service at the Strycker’s pond! As I said that evening at the baptismal service, this is the highlight of the year for me. We baptized 43 children, teens and adults. Their stories of how God worked in their lives to bring them to the point where they realized they needed Jesus were so moving and powerful!

I want to thank every person who chose to be baptized for giving me the opportunity to share in this experience with you. It is as good as it gets!

Tim

At the Moment

Tim Rowland — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:45:28 +0000

“How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty…At the moment I have all I need—and more!” -Philippians 4:10-18

This section of Philippians was part of my devotional reading this morning and I had a wonderful time just soaking my soul in the truth of Paul’s words on contentment. I loved his comment, “At the moment I have all I need – and more.”

Perhaps you find yourself a bit unsettled about your future and what might happen tomorrow, next week or next month. And, truth be known, the future might not turn out well, but for the moment, you have all you need. Live in the moment and you will find that God is supplying your ‘daily bread’. Trust him for today! Today is all we have and God is all we need!

Tim

My Favorite Verses

Tim Rowland — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 19:49:10 +0000

Last week I had an Indiana University student e-mail me requesting that I send her a few of my favorite verses that I go to during difficult times or to bring me comfort or encouragement. I gave her 10 passages and I thought that maybe you would enjoy reading the Scriptures I gave her. Perhaps someday soon you would read through these verses during your quiet time with God. And maybe some of you would respond with some of your favorite verses!

Here’s the list I sent her:

Matthew 6:25-34

Hebrews 12:1-3

2 Timothy 4:7-8

Philippians 4:6-8 and 11-13

Enjoy!

Tim

Mother Teresa quote

Tim Rowland — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:49:34 +0000

I took this picture of the quote this morning. It was sitting on the counter of a downtown coffee shop that I stopped by. I thought that maybe some of Mother Teresa’s words would be an encouragement to you! Blessings.

Tim

What works for you?

Tim Rowland — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:08:56 +0000

In the spirit of my last posting on “Sacred Pathways”, I read an article recently in Leadership Magazine written by Gordon MacDonald. The article was entitled, “Your Most Important Conversation” and it was all about growing your relationship with God. Here is the quote I want to share with you from his article: “I am sometimes asked what I do during my devotional times. I disappoint, I suspect, when I evade the formulaic answer. I discarded the gimmicks a long time ago. They didn’t work for me. What became more important was outcomes. What do I do? Simple: whatever it takes for a renewed sense of conversion to Christ, a deeper awareness of the biblical way, an assurance that God’s grace and power remain with me.”

Are you trying to mimic someone else in their pursuit of God? I want to challenge you to find your own way to grow in your love of God. Be creative, be persistent but be passionate about loving God through regular times in His presence; in whatever ways it works for you.

Tim

Sacred Pathways

Tim Rowland — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 09:17:31 +0000

As described in Sacred Pathways by Gary Thomas, a “pathway” represents the way(s) that people connect with God. Unfortunately, many Christians go throughout their lives only knowing one or two ways to connect with God. For example, someone may have been told by a Bible study leader that the way to connect with God is with a 30 minute “quiet time” involving Bible reading, journaling, and intercessory prayer. Another person may have grown up in a “high” church, where tradition and ritual are emphasized. Gary Thomas describes nine different ways that are all valid ways that people more naturally encounter God, for the purpose of freeing people to try other ways, discover what is most comfortable to them, and to help prevent judgmental or covetous attitudes towards how other people spend time with God.

In the book, Thomas suggests that once you discover your stronger preferences, that you consider supplementing or revamping the way you approach God. For example, if you’ve struggled to maintain a consistent hour-long Bible study/prayer/journaling time and turn out to have a strong preference as a “Naturalist,” it may be more beneficial for you to pray while walking in a forest or park, or to read your Bible while sitting outside. If however, what you’ve been doing seems to keep working for you, then you might consider working in a few of the suggested activities every few days or weeks just to try to allow God to meet you in different ways. Thomas does point out that spiritual temperaments, or preferences, may change over time, as your life situation changes or as you try new activities and find that you like them.

