It's hard to believe yet summer is almost over. It's coming to the end of July and into August. That means everyone will be back to their normal routine i.e. college kids, high schoolers and below, plus families etc. I must admit I'm bummed that summer is coming to an end and at the same time glad too. I've been relaxing and whatnot a lot; a switch to a more rigid schedule and keeping busy won't hurt things. Church wise it has been a fairly "uneventful summer", granted we've had various things occur plus the ministry fair. I'm just referring to nothing bad or disasterous occurring I've gotten a few things done here and there over the summer church wise so that's a good thing. My next big, major task will be replacing the lamp in the sanctuary projector. Just plugging away as best I can. God's still God and I'm still me. Good things both ways. Take it easy everyone.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
Friday, July 27, 2007
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Something to Ponder & Think About This Morning
Morning everyone,
Just here at church early again this morning though not as early as last week. I arrived here at 7:10 AM this time around. I read through Luke 12 this morning and I wanted to share some insights with all of you.
There was just a lot in this particular chapter to say the least. I liked verses 22-34 where it talks about focusing on God rather than on clothes. The Message titles it Steep Yourself in God-Reality; pretty cool way of putting it eh? In verse 29 it says "What I'm trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God's giving." Oh how true that is with me, I'll throw out all these prayers about me, something church related, or help in situation i.e. give me whatever I just asked for. Granted, we are supposed to pray and be talking with God in every and any situation yet, we should have more prayers/praise of something about he's made i.e. flowers, another day to breathe etc. Plus once we don't just focus on us rather what God wants us to do/Him we'll be so much better off.
That focus also ties in with Pastor's Message today which will be focusing on Acts 9:1-31 where Saul becomes a believer with the new name of Paul. He was focused on himself crushing those who believed in Christ. He wasn't focused on God nor had his gazed fixed on Him. After he became blind and was filled with the Holy Spirit, things took a 180.
Lord may I and others be filled with the Holy Spirit and have our own 180 degree turn. May we focus on eyes on You and not on ourselves or things of this world. Be with all of us today and every day as we walk through this life. Amen
Have a good one everyone! :)
Just here at church early again this morning though not as early as last week. I arrived here at 7:10 AM this time around. I read through Luke 12 this morning and I wanted to share some insights with all of you.
There was just a lot in this particular chapter to say the least. I liked verses 22-34 where it talks about focusing on God rather than on clothes. The Message titles it Steep Yourself in God-Reality; pretty cool way of putting it eh? In verse 29 it says "What I'm trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God's giving." Oh how true that is with me, I'll throw out all these prayers about me, something church related, or help in situation i.e. give me whatever I just asked for. Granted, we are supposed to pray and be talking with God in every and any situation yet, we should have more prayers/praise of something about he's made i.e. flowers, another day to breathe etc. Plus once we don't just focus on us rather what God wants us to do/Him we'll be so much better off.
That focus also ties in with Pastor's Message today which will be focusing on Acts 9:1-31 where Saul becomes a believer with the new name of Paul. He was focused on himself crushing those who believed in Christ. He wasn't focused on God nor had his gazed fixed on Him. After he became blind and was filled with the Holy Spirit, things took a 180.
Lord may I and others be filled with the Holy Spirit and have our own 180 degree turn. May we focus on eyes on You and not on ourselves or things of this world. Be with all of us today and every day as we walk through this life. Amen
Have a good one everyone! :)
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Just A Few Notes
Morning everyone,
I still am somewhat surprised that I arrived at church at 6:40 A.M. today; I figured I would have slept in awhile or have gotten here at 7:30. I think it was mainly due I wanted to be here in case anything needed to be fine tuned today plus my nerves. I know that God has everything under control though I'm still a bit edgy. Both of today's services are very tech heavy with CDs for our early service and various DVDs for our late service. I pray that everything will go smoothly and even better than I expect. May God use whatever happens for His glory and purpose.
The reasons it's hard today is that I'm coordinating the late service plus mainly in charge for today. I'm not preaching, but I'm just making sure that our guest pastor is all set and everyone knows what's going on etc.
I just read through Luke 10:1-20 in the Message and here's a verse that stood out: "Not what you do for God but what God does for you -- that's the agenda for rejoicing." To me that just sounds so cool plus I should rejoice when God does something for me or works in me.
Here's the verse in it's complete context: Luke 10 Lambs in a Wolf Pack
1-2Later the Master selected seventy and sent them ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he intended to go. He gave them this charge:
"What a huge harvest! And how few the harvest hands. So on your knees; ask the God of the Harvest to send harvest hands.
