The Songs that were chosen for the services today were picked to help instill the facts that God is in complete control of our lives and our church. We don’t need to worry or be afraid but trust in everything that God says. In our hurting, our healing, our laughing and crying we want God to be our everything! It’s not about us, it is about Him and His plan for His bride…the church.
I came across a resource today for those of us that struggle with anxiety and fear. I would love for you to check out their site. The ministry is called 360degreelife.
I found this short video on their website which is a testimonial of the Power of God’s Word and it’s life changing ability. If you struggle with anxiety, panic or fear, I pray it encourages you to get into the Word!
I came across Isaiah 40:6-8 and had to post it.
6 A voice said, “Shout!”
I asked, “What should I shout?”
“Shout that people are like the grass.
Their beauty fades as quickly
as the flowers in a field.
7 The grass withers and the flowers fade
beneath the breath of the Lord .
And so it is with people.
8 The grass withers and the flowers fade,
but the word of our God stands forever.
In a world where nothing has every been more unstable, we can take heart and know that the Word Of God endures FOREVER!
No matter what you will ever face in this life there is one place you can turn that will always, always, always remain true. My purpose as a Pastor and as a Christ follower is to shout the brevity of life and bring people to the Word of God. Bring people to the Word. God will do the rest!
Tonight I am reading through my Bible and came across the longest Chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119. I would encourage you to go read it here.
Have you come to realize the power of God’s Word? The Psalmist David said “I will hide Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” The Bible says that it gives life to it’s reader. What other book makes that claim? As I read through the chapter I noticed a lot of action verbs relating to God’s Word. Here are a few
That is from the first half of a single chapter in the book of Psalms. Re-read that list. How can we afford to NOT be in His Word? The benefits of reading Scripture are endless!
This morning I came across Philippians 2. I have read this chapter hundreds of times and today it spoke to me like it was a brand new message. The Holy Spirit began speaking to me about leadership & servant hood. Maybe you think the two are not connected. But if we see leadership through the eyes of Scripture we cannot help but realize that leadership involves serving. The best leaders are the best servers. And the best servers are the best leaders.
Let me share some scripture with you today. I pray that it will encourage you to serve whole heartily!
Phil. 2: 3-7, 14-16 (ESV) 3Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
14Do all things without grumbling or questioning, 15that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
Mark 9:33-35 And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”
If you want to see Jesus in action go check out John 13. The greatest leader was serving his disciples and washing their feet.
So leaders, how are you doing? Are you serving or are you simply requesting others to serve for your benefit. If you are, you need to take a serious look at your motives and your heart.
That is one of the things I love most about Fellowship. No one wants to get the credit. People come out and serve on teams because they know their serving helps bring about life change and the advancement of the gospel. They know it’s not about them. They see the bigger picture and they show the very heart of Christ by serving! Thank you to all my fellow servants!
Did you know that the Bible mentions prayer 512 times? I’m no scholar but something that is mentioned that many times in Scripture must be very, very important. It must also be something that God wants us to do. This morning I looked up some of those verses. One passage that particularly sticks out to me is found in Ephesians 6:18-20. This is what it says.
Prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. 19-20And don’t forget to pray for me. (Your Leader) Pray that I’ll know what to say and have the courage to say it at the right time, telling the mystery to one and all, the Message that I, jailbird preacher that I am, am responsible for getting out. Taken from the Message
When I grade myself on how well I am doing with these instructions I fall short. I pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ all the time. Those people include all of my friends & family. Those people who have “prayer requests”. I often fall into the thought process that says if I do that, it is sufficient. But what about the rest of the verse. Paul, their Pastor and leader says, “hey guys, please don’t forget to pray for me! I am your leader.” He asks for prayer as he leads. Why? Because leading is not easy. Because leaders need vision. Leaders need to know where God is wanting them to lead. The responsibility for the church getting the gospel out falls on all of us, but scripture specifically asks for us to pray for the leaders. They carry heavy loads & burdens (both good and bad), that the church will never ever know.
I have been guilty for not lifting up my fellow staff members like I should. Most of us are praying for our lead pastor John Cremeans as he is in this tough season but have we been praying for the man that is standing in the place of leadership right now in John’s absence? I am convicted and convinced that we need to be praying for Gus Sareyka, our Pastor of Life Development as he leads Fellowship Church during this season. Gus is a man of conviction and a man that loves Jesus and Fellowship Church.
If the apostle Paul asked for his church in Ephesus to pray for him and his leadership, shouldn’t we be praying for our leadership? I want to encourage you to take time to pray today for the entire staff of Fellowship Church, the elders, and especially Gus as they leads us through this time.