(Below: Summarized from Sacred Pathways by Gary L. Thomas. Please, go read the book to learn more.)

Naturalist -Learns their best lessons and connect best with God outdoors; use Scripture to visualize spiritual truths.

Activity Suggestions: Consider the greatness of creation (huge mountains, the ocean, etc.) and then think about how much bigger God is. Think about the multitude of creation (how many different kinds of plants, animals) and then think about what a creative God we have, and how he is able to manage so many things at once. Think about the beauty of creation. While out in nature, let down your anxieties, allow God to speak to you.

Warnings: Naturalists may tend to escape “real life” and responsibilities. They should also be careful of idolizing nature, or believing things that are not based in Scripture. Any insight received should be double-checked with scriptural principles.

Sensates -Use their five senses to worship God; are deeply affected by a beautiful piece of art, music, smell, etc.

Activity Suggestions: Listen to a great piece of music. Listen to Scripture being read out loud. Light a scented candle or incense. Hold objects while you pray; for example -hold a paperclip while praying for a marriage that is struggling (that the marriage would be held together). Meditate on Christian art. Appreciate beauty in churches. Draw while praying. Allow taste to remind you of God -for example, something sweet could remind you of God’s goodness.

Warnings: Idolizing beauty, worshipping “worship,” or doing things without conviction (e.g., being a great pianist and playing piano, but not having the heart condition of worship)

Traditionalists -Worship God through ritual and symbol. Celebrations and observances, like Easter and Christmas, are very important. May enjoy liturgical worship. Sacrifice (fasting, giving money, Lent) may be important to the traditionalist.

Activity Suggestions: Read the same Psalm every day, or read one in the morning and read one in the evening. Create a family calendar and traditions to celebrate sacred holidays. Make a liturgy for yourself to read every day that incorporates different aspects of prayer (like drawing things from The Book of Common Prayer) -adoration, confession, thanksgiving, intercession, supplication. Schedule a time for regular prayer. Find a picture or object (or a symbol like a cross, or a color) that you can use to remind you of God at your home or workplace. Fast during Lent.

Warnings: Traditionalists may fall into serving God without knowing God and mechanically repeating rituals. They should beware against neglecting social obligations of justice and serving others. They should also keep from judging others who don’t follow their rites and rituals.

Ascetics -Love God through solitude and simplicity. Too much visual/audio/etc. sensations can be distracting. (If you can relate with the annoyance of a ticking clock in a quiet room, you just might be an ascetic!) Have a desire to continually simplify their lives so that they can have more to give to God; interested in spiritual disciplines.

Activity Suggestions: Quiet worship in the night or early morning, when everyone has gone to bed. Being still -not being afraid of periods of silence or inactivity. Fasting from food, movies, radio, etc. -anything you think you might be depending on for spiritual nourishment. Working hard at your job. Taking personal retreats. Living simply keeping from materialism and packed schedules. Enduring hardship (even “too cold” or “too hot”!).

Warnings: Ascetics may overemphasize personal piety and forget about reaching out to others. They should also beware of doing things to earn God’s favor, or seeking pain for its own sake.

Activists -Spiritually nourished through battle for social justice. They need to take risks spiritually. This may come out as defending true Christianity (keeping doctrine pure, goading Christians to walk as they talk), working for social reform, actively confronting error and evil, or being a true “prayer warrior.”

Activity Suggestions: Prayer –go on prayer walks, intercede for others. Get involved with politics. Get involved with a social issue (abortion, for example). Speak the truth in love to other Christians.

Warnings: Because they are people of action, Activists may experience judgmental attitudes, elitism, or resentment against other Christians who seem to be “doing nothing.” They may have a preoccupation with activity or statistics, and lack an emphasis on personal sanctity. Thomas also points out that people with great ambition also are more prone to sexual failure.

Caregivers -Experience God’s power when caring for someone, feel close to God while serving others.

