I don't know if you have noticed this or not, but God is always asking for more.
He wants more of our hearts, as many times we allow our hearts to be absorbed with so many things in life that have no eternal value. He wants more of our trust, as so many times we clutch tightly to things and worry about things that He wants to take care of. He wants more of our faith, as often He calls us out to do something amazing but we shrink back because we feel that we lack talent or resources. He wants more of our passion, as so many times He longs for our hearts to be drawn to Him but we draw back due to laziness.
What should we do? We should throw up the white flag of surrender and give all we are, and all we have to the One who breathes out stars, but still holds our whole world together by the power of the cross!
I surrender all to Jesus.
All to Him I freely Give.
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence freely live.
I surrender all
I surrender all
All to thee my blessed Saviour
I surrender all
May we all live out these amazing words!
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Vision
I was at the O.B.F.F. National conference this past week and I had the opportunity to hear Pastor Larry Stockstill speak on the subject of missions and he rocked my world. In fact I haven't been able to stop thinking about the message he gave all week and at many times I have been almost overcome with the heart of God for missions.
He started talking about vision and he told a story about a time when he went through a drive through and got a burger on his way to speak somewhere. He wrapped the bottom of the burger up carefully so he would not spill, but when he took his first bite he felt something fall out and land on his pants. When he looked down he saw that a pickle had fallen out all covered with mustard and it was laying on his pant leg making a stain. He quickly put down the sandwich, took the pickle off of his pants and proceeded to wipe off his pant leg with a napkin. As he finished he looked up and realized that he was in the wrong lane and in the path of a tractor trailer, so he swerved and was nearly crushed. He pulled over to the side of the road to push his heart back into his chest and when he did the Lord Spoke to him.
God said " what is outside the windshield is more important than the pickle on your pants". As he said that I had a serious God moment. I realized that over this past few years I have been so concerned about the pickle on my pants that I had not looked out the windshield. As a Pastor I have been so busy trying to keep things going inside the church and to solve and meditate on all the problems and people that I had lost sight of our mandate. So today as I write this I have committed to keep looking forward in faith to the mandate that God has given to Jubilee to Go into all the world both to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth.
As a church we at this time support many people on the ground in Canada, USA, India, Northern and Southern Africa, Italy, Israel, and Vietnam. That is great, but I think that God has so much more for us to do so let's pray and believe that we can plant churches, feed the hungry and continue with evangelism, and that by reaching out past our own towns that God will also help us to be fruitful here!
He started talking about vision and he told a story about a time when he went through a drive through and got a burger on his way to speak somewhere. He wrapped the bottom of the burger up carefully so he would not spill, but when he took his first bite he felt something fall out and land on his pants. When he looked down he saw that a pickle had fallen out all covered with mustard and it was laying on his pant leg making a stain. He quickly put down the sandwich, took the pickle off of his pants and proceeded to wipe off his pant leg with a napkin. As he finished he looked up and realized that he was in the wrong lane and in the path of a tractor trailer, so he swerved and was nearly crushed. He pulled over to the side of the road to push his heart back into his chest and when he did the Lord Spoke to him.
God said " what is outside the windshield is more important than the pickle on your pants". As he said that I had a serious God moment. I realized that over this past few years I have been so concerned about the pickle on my pants that I had not looked out the windshield. As a Pastor I have been so busy trying to keep things going inside the church and to solve and meditate on all the problems and people that I had lost sight of our mandate. So today as I write this I have committed to keep looking forward in faith to the mandate that God has given to Jubilee to Go into all the world both to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth.
As a church we at this time support many people on the ground in Canada, USA, India, Northern and Southern Africa, Italy, Israel, and Vietnam. That is great, but I think that God has so much more for us to do so let's pray and believe that we can plant churches, feed the hungry and continue with evangelism, and that by reaching out past our own towns that God will also help us to be fruitful here!
Monday, May 30, 2011
What about love?
I think the word love is an amazing word that has the power to change everything, and in fact has changed everything. Two thousand years ago God put His love on display for the human race as His Son Jesus hung between heaven and earth and laid down His life so that we could be saved. His love changed everything and some times we take that for granted and even at times allow Him to become common to us.
Today I just want to encourage you to take some time to think about the love that changed everything and then take a bit of time to say thanks to the one who put His love on display for..........you:)
But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him. Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way.
Romans 5:8-9 MESSAGE
Why not tell someone today?
