Learning from Jesus

Pastor Rey starts off on a new series "Can You Hear Me Now?", diving into prayer life and growing closer to God. The first step as we learn from Jesus is to pause, slow down, and get away from the crazy.

Imagine learning to throw a football from Russell Wilson, or how to coach a team from Pete Carroll, or how to manage a company from Paul Allen, or how to talk smack from Richard Sherman.  Minus the last example, I think most of us would relish in the opportunity to learn a skill from one of the greats.

Now imagine learning to pray from Jesus himself.  Imagine if you could somehow figure out this whole prayer thing from the person who was most connected to God.  Well you don’t have to imagine because you can learn to pray vicariously through the disciples who once asked Jesus, “Teach us to pray.”

I have been trying to figure out prayer ever since becoming Christian.  I have tried praying silently, aloud, writing down my prayers, reading other’s prayers, walking through nature and praying, praying while I jog, praying through scripture, praying on my knees, praying on my back, praying with my eyes open, and every other way you can imagine.

And for most of my life the results have been mixed.  Sure I have experienced answered prayers but they are sandwiched between unanswered prayers.  Honestly I can’t help but think that I must be doing it wrong.  Not saying the right words or not saying them the right way.

I think we have all had our doubts at some point.  Can God truly hear us?  Jesus answers that with an emphatic ‘YES!’  And he teaches us how to.

He  begins his lesson by introducing us to God.  He reveals the nature of God to us.  He reminds us who we are talking to because I think they struggle with the same issues I struggle with.  I tend to overlook God.

From the very beginning Jesus reminds us – Before you pray, I want to you pause.  I want you to slow down.  I want you to take a deep breath and think about who you are talking.  God is your Father.  Holy and different than all others.  None can compare.  Though He is unseen, he sees and knows all about you.  He knows all about your needs and he is your rewarder.

The essence of prayer is relationship which is why Jesus tells us to pause and think about who you are talking to.  Declare God’s greatness.

Which is what we are doing this week.  We are pausing.  We are taking this week to declare God’s greatness.  To make a list of who God is to you.  To contemplate.  To meditate.  To recognize the God of eternity who has invited us to refer to him as Father.

Don’t miss out next week as we dive into the rest of the prayer.  For those who missed, here is a link to last week’s message.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hUkswuF-KE&w=560&h=315]

Like what you hear, but want more?

You can check get more information by checking out our website, or you can email us if you have more questions.

My Daughter's Father

I was reading the Quran yesterday in Sura 112, Sura al-Ihklas, it speaks of how

لم يلد ولم يولد ولم يكن له كفوا احد.

He does not have a child, nor is he begotten and there is not one equal to him

But in Hosea 1.10, it is written,

يقال لهم لستم شعبي عوضا عن ان يقال لهم ابناء الله الحي

Instead, those who are called 'not my people, they will be called children of the living God.

I haven't been able to shake that thought. How sad it is to not think of oneself as God's child. I always think of myself as one dearly loved by God. As a child should be. It is such a reminder that it is God's Spirit within me that calls out, “abba.” Now that I'm about to have a baby, I am so blessed to know that her spirit will call out to God's, prompted by a heavenly father to whom she will always belong.

I thank the Lord that my daughter can think of God as her good father. Before I ever met her, I knew that her spirit is calling out to God's. That she will always have a God who calls her daughter.

This blog reflection was taken from Pastor Ben's personal page. If you'd like to hear more about the work Ben and all of the pastors from Washington cathedral are doing, check out our website to hear about all of the different events and ministries we're doing.

From This Day Forward I will have Fun!

Pastors Tim & Linda continue into the third week of the sermon series "From This Day Forward." They looked at the importance of embracing life and the fun God gives us opportunities to enjoy even amongst the challenges.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrxbIqQp-lQ]

Like what you hear, but want more?

You can check get more information by checking out our website, or you can email us if you have more questions.

From This Day Forward I will Fight Fair

Pastor Tim continues the series "From This Day Forward". He delved into Proverbs and challenged us to fight fair in all parts of our lives by avoiding the seven things that God hates.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1hB-0aljDA]

Like what you hear, but want more?

You can check get more information by checking out our website, or you can email us if you have more questions.

From This Day Forward I will Seek God

Pastor Rey begins a new series "From This Day Forward". He took us into the life of King Solomon and the building of God's temple. God made a point that we must seek Him first in all that we do and he will hear us and fill us with his presence.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLJNPV6MP2k]

Like what you hear, but want more?

You can check get more information by checking out our website, or you can email us if you have more questions.

The Time Machine

This week, Pastor Rey prepared us for the new year with the week long series- The Time Machine. He took us into Proverbs, challenging us to be wiser- to step into the Time Machine- as we begin 2014.

It’s never good to have favorites when it comes to kids.  While I was a teacher in Honduras, I would always say, “They are my second favorite.”  Everyone was my second favorite. But really I did have a favorite.  It’s a young man named Douglas.