3"On your way! But be careful—this is hazardous work. You're like lambs in a wolf pack.
4"Travel light. Comb and toothbrush and no extra luggage.
"Don't loiter and make small talk with everyone you meet along the way.
5-6"When you enter a home, greet the family, 'Peace.' If your greeting is received, then it's a good place to stay. But if it's not received, take it back and get out. Don't impose yourself.
7"Stay at one home, taking your meals there, for a worker deserves three square meals. Don't move from house to house, looking for the best cook in town.
8-9"When you enter a town and are received, eat what they set before you, heal anyone who is sick, and tell them, 'God's kingdom is right on your doorstep!'
10-12"When you enter a town and are not received, go out in the street and say, 'The only thing we got from you is the dirt on our feet, and we're giving it back. Did you have any idea that God's kingdom was right on your doorstep?' Sodom will have it better on Judgment Day than the town that rejects you.
13-14"Doom, Chorazin! Doom, Bethsaida! If Tyre and Sidon had been given half the chances given you, they'd have been on their knees long ago, repenting and crying for mercy. Tyre and Sidon will have it easy on Judgment Day compared to you.
15"And you, Capernaum! Do you think you're about to be promoted to heaven? Think again. You're on a mudslide to hell.
16"The one who listens to you, listens to me. The one who rejects you, rejects me. And rejecting me is the same as rejecting God, who sent me."
17The seventy came back triumphant. "Master, even the demons danced to your tune!"
18-20Jesus said, "I know. I saw Satan fall, a bolt of lightning out of the sky. See what I've given you? Safe passage as you walk on snakes and scorpions, and protection from every assault of the Enemy. No one can put a hand on you. All the same, the great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in God's authority over you and presence with you. Not what you do for God but what God does for you—that's the agenda for rejoicing."
21At that, Jesus rejoiced, exuberant in the Holy Spirit. "I thank you, Father, Master of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the know-it-alls and showed them to these innocent newcomers. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.
22"I've been given it all by my Father! Only the Father knows who the Son is and only the Son knows who the Father is. The Son can introduce the Father to anyone he wants to."
23-24He then turned in a private aside to his disciples. "Fortunate the eyes that see what you're seeing! There are plenty of prophets and kings who would have given their right arm to see what you are seeing but never got so much as a glimpse, to hear what you are hearing but never got so much as a whisper."
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson
Have a good Sunday everyone.
I still am somewhat surprised that I arrived at church at 6:40 A.M. today; I figured I would have slept in awhile or have gotten here at 7:30. I think it was mainly due I wanted to be here in case anything needed to be fine tuned today plus my nerves. I know that God has everything under control though I'm still a bit edgy. Both of today's services are very tech heavy with CDs for our early service and various DVDs for our late service. I pray that everything will go smoothly and even better than I expect. May God use whatever happens for His glory and purpose.
The reasons it's hard today is that I'm coordinating the late service plus mainly in charge for today. I'm not preaching, but I'm just making sure that our guest pastor is all set and everyone knows what's going on etc.
I just read through Luke 10:1-20 in the Message and here's a verse that stood out: "Not what you do for God but what God does for you -- that's the agenda for rejoicing." To me that just sounds so cool plus I should rejoice when God does something for me or works in me.
Here's the verse in it's complete context: Luke 10 Lambs in a Wolf Pack
1-2Later the Master selected seventy and sent them ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he intended to go. He gave them this charge:
"What a huge harvest! And how few the harvest hands. So on your knees; ask the God of the Harvest to send harvest hands.
3"On your way! But be careful—this is hazardous work. You're like lambs in a wolf pack.
4"Travel light. Comb and toothbrush and no extra luggage.
"Don't loiter and make small talk with everyone you meet along the way.
5-6"When you enter a home, greet the family, 'Peace.' If your greeting is received, then it's a good place to stay. But if it's not received, take it back and get out. Don't impose yourself.
7"Stay at one home, taking your meals there, for a worker deserves three square meals. Don't move from house to house, looking for the best cook in town.
8-9"When you enter a town and are received, eat what they set before you, heal anyone who is sick, and tell them, 'God's kingdom is right on your doorstep!'
10-12"When you enter a town and are not received, go out in the street and say, 'The only thing we got from you is the dirt on our feet, and we're giving it back. Did you have any idea that God's kingdom was right on your doorstep?' Sodom will have it better on Judgment Day than the town that rejects you.