Today I just want to encourage you to take some time to think about the love that changed everything and then take a bit of time to say thanks to the one who put His love on display for..........you:)
But God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him. Now that we are set right with God by means of this sacrificial death, the consummate blood sacrifice, there is no longer a question of being at odds with God in any way.
Romans 5:8-9 MESSAGE
Why not tell someone today?
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Living for Jesus?
They were the best of times and the worst of times, not to rip anyone off or anything. These past several months have been a journey of a life time, and it feels like a journey that lasts a lifetime. full of many great blessings from God and also full of many hard times from the enemy or perhaps even self inflicted. This is a period in my life that I would not exchange for an easier road or a simpler path because what I have learned through it is without price.
I think that there is a point in life that we all need to come to and that point is in discovering that what we need more than anything else in this whole wide world is Jesus. I am not talking about a casual kind of distant relationship with an ethereal being, I am talking about a give me Jesus or give me death kind of a need to be in a close and vibrant relationship with Him.
I cannot, and you cannot have a relationship with God that is meaningful, vibrant, and real unless we are spending time with Him regularly and reading His Word the Bible regularly. So many Christians have weak and anemic relationships with Christ, because they do not spend time with Him, and read His word. This is not how it is supposed to be people, we are promised so much more than that. The only thing is we need to get involved in a love affair with God and His word!
Are you content to live life the way you have been or is there a cry deep within you saying "there must be more"?
If so then why not take time to really cry out to God and spend time with Him. It will change your life, God promised.
But the grace that God gives is even stronger. As the scripture says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." So then, submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will run away from you. Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners! Purify your hearts, you hypocrites! Be sorrowful, cry, and weep; change your laughter into crying, your joy into gloom! Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Jam 4:6-10 GNB
I think that there is a point in life that we all need to come to and that point is in discovering that what we need more than anything else in this whole wide world is Jesus. I am not talking about a casual kind of distant relationship with an ethereal being, I am talking about a give me Jesus or give me death kind of a need to be in a close and vibrant relationship with Him.
I cannot, and you cannot have a relationship with God that is meaningful, vibrant, and real unless we are spending time with Him regularly and reading His Word the Bible regularly. So many Christians have weak and anemic relationships with Christ, because they do not spend time with Him, and read His word. This is not how it is supposed to be people, we are promised so much more than that. The only thing is we need to get involved in a love affair with God and His word!
Are you content to live life the way you have been or is there a cry deep within you saying "there must be more"?
If so then why not take time to really cry out to God and spend time with Him. It will change your life, God promised.
But the grace that God gives is even stronger. As the scripture says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." So then, submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will run away from you. Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners! Purify your hearts, you hypocrites! Be sorrowful, cry, and weep; change your laughter into crying, your joy into gloom! Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Jam 4:6-10 GNB
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Faithful?
I was in town yesterday coming out of the bank and I saw a lady that I knew from the Potter's House, so I stopped to say hey. She was sitting on a bench with another lady, who I introduced myself to also. She proceeded to ask me what I did for living and I told her I was a pastor. She responded with Holy **** you are a Pastor? I want to be a pastor to! I went on to ask why she wanted to do that and where she went to church.
Here is the thing. She had no church affiliation, and she could swear like a sailor but she thought that she would like to be a pastor. This encounter made me think a lot about God's call on my life and why I do what I do. The truth is there is sometimes a kind of romantic idea of what it would be like to lead, whether as a boss in a company, a parent in a home or a leader in a church. Many times what people romanticize about is not a clear picture of what the responsibility of the role actually looks like.
The one thing I have learned about leading is that before you lead you need to prove yourself faithful, When you start leading and learning the ropes you have to be faithful, and if you want to continue leading into the future you have to remain faithful. You have to be the person who really cares about all aspects of what you are called to do and you have to keep doing your best whether you feel like it or not , whether you are thanked or not, and whether you are noticed or not.
Are you faithful?
Here is the thing. She had no church affiliation, and she could swear like a sailor but she thought that she would like to be a pastor. This encounter made me think a lot about God's call on my life and why I do what I do. The truth is there is sometimes a kind of romantic idea of what it would be like to lead, whether as a boss in a company, a parent in a home or a leader in a church. Many times what people romanticize about is not a clear picture of what the responsibility of the role actually looks like.
