Last night I was reminded about the fact that we as the body of Christ are family. We do life together and we are there for each other. Recently one of the volunteers on my team asked for prayer for their spouse who was interviewing for a new job. They brought their needs before God and before the people they do life with here at Fellowship Church.

You might think that it is normal to bring things to God, but what purpose other than praying could there be for sharing our needs with others?  Let me offer this thought. Many times God uses the people around us to answer our prayers. You may need to read the sentence again and let it sink in.

Let’s jump back to my story again for a moment.  Last night as we were beginning our worship team practice one member brought me a check and asked that I give it to that same member of our team who had shared just a couple weeks ago about their needs.  Because the member in need shared their request God used those around her to answer her prayer.

So the next time you are with friends or attending your life group please remember this.  God uses those you do life with to answer prayer and often times to meet your needs.  So get out there and do life together!

Yesterday we wrapped up our East to West series at Fellowship Church. I have so enjoyed this series. Forgiveness is something that we all wrestle with on a daily basis. It is a continual battle to forgive or not to forgive. Forgiveness frees us from living as a prisoner to our past. East to West hit a nerve with a lot of people and it is great to see people doing business with God.

Check out this brand new song by Sanctus Real entitled “Forgiven”

How have you been doing with your commitments for the new year?  I have tried very hard to stay committed to my goals.  One of those goals is to read through the Bible in a year.  I use youversion.  I am able to follow my progress online and even on my Iphone app.  Technology is pretty cool.

Today I took a few minutes to to read today’s reading.  For the plan I chose one of the passages I read today was Acts 4.  In this chapter Peter and John are arrested for telling people about Jesus’ resurrection.  They had even healed a crippled man.  As they are brought before the court they begin to tell the rulers how they rejected Christ and that there is salvation in no one else.

I bet at that point you could have heard a pin drop as the onlookers were wondering what kind of punishment would be handed out to them.  And then the Bible says this: ” Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished!  And they recognized that they had been with Jesus”

These two guys were so bold in their testimony of Christ that complete strangers knew that they had been with Jesus.  They must have talked Jesus, breathed Jesus, dreamed Jesus, sang Jesus.  It was Jesus, Jesus, Jesus….with these guys.  And people knew.  The evidence of Jesus was overwhelming because of the boldness of these two common, and uneducated men.

I want to have that kind of boldness.  I want to speak and have people know that I have been with Jesus.  I want to sing and have people know that I have been with Jesus.  I want our community around us to see people from Fellowship Church and know that they have been with Jesus.

Now that is the ultimate compliment!

My Nephews ,  A. & J joined our family the week before Thanksgiving a few short months ago.

This morning my heart is breaking for the children of Haiti. This tragedy that has taken place hits close to home for my family. As many of you know my sister and her husband recently adopted two boys from an orphanage in Haiti. I don’t have time to tell the whole story this morning but I wanted to repost my wife Jennifer’s blog which talks about the orphanage’s situation. Please pray for these children and the orphanage workers! They need GOD’S hand of protection, guidance, & strength!

Breaking News and Prayers Needed This Morning!!!
Below is a press release from the For His Glory Adoption Outreach Website.
All 133 children are en route by foot this morning to the US Embassy to be evacuated.
They have very limited supplies and won’t be provided any additional while at the US Embassy.
Please pray for the safety of these children and for the orphanage workers who will be attempting to keep all of them safe and together as they make the walk to the Embassy and then for their safety and protection as they travel together to the US.

Press Release: January 19, 2010

Orphans Intend to Depart Haiti

Orphans begin procedures to depart Haiti at U.S. Embassy

(Port-au-Prince, Haiti) On January 20, 2010, 133 orphans from the Maison des Enfants de Dieu (Children of the House of God) orphanage will begin the difficult process outlined by the U.S. Department of State for humanitarian parole and onward transportation to the United States. In accordance with instructions received from the State Department, as relayed by the Joint Council on International Children’s Services (JCICS) at 8 p.m. today, orphans along with orphanage staff members have been instructed to arrive at the U.S. Embassy as early as possible on Wednesday morning. JCICS warned that no food, water or facilities would be available for the children while processing at the U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince.

JCICS further relayed that orphanage requests to the U.S. Embassy for security and transportation for the children have been denied by the State Department. The U.S. ministry associated with this orphanage, For His Glory Adoption Outreach (FHG), was also asked to stop requesting security, transportation or even water at the orphanage location. Following discussions with staff and board members in Port-au-Prince, the difficult decision was made that all 133 children, including approximately 60 children under the age of 3, will begin early in the morning of January 20th to walk the over 2 kilometers to the U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince. This decision was made due to the limited staff available and the increasingly dangerous security situation at the orphanage in Port-au-Prince. The staff will carry as much water, food and baby formula as possible with them for the orphans while processing at the U.S. Embassy. JCICS relayed that once processing is completed, the orphans will travel to the United States on “cargo jets to locations that are not often known until an hour or so before the flight leaves.”

Kim Harmon, President of FHG, acknowledged that “this arrangement is far from ideal for the safety and well-being of the children. We are calling to all who care about these precious children to pray earnestly for their safety tomorrow.”

If you would like to check out my sisters adoption story it will touch your heart.  You can find it on her blog .

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction…”

James 1:27 ESV