I met Douglas a kid in 2004.  He worked in the garbage dump with his parents and older siblings.  I was at his sixth grade graduation.  And this December, I was at his High School graduation.  I invested more in him than in any of the others because I sensed something in his heart.  He is a bigger boy with the tough guy reputation but he has the most sensitive, generous, and pure hearts. I was so proud of him at his graduation.  You can probably tell by the picture.  Maoly, the girl pictured next to him, also graduated and is another one of my favorites.

Douglas and Maoly are witnesses of God’s wonderful grace.  Living martyrs. They are devoted followers of Jesus.  They have escaped the garbage dump.  They have escaped the many temptation of their communities.  They have fought, and with God's help, have overcome insurmountable odds.  Now they are both on their way to university.  They are already agents of transformation in their communities.

The cycle of poverty has been broken.  The power of sin has been broken.  It’s complete.  It’s done.  It’s finished.  This is the abundant life Jesus promised.

After graduation, I found pictures of that sixth grade graduation of the senior class.  Their class was three times as big- but only Antonio, Douglas and Maoly made it through High School.

One is a gang member, currently in jail.

Another works as basically an indentured servant.

Two are single parents raising their kids.

So although I rejoice with these two, part of me is broken for the ones who have fallen.  All of them had the same opportunities.  Some made wise choices.  Others made unwise choices.

I wondered, what if there had been a time machine back at their sixth grade graduation?  What if they could have gotten inside, gone forward, seen their High School graduation, college, future possibilities?  Then go back.  What choices would they have made? Anything different?  Of course.

You see, wisdom is a time machine.  Wisdom grants us access to God’s will.  Wisdom shows us which is the best path.  Wisdom leads to life.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6yXyJaLJug]

Wisdom is a time machine and the wise make decisions based on the end.

It’s easy to see where these children in the garbage dump went wrong.  It’s not so easy to see where we go wrong in our own lives.  Which is why we need wisdom.  All of us need wisdom.

I have challenged the church to get into the time machine by reading a proverb everyday during the month of January.  On January first, we are all going to read Proverbs 1.

Will you join us?  Will you get in the time machine with us?

Like what you hear, but want more? You can check get more information by checking out our website, or you can email us if you have more questions.

What moms can teach pastors, Part 1

Check out Pastor Becca's Blog

Pastor Becca recently started her own blog, Tools of a Pastor Mom. Check her out, and look cor content from her blog here at the WaCath blog.

A Runner

I am a runner. I have always been. I will always be. So is my daughter. Not long ago, my daughter ran away from home, and during that time I learned how God has protected and cared for my family. Here is the story of how God has taken care of us. Six Long Days For six long days I did not know why she ran, if she was held against her will, nor did I know if she was alive. What I discovered through all of this was how deep, how wide, how wide and how powerful is God’s reach and concern. I have been so very blessed beyond measure during this exceptional time. It is as if God had planted seeds of protection years before and they bore fruit during this season. I learned the lesson God taught his people when they were in exile:

“For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,'

Jeremiah 29.10-14

I am courageous and brave. I have always been. I will always be. This past week my daughter was placed before several strong young men. They offered her many things. They questioned why she didn’t want more alcohol, drugs or other mind altering chemicals. They said that others would have taken them. She said she didn’t want to. She went back to her Junior High and asked the principal if she could come back to the school. She has had to read and hear all of the stories about how she scared everyone by running away. She came back to us and she was honest about her experiences on the street. She is courageous and brave.

I am loved and cared for by a family, a community and an almighty God. So is my daughter. When she went missing the number of people who shared their stories of missing and exploited children was overwhelming. The number of people who passed out flyers and spent hours looking for her was overwhelming. We had a pastor, a bishop and several friends and family praying together in our home for her safety and welfare. When she returned I was amazed by the stories she told of how our community is taking care of people on the street. I believe that the Christmas miracle in all of this is that there is a family, a community and an almighty God who loves and cares for each and every one of us.

-Hillary

This post recalls the experiences of one family in Washington Cathedral. When their daughter went missing, the entire community joined together in prayer, and when she was found, we were overjoyed together. Washington Cathedral is about being a home for so many in need. Many of us run from things in our lives. Maybe it is a past divorce, an addiction, or your own doubts and hurts toward God. We are a safe place to come to Jesus and find the healing God has for you. Contact us or visit us on the web to find out how you can find a home here.

What’s the Appropriate Response to Witnessing a Miracle?

By Pastor Rey Diaz

Last week a friend of mine asked me, "What is the appropriate response to experiencing a miracle?" Shout? Jump? Scream? Cry? My friend experienced a supernatural healing from a cyst in his left vocal cord and his reaction (You can read about it and see the before and after pictures here: www.michaelpatz.com).

That same night, I experienced a miracle. And it was my turn to write - 'God is amazing. There are not words. I'm stunned. I'm shocked. I’m utterly overwhelmed.'