The one thing I have learned about leading is that before you lead you need to prove yourself faithful, When you start leading and learning the ropes you have to be faithful, and if you want to continue leading into the future you have to remain faithful. You have to be the person who really cares about all aspects of what you are called to do and you have to keep doing your best whether you feel like it or not , whether you are thanked or not, and whether you are noticed or not.
Are you faithful?
Thursday, May 20, 2010
The Power of Love
Wow! What a day,tonight I saw over a hundred people walk down to the alter to Give their heart to Jesus. That will never get old and it is my dream to see that at Jubilee in the future. there is a lot of info to digest here so I guess for tonight I will give you this one thought and then I will hit the hay.
God has given us His love to share with the world around us. the same love that compelled Him to die for us is now living in us and should compel us to love others into God's Kingdom.
1Corinthians 13:1-8 What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others. What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others. Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do. Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. Love never fails!
We could do all the things that we think are important in our church context, but if it is not birthed in love it will fail. Everything else will fail, BUT Love, the God kind of love, never fails. I believe that if we could see people the way Jesus sees them, and love them the way Jesus loves them, we could see our region come to Christ.
God has given us His love to share with the world around us. the same love that compelled Him to die for us is now living in us and should compel us to love others into God's Kingdom.
1Corinthians 13:1-8 What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others. What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others. Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do. Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. Love never fails!
We could do all the things that we think are important in our church context, but if it is not birthed in love it will fail. Everything else will fail, BUT Love, the God kind of love, never fails. I believe that if we could see people the way Jesus sees them, and love them the way Jesus loves them, we could see our region come to Christ.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
California dreamin
Well we arrived in LA after a very short night sleep and a long flight. What a great church they have here, and what a beautiful setting. This afternoon we toured the campus, HUUUGGGEEE they seat 3,500 in the sanctuary and run nine services. Thirty five hundred kids show up every weekend, and a thousand teenagers. they feed almost a million needy people a year. these are mind blowing numbers.
They are providing the whole conference for free including all of our meals, and the meals seem awesome Fillet Mignon tonight, and they say it will be better tomorrow. the teaching was also amazing and I will fill you in on some of the highlights tomorrow. Have a great night Jubilee!
They are providing the whole conference for free including all of our meals, and the meals seem awesome Fillet Mignon tonight, and they say it will be better tomorrow. the teaching was also amazing and I will fill you in on some of the highlights tomorrow. Have a great night Jubilee!
Monday, May 10, 2010
Because you're mine I walk the line.
Psalm 15:1-5 (Message) A David psalm. GOD, who gets invited to dinner at your place? How do we get on your guest list? "Walk straight, act right, tell the truth. "Don't hurt your friend, don't blame your neighbor; despise the despicable. "Keep your word even when it costs you, make an honest living, never take a bribe. "You'll never get blacklisted if you live like this."
Don't you think it would be cool to sit at dinner with God? wouldn't it be awesome to be that near to Him? Here is the deal, you can be! Pete talked about this bit of scripture at youth last week and it won't leave me alone.
So many times we struggle in how we walk out life with God but it is really quite simple when we read Psalm 15. There is amazing power in the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross, He paid the price for your sins and mine, the work is complete for salvation. If though we want to lead a life that is pleasing to God we need to participate, we need to walk the line with Jesus. Take a while to read this scripture and ask God to speak to you through it and make plans to have an intimate meal with your Father
Don't you think it would be cool to sit at dinner with God? wouldn't it be awesome to be that near to Him? Here is the deal, you can be! Pete talked about this bit of scripture at youth last week and it won't leave me alone.
So many times we struggle in how we walk out life with God but it is really quite simple when we read Psalm 15. There is amazing power in the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross, He paid the price for your sins and mine, the work is complete for salvation. If though we want to lead a life that is pleasing to God we need to participate, we need to walk the line with Jesus. Take a while to read this scripture and ask God to speak to you through it and make plans to have an intimate meal with your Father
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Mother's Day!
I have to say when I think about the whole Mother's Day thing, I am a very blessed man! I was raised by a great mother who loves Jesus and helped all of her kids to love Jesus too. I have a great mother in law who never interferes and whom we would like to have visit more, who raised Kristine to love Jesus. The mothers in my life are cool, low maintenance moms.
Then there is my sweet wife Kristine. She is such an awesome mother in every way. She cares for and loves my boys and teaches them the ways of Jesus, she is constantly growing (Mentally and Spiritually) in order to serve her family better. I know that my sons and I love her and appreciate her more than words can say!