13-14"Doom, Chorazin! Doom, Bethsaida! If Tyre and Sidon had been given half the chances given you, they'd have been on their knees long ago, repenting and crying for mercy. Tyre and Sidon will have it easy on Judgment Day compared to you.
15"And you, Capernaum! Do you think you're about to be promoted to heaven? Think again. You're on a mudslide to hell.
16"The one who listens to you, listens to me. The one who rejects you, rejects me. And rejecting me is the same as rejecting God, who sent me."
17The seventy came back triumphant. "Master, even the demons danced to your tune!"
18-20Jesus said, "I know. I saw Satan fall, a bolt of lightning out of the sky. See what I've given you? Safe passage as you walk on snakes and scorpions, and protection from every assault of the Enemy. No one can put a hand on you. All the same, the great triumph is not in your authority over evil, but in God's authority over you and presence with you. Not what you do for God but what God does for you—that's the agenda for rejoicing."
21At that, Jesus rejoiced, exuberant in the Holy Spirit. "I thank you, Father, Master of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the know-it-alls and showed them to these innocent newcomers. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.
22"I've been given it all by my Father! Only the Father knows who the Son is and only the Son knows who the Father is. The Son can introduce the Father to anyone he wants to."
23-24He then turned in a private aside to his disciples. "Fortunate the eyes that see what you're seeing! There are plenty of prophets and kings who would have given their right arm to see what you are seeing but never got so much as a glimpse, to hear what you are hearing but never got so much as a whisper."
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson
Have a good Sunday everyone.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Just some brief thoughts
Hey there everyone,
The cool part about todays service is that a lot of it coincided with what I posted earlier today. Pastor's Message and the various parts related back to the Holy Spirit plus the chapter in Luke that I read earlier today. Not quite sure what to say yet, the only thing that comes to mind is that I was on the same page that God was on; without that I wouldn't be able to relate or make the various connections. Have a good week all and Happy early Independence Day!!! Woot!!!
Sent via BlackBerry from Cingular Wireless
Cool Stuff & A Verse in God's Word
Morning friends,
Yes, I'm up late; had some coffee plus a nap so I screwed myself up tonight/this morning. Anyways, I was reading in Luke 11 this morning and it was pretty cool how The Message translation puts the Lord's Prayer, and the seek and knock passage. Here's the Lord's Prayer: "Father, reveal who you are. Set the world right. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.". Pretty cool eh? I think so. Here's the seek, knock passage: "Ask and you'll get; Seek and you'll find; Knock and the door will open." Plain and simple when you look/examine it over closely. After that it says to be direct with God, ask for what you need. So simple yet, I sure don't do that at times. At the end of that section it hit me where if you ask God to give you the Holy Spirit He will. I know I have it yet, it wouldn't hurt to get filled again or have a brighter/bigger filling of it. Lord give me more/fill me up/make my heart burn with the Holy Spirit. Amen.
A bit later Luke talks about your light and letting it shine. Check this out: "Keep your life as well-lighted as your best-lighted room." I love that verse there; it's verse 36. Overall good plus some convicting there and I'm glad that the Lord showed me some things plus I'm conscious enough to grasp it. Blessings all; sleep for me now.
Sent via BlackBerry from Cingular Wireless
Yes, I'm up late; had some coffee plus a nap so I screwed myself up tonight/this morning. Anyways, I was reading in Luke 11 this morning and it was pretty cool how The Message translation puts the Lord's Prayer, and the seek and knock passage. Here's the Lord's Prayer: "Father, reveal who you are. Set the world right. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.". Pretty cool eh? I think so. Here's the seek, knock passage: "Ask and you'll get; Seek and you'll find; Knock and the door will open." Plain and simple when you look/examine it over closely. After that it says to be direct with God, ask for what you need. So simple yet, I sure don't do that at times. At the end of that section it hit me where if you ask God to give you the Holy Spirit He will. I know I have it yet, it wouldn't hurt to get filled again or have a brighter/bigger filling of it. Lord give me more/fill me up/make my heart burn with the Holy Spirit. Amen.
A bit later Luke talks about your light and letting it shine. Check this out: "Keep your life as well-lighted as your best-lighted room." I love that verse there; it's verse 36. Overall good plus some convicting there and I'm glad that the Lord showed me some things plus I'm conscious enough to grasp it. Blessings all; sleep for me now.
Sent via BlackBerry from Cingular Wireless
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