Activity Suggestions: Nursing sick people. Adopt a prisoner. Help a friend. Lend someone money. Volunteer on a rescue squad. Fix someone’s car. Make meals for a needy family. Etc…

Warnings: Can be judgmental of people who aren’t serving. Can neglect those closest to them (remember that God gave you a family first!). Can “serve others to serve themselves” –serving in order to get a sense of self-worth, as opposed to actually serving out of worship.

Enthusiasts -”Mystery and Celebration.” “Enthusiasts enjoy a celebratory form of worship” and are also more open to God’s supernatural working and mystery -they may be more expectant in looking for God to look around them, and they may have had experiences where God spoke to them (through unexplainable circumstances, dreams and visions, etc.) They see God’s answers to prayer and celebrate through enthusiastic worship (think of David dancing before the Lord!) and using the life he’s given to create other things (building a business, writing a poem, planting a garden, etc.).

Activity Suggestions: Be open to God speaking through dreams -the “interpretation” or message should be quite clear (no need to “figure it out”), may need to start a habit of journaling dreams to help remember them! Keep a prayer journal and being expectant throughout the day for God’s activity. Celebration! Create something. Use your imagination, feeling, or reason to meditate on Scripture; imagine Scripture actually working out in your life (what it would look like for you to be more loving, etc.)

Warnings: Beware of “spiritism” and things like sorcery, witchcraft, etc. Just because Enthusiasts might be more open to God’s supernatural work does not mean that they can dabble in occult things! Because Enthusiasts are feelings-oriented, they should beware of just looking for an “experience” vs. truly seeking God. They may equate “good feelings” with “good worship.” They may also be independent to the point of not being accountable.

Contemplatives -Love to just “be in the presence of God.” Intimate friendship, heart-felt connection, love relationship, are ways to describe how they feel about God.

Activity Suggestions: Praying the “Jesus prayer” or centering prayer, which helps to practice God’s presence and rest. Do secret acts that are just between you and God (anonymously helping someone, writing a letter to God that you burn, “secret” prayer walk, or making a secret vow or fasting). Try “dancing” prayer –allowing God to be the lead and guide you to what to pray for. Practice just “being” in front of God -sitting quietly with him, without trying to pray “for” anything or do anything. Reflect on the stations of the cross. Use your imagination to enter Scripture scenes and encounter God. Prayerful use of an object to reflect on Scripture.

Warnings: Contemplatives may be so used to “listening from God” that they ignore God when he speaks through other people, through his creation, etc. They should also stay away from the New Age concept of “emptying yourself,” and instead be filled with the Spirit. They may become addicted to spiritual addiction and neglect action.

Intellectuals -Thinkers. Love to learn new things about God, church doctrine, apologetics, etc. God may speak to them primarily through Bible study.

Activity Suggestions: Take seminary classes to help your mind stay active. Get training in church history, Biblical studies, systematic theology, ethics, apologetics. Intellectuals may find it helpful to teach what they learn to others, either in a formal “speaker” setting or as a discussion group leader. Read good Christian books. Learn how to study the Bible, and spend enough time doing so (like, focus on one book a month).

Warnings: Intellectuals might love controversy for the sake of it and get embroiled in “stupid arguments.” They may also be guilty of knowing but not doing, or being proud and arrogant.

I hope you are able to find your pathway to God and love him with all your heart, soul and mind!

Tim

Pursuing God

Tim Rowland — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:13:09 +0000

In Matthew 22:37 Jesus said the first and greatest commandment was to love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your mind. Jesus was saying that our first order of business is a passionate pursuit of God. During the Sundays of August we are going to examine the critical elements of that pursuit and hopefully come away with a deeper, more focused and renewed relationship with God the Father and a closer resemblance to Jesus, His Son.

I hope you can join me either in person at River Oaks or on-line at the River Oaks web site!

Tim

Gloria

Tim Rowland — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:27:30 +0000

Proverbs 31:10 says, “Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?” My answer is, “I can, and I did.” 32 years ago today Gloria and I got married. I can’t believe it has been that long and that good! Happy anniversary, sweetie. I’ll pick you up at 4:00 for an evening at St. Joe. How does that sound?

Love, Tim