Thanks to all the great women in my life, it is better because you are a part of it!
Then there is my sweet wife Kristine. She is such an awesome mother in every way. She cares for and loves my boys and teaches them the ways of Jesus, she is constantly growing (Mentally and Spiritually) in order to serve her family better. I know that my sons and I love her and appreciate her more than words can say!
Thanks to all the great women in my life, it is better because you are a part of it!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Live the new life!
2 Corinthians 5:17 Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new.
I think it is amazing that Jesus died on the cross to set me free! Here is the thing Jesus gave us a new life, and He wants us to live it. It is time to let go of your guilt and shame and walk boldly into the new life that God has promised to you. I love this verse in Galatians because it reminds me that I passed away, died, ceased to exist as the person I was and now I exist totally because of and for the work of the cross!
Gal 6:14 But I will never brag about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his cross, the world is dead as far as I am concerned, and I am dead as far as the world is concerned.
Don't forget it is Mother's Day on Sunday and It is going to be awesome, Kristine and I are going to tag team for the message and we are going to spoil our moms. Don't forget to take some time this week to be bold and share the love of Christ with someone!
I think it is amazing that Jesus died on the cross to set me free! Here is the thing Jesus gave us a new life, and He wants us to live it. It is time to let go of your guilt and shame and walk boldly into the new life that God has promised to you. I love this verse in Galatians because it reminds me that I passed away, died, ceased to exist as the person I was and now I exist totally because of and for the work of the cross!
Gal 6:14 But I will never brag about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his cross, the world is dead as far as I am concerned, and I am dead as far as the world is concerned.
Don't forget it is Mother's Day on Sunday and It is going to be awesome, Kristine and I are going to tag team for the message and we are going to spoil our moms. Don't forget to take some time this week to be bold and share the love of Christ with someone!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
What's love got to do with it?
I was doing my daily reading yesterday in the New Century Version and i came across this verse.
Colossians2:2 I want them to be strengthened and joined together with love so that they may be rich in their understanding. This leads to their knowing fully God's secret, that is, Christ himself.
This verse is really telling us that if we want to fully know Christ then we need to be strengthened and joined together in love. That in loving each other we would be rich in understanding that would lead us to know Christ. I don't know about you but I want to know Christ more and in order for me to do that I will have to lay aside some of my attitudes and just love people the way Jesus did.
I'm up for it, how about you?
Colossians2:2 I want them to be strengthened and joined together with love so that they may be rich in their understanding. This leads to their knowing fully God's secret, that is, Christ himself.
This verse is really telling us that if we want to fully know Christ then we need to be strengthened and joined together in love. That in loving each other we would be rich in understanding that would lead us to know Christ. I don't know about you but I want to know Christ more and in order for me to do that I will have to lay aside some of my attitudes and just love people the way Jesus did.
I'm up for it, how about you?
Monday, April 26, 2010
Give thanks lately?
What a great worship service we had yesterday, a big thank you to our worship team they are awesome! During the worship time we were encouraged to stop for a few moments and give thanks to God, and we did. As I was giving thanks so many things flooded my heart. so I thought it would be cool if on this blog we would take some time to say thanks. I will begin with my thanks and you can comment with your thanks and this could be a great testimony time!
I am so thankful to the Lord because He has blessed me in so many ways! He has given me Salvation through His death and resurrection, He has given me the most amazing and Godly wife and to amazing sons.
He has given me great parents who loved God with their lives and not just their mouths. He has given me two brothers and a sister who along with their families give their lives to make the name of Jesus famous. He has given me really cool nephews and nieces who love and serve God. He has given me amazing in laws who also love Jesus and my wife and kids, and even me most of the time;) I am thankful for Nic who is about to join our family on July 3rd when he marries my mom.
I am thankful that God has allowed me to serve Him in this house for thirty two years, and still love this house today! I am thankful that I get to build His kingdom, and do life with my friends, the people of Jubilee. I love that I get to do life with the people I love! I am thankful that God has placed us in Dunnville and that we get to serve the people of this region. And I will leave some space for you so just click on the comments button and give thanks.
I am so thankful to the Lord because He has blessed me in so many ways! He has given me Salvation through His death and resurrection, He has given me the most amazing and Godly wife and to amazing sons.