It's not an easy thing to witness a miracle. To see pure beauty. Relentless grace. Unending love. What's the appropriate reaction? I want to cry. I want to shout. I want dance. I want to fall on my knees.

A life permanently changed. A child finds their Heavenly Father's love and experienced his grace. Rescued. Redeemed. Transformed.

This is Dulce when I first met her near the garbage dump.

Dulce means "sweet." But Dulce's life has been anything but sweet. She was raised in the garbage dump by her siblings. No father. An absent mother. Her grandparents took her in but they had to continue working in the garbage dump to have food for their grandchildren.

So Dulce and her siblings learned to scavenge in the garbage dump. Last year, Dulce's brother, Kevin, was run over by a garbage dump, dying instantly. She grieved. She cried. But life continued. So it seemed her name was a cruel joke. There was nothing sweet about her life. 'Bitter' would have been more accurate.

 Psalms 68:5 - A father to the fatherless…

But God intervened. It's His modus operandi… To offer hope when it seems hopeless. To rescue when it seems impossible. To give life to the lifeless.

God intervened through AFE. Through people who were willing to serve. Dulce's family received a house. Her siblings started school. The family found support at church.

The AFE nursery took in Dulce. They loved her, protected her, and fed her while her grandmother and grandfather were at the dump during the day. Dulce then started kindergarten. And she has just graduated. She is on her way.

Why can't she be a future leader in Honduras? Why can't she bring about the change the country so desperately needs? Why can't she be an example to all the other thousand of children who are still captured in the cycle of poverty? So I ask again, what’s the appropriate response to witnessing a miracle?

Like what you hear, but want more? You can check get more information by checking out our website, or you can email us if you have more questions.

Faith that Overwhelms Fears

This week, Pastor Rey began Washington Cathedral’s new series: World Reborn. He talked about how not focusing on the fear of problems and challenges can help us to trust and follow God's plan for us.

By Pastor Rey Diaz

Black Friday is for people who love crowds, lines, and chaos.  I prefer Cyber Monday.  From the comfort of my computer desk, I can go to Amazon.com and buy Christmas presents for the whole familoggerly.  I love it.  It’s Dec 1^st and I’m already done with all my Christmas shopping.  It’s not just the convenience of shopping but the amazing delivery as a prime member.  All my packages arrive in two days (I promise you I’m not getting a kick back from the people at Amazon, although I should).

Well it turns out that Amazon works with 1,000s of smaller companies.  And although I’m 100 percent satisfied, I have never written a review.  I received a message yesterday that just shocked me.  Here it is:

As a small but passionate American business, we lack the big marketing budgets of larger corporations, and rely on word-of-mouth more than anything. If it is not too much to ask, please help us by writing a short review on Amazon.com. Unfortunately, less than 1% of satisfied customers write a review, but 99% of unsatisfied customers do. Your review therefore would be invaluable to us and helps strengthen the Amazon marketplace for all.

I couldn’t believe it.  The numbers are staggering.  The unsatisfied are basically a hundred times more vocal than the satisfied.  We hear complaints, criticisms, and negativity a hundred times more than the good stuff.

It made me think of our spiritual walks with God.  Isn’t the same thing usually true in our personal lives.  We notice and see the bad, the scary, the unfair, the unjust and the darkness.  But the good is sometimes harder to focus on.  Maybe that is why God is constantly telling us, “Don’t be afraid.”  Because our tendency is to focus on the fearful.  The problems.  The challenge.  The difficulty.  Basically, our fears are a hundred times more vocal than our faith.

Matthew 14:22-33 tells the story of Jesus walking on water.  The disciples, who are on the boat, think it’s a ghost and are afraid.  Jesus responds with some of his favorite words, “Don’t be afraid.”  Peter wants proof.  He tells Jesus, “If it is really you, tell me to come out and walk on the water.”

So Peter begins his walk towards Jesus on the water.  He was walking towards Jesus, but instead of gazing at Him, he lets his focus turn towards the waves.  He allows fear to take a hold of him and he begins to sink. Jesus, intervenes and saves him.

With love in his eyes he says “Oh, you of little faith.  Why did you doubt me?”  Jesus takes Peter and leads him to the same place he is trying to lead us to.  A place of fearlessness.  A place of trust.  A place of overwhelming faith.  Jesus wants to grow our faith .  He wants our faith to overwhelm fear.

So that in midst of our problems, in the midst of the storm, in the midst of the waves and chaos, our faith remains steadfast.  Secure and confident in God.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/DIbycm4MtWQ]

That’s why we follow Jesus.  And as a church, we want the same for your faith. There is a song that speaks of this type of faith.  I have used it as a prayer – “Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders.  Let me walk upon the waters wherever you would call me.  Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander.  And my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my savior.”

Would you take some time to listen to song? Oceans by Hillsongs United -

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy9nwe9_xzw&w=560&h=315]