computer fritz

Sorry, My computer has been on the fritz. Please check back with us this afternoon and we should be back up and running.

Don't worry, be happy

I have felt myself being anxious about alot of things lately. So God brought me back to Phil. 4 where Paul instructs us to be anxious about nothing. I wasn't making much progress until I looked the verse up in another version; the Message. "Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life." That's powerful stuff. In todays vanacular, it would be "chill out in the faith."
Don't worry, be happy really can work when you allow God's peace and strength to calm your apprehension. The anxiousness comes in when we become impatient with God and force our own hand.

The clapper

Clap on, Clap off. It is awesome to watch a piece of modern technology help illustrate the word of God. That is what the "clapper" did today. We had a great service this morning; in worship, many visitors, but most importantly were the people that walked the isle to give their heart to God. The youth ministry did a terrific job of preparing our fellowship tonight. There's no substitute for root beer floats and great conversation. I hope you have a great week and don't forget next Sunday will be our Extreme Makeover revealing for 2007. You won't want to miss it!

F3N

There's nothing like Friday Family Fun Night. F3N was created a few years ago in our family and I am so glad we did. We had a great time together last night. Children need stability about as much as they need anything else in their lives. They need to know that there are times where they have your complete attention and that you have made them your top priority after your relationship with Christ. If you don't make it a constant on the calendar, there is always something that is going to steal your time from making it happen. You cannot go back and make up for time you gave away. It doesn't have to be a money blowing night where you give them whatever they want. You cannot buy their love or respect. Just give your family one night a week where your willing to shut down everything else. Now come tomorrow ready to minister and worship the God of the universe!

Sleep Number Stones

The Bible records a story about Jacob that really struck me funny. It says he stopped one night to catch some sleep. And when he laid down to sleep, listen to this, he took a stone that was by him and put it under his head. Then he went to sleep and had an incredible dream where God spoke to him and set his future into motion. I had to laugh , a rock for a pillow? Are you kidding me? I have camped out a lot in my life. I have had to use rolled up coats for pillows; backpacks, even at times I had nothing to put my head on. But I can honestly say, I never once considered sliding a rock under my head for a pillow. What is that sleep number; negative 75? But the story goes onto say that when Jacob woke up he he said, how awesome is this place! He even concecrated the rock. Most of us would have woke up complaining about how bad our neck hurts and if God was going to bless us so much, why did we have a rock for a pillow? Here's the lesson; if we will get our focus off of our circumstances and allow God to pour into our lives, all of our temporary hardships will seem insignificant compared to the proimises of God.
The bonus material can be found in Matthew 21:44

Power of Prayer

For whatever reason I tuned into part of the democratic debate. I missed the actual phrasing of the question, but it was obvious they were asked to give their views on the power of prayer. Besides the entertainment of watching them squirm, there was one answer given by three of them that caught my attention. They said they believe in the power of prayer for comfort and peace but prayer cannot stop bad things from happening. If you go back to the example that Jesus left for us on how we should pray, you'll see a perfect example of how prayer can stop bad things from happening. "Lead us not into temptation". God gives us the ability to say no to tempatation which can stop many destructive things from entering our lives. In a broader sense, prayers have blocked untimely deaths through healing, protected lives when we did not even know it, kept marriages from divorce and the list goes on. God promises he will raise a standard against the enemy. He is a shield around us. Becasue of the world we live in, we will all have to deal with some terrible things in our life time. But there are countless times God can keep us safe simply by touching His heart through the power of prayer.

Coping with stress

A few weeks ago in my class on Sunday we learned some principles for coping with stress. There is one by Rick Warren that is so on target, I want to share it with you. The principle is this: Know whom you're trying to please. Jesus did. Here's what he said in John 5:30: "By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgement is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me." Listen, you can't please everybody, because by the time one group becomes pleased with you, another group gets upset with you.
When you don't know whom you're trying to please, you cave into thre things:
1. Criticism - because you are concerned what others will think of you.
2. Competition - because you worry about whether somebody else is getting ahead of you.
3. Conflict - because you are threatened when anyone disagrees with you.
Matt. 6:33 helps us understand that if I focus on pleasing God, it will simplify my life.
We love to blame our stress on other people and obligations. "You made me" "I have to"
Hardly anybody makes us do anything, so usually we can't blame other people for our stress. We are not victims unless we allow ourselves to be pressured by others peoples demands.