He has given me great parents who loved God with their lives and not just their mouths. He has given me two brothers and a sister who along with their families give their lives to make the name of Jesus famous. He has given me really cool nephews and nieces who love and serve God. He has given me amazing in laws who also love Jesus and my wife and kids, and even me most of the time;) I am thankful for Nic who is about to join our family on July 3rd when he marries my mom.
I am thankful that God has allowed me to serve Him in this house for thirty two years, and still love this house today! I am thankful that I get to build His kingdom, and do life with my friends, the people of Jubilee. I love that I get to do life with the people I love! I am thankful that God has placed us in Dunnville and that we get to serve the people of this region. And I will leave some space for you so just click on the comments button and give thanks.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
We Love Dunnville!
Hey all! I would really appreciate your prayers and participation in the upcoming event that we are doing in Dunnville. We are joining with other churches in Dunnville to show the people in our town that Jesus loves them in practical ways. We will be doing a free store, a carnival, free haircuts, renovations, barbecues and a free feast at the end of the day, and we are going to pray that God will bless what we do for His Kingdom. I am so pleased to call Pastor Peter (First Baptist) Pastor Dan (Maple Creek) Pastor Jon (Calvary Pentecostal) and Pastor John (Grace Christian Reformed) my friends and I am also pleased that we can work together at this project.
Please put this date on your calendar and start praying and fasting for that day!
Please put this date on your calendar and start praying and fasting for that day!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Need a Refresh?
If you read this list and honestly evaluate your life, and you feel you are out of sync on any of them, then you need a refresh.
- If you are focusing on your habits instead of focusing on your heart for God. (Going through the routine)
- If you are focusing on your goodness instead of your Godliness.
- If you are focusing on your knowledge of God's word instead of your obedience to it.
- If you are focusing on your spiritual age instead of your spiritual hunger.
Then................
Acts 3:19 "Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord,
Simple eh?
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Refreshed?
I am so excited about what God is doing in all of our lives this week! I t has been fun watching different people respond at different times to what God is saying to them, and it is also great to see a resurrection of the passion that many of you once carried! God is definitely good!
Monday, April 12, 2010
A few Quotes that I have collected.
These are a few of my favorite quotes and verses. I hope they challenge you as much as they challenge me.
Hope is not dreaming. It is not spinning an illusion or fantasy to protect us from our boredom or our pain....It is imagination put into the harness of faith. CS Lewis
If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care-- then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. Philippians 2:1-4
(The Message Bible)
Never fear death, only fear a wasted life.
The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.
When I stand before God at the end of my life,I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say "I used everything you gave me".
Unkown
Disturb us Lord When when we are to well pleased with ourselves.When our dreams come true Because we have dreamed to little When we arrived safely Because we sailed to closely to shore.
Sir Francis Drake in 1577
But I will never brag about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his cross, the world is dead as far as I am concerned, and I am dead as far as the world is concerned. Galatians 6:14
Contemporary English Version
"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and lust and ambition when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to keep on making mud-pie in the slums because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a vacation at the beach." If I really wanted to be happy, I would seek God. Oh, but God is abstract! It takes effort to reach God. So I settle. I settle for weak amusements that require no effort. What a lazy fool I am!!" - CS Lewis
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me--watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.
Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
Matthew 11:28-30 Message Bible
Hope is not dreaming. It is not spinning an illusion or fantasy to protect us from our boredom or our pain....It is imagination put into the harness of faith. CS Lewis
If you've gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care-- then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. Philippians 2:1-4
(The Message Bible)
Never fear death, only fear a wasted life.
The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.
When I stand before God at the end of my life,I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say "I used everything you gave me".
Unkown
Disturb us Lord When when we are to well pleased with ourselves.When our dreams come true Because we have dreamed to little When we arrived safely Because we sailed to closely to shore.
Sir Francis Drake in 1577
But I will never brag about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his cross, the world is dead as far as I am concerned, and I am dead as far as the world is concerned. Galatians 6:14
Contemporary English Version
"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and lust and ambition when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to keep on making mud-pie in the slums because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a vacation at the beach." If I really wanted to be happy, I would seek God. Oh, but God is abstract! It takes effort to reach God. So I settle. I settle for weak amusements that require no effort. What a lazy fool I am!!" - CS Lewis
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me--watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.
Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
Matthew 11:28-30 Message Bible
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
It is Official!