I was looking for an encouraging video to inspire us to pray…I found this and it made me laugh….I used to have “hammer” pants.
Have you ever read scripture and it completely thumped you on the head? Today was one of those days for me. I came across this passage in Romans 2:1-5 (ESV)
Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
After I picked my self off the floor I realized just how judgmental I am. I know for a fact that I recently offended someone and judged them when they were within ear shot. I meant no harm, but I know I offended the individual because in my heart I was judging them.
I love but hate that first sentence, “Therefore you have no excuse!” None!! Paul could have ended with that but he goes on to explain that when we judge we are actually storing up wrath against ourselves for the day of judgment. Wow…not a simple hand slap. That was a go pick your switch kind of passage that convicted me to pursue a life of grace and mercy and to not just avoid being judgmental but to passionately run from it!
How are you doing? Are you being judgemental? I pray that this passage smacks you on your head like it did me. Thanks Jesus for speaking to us on how to live righteously!
I came across this article by Pastor Perry Noble of Newspringchurch What an incredible question to ask ourselves!!
We all have them…life changing moments, you know, the ones where the world seems to stand still and you come face to face with something that just about engulfs you…
It happened to me in August of 1999. I was having lunch with a friend/mentor of mine at Red Lobster (LOVE their garlic cheese biscuits!) I had been restless for about six months and I knew God was pushing me towards something…but I wasn’t sure what. AND…I didn’t want my restlessness to turn into rebellion by me trying to force something…so I began processing with him out loud…
And he asked me THIS question…
“What would you be willing to attempt for God if you knew you could not fail?”
I knew the answer…I didn’t even have to think about it…it literally just flew out of my mouth, “I would plant a church.”
He looked at me dead in the eye and said, “then you are a coward if you don’t!”
SO…literally…at that moment I said “yes” to the call I knew God had placed on my life. I didn’t know the answers (still don’t), I didn’t know anything about strategy or structure, didn’t know how technology would play a part of the church, didn’t know how we were going to establish leadership…I didn’t know a LOT…
BUT…what I did know is that God had placed a DREAM inside of me to plant a church…and when Dale asked me the question I mentioned earlier it SHOOK me…and DROVE me to take a DIVE of faith.
SO…what about you…what would YOU be willing to attempt for God if you KNEW you could not fail?
If the answer isn’t, “what I am doing right now” then I would say you need to do some serious praying and rearranging.
You see…life is SHORT…our days are numbered…and God didn’t put us on this planet to screw around…but rather to MAKE A DIFFERENCE by USING what HE has given us to advance HIS Kingdom and MAKE HIM FAMOUS!
Too many of us are held captive by fear…but remember He is THE MOST HIGH GOD!!! Never let fear trump the potential God has placed in you!
Too many of us are held captive by the unknown…but remember HE KNOWS! Besides…if we have EVERY answer to every question then what He is comanding us to do would not require faith on our part…and where would the fun be in that?!?!?!
Too many of us are held captive by people who say “it” can’t be done…but if you will look at who is saying that “it” you will discover that they aren’t actually doing anything except for trying to hold back the people God is letting loose to do ministry.
Too many of us are held captive by critics…but if you will notice Jesus was criticized…and, if you are not experiencing some opposition then that means the enemy is pleased with you…not exactly the calling our lives should fulfill!!!
What would you be willing to attempt for God if you KNEW you could not fail?
You’ve GOT to beg Him for revelation on this…and when He gives you the Word…you’ve GOT to act. God doesn’t reveal Himself to us so that we can CONSIDER IT…but rather so that we will be CONSUMED by it and OBEY HIS VOICE!
BTW…if the thing that you would attempt scares you to death…if you have had sleepless nights thinking about it…if you KNOW that failure is a sure thing unless HE gets involved…then you should probably make a move…SOON! (Like…maybe even RIGHT NOW!!!)
When Dale asked me that question I told myself, “I’ve got nothing to lose…I am going to give this a shot…I don’t want to waste my life and then look back 20 years from now and begin asking ‘what if’ questions!” (AND…you don’t want that for yourself either!!!)
SO…what would you be willing to attempt for God if you knew you could not fail?
You’re not waiting on Him…He’s waiting on you…do you need to make a move, share Christ with someone, plant a church, change careers…WHAT IS IT that BURNS YOUR HEART and DRAWS YOU to DESPERATE DEPENDENCE ON HIM?
What would you be willing to attempt for God if you knew you could not fail? Can you imagine what the world would be like if all of us allowed that question to drive the vision for our lives?
What about it?