Well everyone it is now official, we are moving to our new facility! The conditions were removed from the offer to purchase on the church tonight, and the deal will be closing on October the 30Th. Our first event will be held on the 31st a fun night of clowning, games and of course CANDY. Our first service will be on November the 1st. Wow, God is good! We will need all hands on deck as we prepare for this great milestone, so try to plan some time to help out.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Building Relationships? Part 4
What an amazing call that God has given us, to Build Relationships that Build the Kingdom of God. This is another question that I ask myself on a regular basis, "If everyone was exactly like me and brought the same level of energy to the table about this mission, would that be a good thing or a bad thing?"
I want to be the kind of person that will lead by example so everyday I ask God to help me keep the mission in mind and I purposefully crank up the intensity level, so that I will become that kind of person.
What about you? Are you the kind of person that we should all be like or do you, like me, need to keep the mission in mind and ask God to help you to crank up the intensity so that we all can fulfill this great mission that God has called us to?
In about six weeks we are going to be starting a series called Crank it Up and I am looking forward to seeing God do great things through that! Have a great day!
I want to be the kind of person that will lead by example so everyday I ask God to help me keep the mission in mind and I purposefully crank up the intensity level, so that I will become that kind of person.
What about you? Are you the kind of person that we should all be like or do you, like me, need to keep the mission in mind and ask God to help you to crank up the intensity so that we all can fulfill this great mission that God has called us to?
In about six weeks we are going to be starting a series called Crank it Up and I am looking forward to seeing God do great things through that! Have a great day!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Building Relationships 3
2Ki 4:5 So she left him and closed the door behind her and her children. The children kept bringing containers to her, and she kept pouring.
2Ki 4:6 When the containers were full, she told her son, "Bring me another container." He told her, "There are no more containers." So the olive oil stopped flowing.
I think that God has given us the call as His people to pour His Spirit into empty vessels. He has called us to the poor and the weak and the spiritually lost and has called us to keep pouring out into their lives continually, as He continually is filling us with His Spirit. The problem is that many times we stop pouring, we stop looking for empty vessels to pour the oil of the presence and the love of God into and when we do the oil stops.
We sometimes find ourselves, as Christ followers, dried up and feeling desperate for God, and there is a good chance that, that is because we stopped pouring, we stopped giving, we stopped being generous. I don't know about you but I need the presence of God in my life, I need His love flowing through me, so I am looking forward to hunting down some empty vessels to pour His Spirit into Today.
It is all about "Building Relationships that Build the Kingdom of God"
2Ki 4:6 When the containers were full, she told her son, "Bring me another container." He told her, "There are no more containers." So the olive oil stopped flowing.
I think that God has given us the call as His people to pour His Spirit into empty vessels. He has called us to the poor and the weak and the spiritually lost and has called us to keep pouring out into their lives continually, as He continually is filling us with His Spirit. The problem is that many times we stop pouring, we stop looking for empty vessels to pour the oil of the presence and the love of God into and when we do the oil stops.
We sometimes find ourselves, as Christ followers, dried up and feeling desperate for God, and there is a good chance that, that is because we stopped pouring, we stopped giving, we stopped being generous. I don't know about you but I need the presence of God in my life, I need His love flowing through me, so I am looking forward to hunting down some empty vessels to pour His Spirit into Today.
It is all about "Building Relationships that Build the Kingdom of God"
Building Relationships? Part deux
I guess I ask myself this question on almost a daily basis, is my heart really committed to the forward progress of the Gospel? What I am really asking myself is, am I intentionally going out into my world to share the love of God, through relationship, to the people that God has brought into my life.
It is so important for us to live with a sense of mission, a sense that there is something more at play here then just what is happening in my life, or your life. There is a grand battle going on for the souls of mankind, a David and Goliath type of confrontation taking place. I think about David, when preparing to take on Goliath, he first of all had to take on his brother and his attitude. to which David responded "Is there not a cause?"
Do you live life everyday with the realization that there is a cause that you live for and that God has invited you into? If not then I encourage you to really latch on to the Heart of God for a lost and dying world and ask Him to allow you to see what He sees.
It is so important for us to live with a sense of mission, a sense that there is something more at play here then just what is happening in my life, or your life. There is a grand battle going on for the souls of mankind, a David and Goliath type of confrontation taking place. I think about David, when preparing to take on Goliath, he first of all had to take on his brother and his attitude. to which David responded "Is there not a cause?"
Do you live life everyday with the realization that there is a cause that you live for and that God has invited you into? If not then I encourage you to really latch on to the Heart of God for a lost and dying world and ask Him to allow you to see what He sees.
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