This Sunday's message will be brought to you by....the Holy Spirit of course.
Joe will be the vessel through which the Holy Spirit brings this message.
Hope to see you all this Sunday at 6pm!
Friday, August 29, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
1st John
I'm going to start 1st John tonight. This book has always been a tough one for me and I am going to slowly read through it. Sometimes I feel like I'm running through deep snow while reading John's epistles.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Work Place Prayer
Lord Jesus, as I enter this work place,
Help me to remember that I bring Your presence with me.
I speak Your peace, Your grace, and Your perfect order into the atmosphere of this office.
I acknowledge Your Lordship over all that will be spoken, thought, decided and accomplished within these walls.
Help me to be a blessing to my boss and to my co-workers.
Lord Jesus, I thank You for the gifts You have deposited in me.
I do not take them lightly, but commit to using them responsibly and well.
Give me a fresh supply of truth and energy on which to draw as I do my job.
Anoint my creativity, my ideas and my time so that even my smallest task may bring You honor.
Lord when I am confused, guide me. When I am weary, energize me.
Lord, when I am burned out, infuse me with the light of Your Holy Spirit.
May the work that I do and the way I do it, bring hope, life, and encouragement to all that I come in contact with today.
And Oh Lord, even in this day's most stressful moment, may I rest in You.
In the mighty Name that is above all Names,
In the Matchless Name of my Lord and Saviour Jesus I Pray,
Amen
Help me to remember that I bring Your presence with me.
I speak Your peace, Your grace, and Your perfect order into the atmosphere of this office.
I acknowledge Your Lordship over all that will be spoken, thought, decided and accomplished within these walls.
Help me to be a blessing to my boss and to my co-workers.
Lord Jesus, I thank You for the gifts You have deposited in me.
I do not take them lightly, but commit to using them responsibly and well.
Give me a fresh supply of truth and energy on which to draw as I do my job.
Anoint my creativity, my ideas and my time so that even my smallest task may bring You honor.
Lord when I am confused, guide me. When I am weary, energize me.
Lord, when I am burned out, infuse me with the light of Your Holy Spirit.
May the work that I do and the way I do it, bring hope, life, and encouragement to all that I come in contact with today.
And Oh Lord, even in this day's most stressful moment, may I rest in You.
In the mighty Name that is above all Names,
In the Matchless Name of my Lord and Saviour Jesus I Pray,
Amen
Monday Morning Downloads
*Last night's message was "The Office: Christians in the Work Place".
*Our primary passage was Genesis 39 as we looked at how Joseph behaved as a slave, and used that as a jumping off point to how Christians should act at work.
*Main Point: God is our boss. We are successful only when we please our real boss.
*My other boss (besides God) was there last night, so that made for an interesting night. Do I practice what I preach? He would know.
*Donovan and the worship band/team really cut loose last night!
*Great little crowd last night. It really feels like a family on Sunday nights and I love that.
*Joe used the term "divvy up" during the prayer over the offering and that made me smile. Joe is doing a great job opening up the service and he does a lot of stuff to keep the service going that I don't even know about.
*Misty actually laughed at some of my jokes last night. Thats rare...she doesn't like to admit there is someone else in the family that might possibly be funny.
*I had a lot of requests for the work place prayer and for the description of a Christian worker, so I will try to post both of those today or tomorrow.
*We had visitors last night!!! Having to announce the fact that there are visitor packs at the information desk was cool, because we hadn't had to announce that this summer until last night.
*Aaron and Christina brought their newborn daughter to church last night and she created quite a buzz...
*Thanks to everyone for joining us each week.
*Our primary passage was Genesis 39 as we looked at how Joseph behaved as a slave, and used that as a jumping off point to how Christians should act at work.
*Main Point: God is our boss. We are successful only when we please our real boss.
*My other boss (besides God) was there last night, so that made for an interesting night. Do I practice what I preach? He would know.
*Donovan and the worship band/team really cut loose last night!
*Great little crowd last night. It really feels like a family on Sunday nights and I love that.
*Joe used the term "divvy up" during the prayer over the offering and that made me smile. Joe is doing a great job opening up the service and he does a lot of stuff to keep the service going that I don't even know about.
*Misty actually laughed at some of my jokes last night. Thats rare...she doesn't like to admit there is someone else in the family that might possibly be funny.
*I had a lot of requests for the work place prayer and for the description of a Christian worker, so I will try to post both of those today or tomorrow.
*We had visitors last night!!! Having to announce the fact that there are visitor packs at the information desk was cool, because we hadn't had to announce that this summer until last night.
*Aaron and Christina brought their newborn daughter to church last night and she created quite a buzz...
*Thanks to everyone for joining us each week.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Monday Morning Downloads
*Yesterday was a long day, but a great day. I was on stand-by with Pastor Mike in case his voice didn't hold up, so that made the morning exciting. When it was all said and done, his voice held up well and his plan to teach instead of preach lasted about fifteen minutes. He was shoutin' and bringing it hard!
*Last night was "Super Nanny". I was nervous about this message at first because I didn't want to present myself as an expert on child rearing. I also knew that the content might offend people, as the truth often does. And to top it all off, I felt like the Lord did not want me to write out as many notes, so my notes for this message included all of the scriptures we were using and a few scribbled notes to myself. By 6:15 I felt a peace that passed all understanding and I was ready to roll.
*I love my wife's laugh. When she laughs I feel like I could do some of those gymnastics jumps we've been watching from the Olympics.
*Donovan and the worship team were just soaked in the Spirit while they played and sang. We had a violinist with us last night and that was cool, because music from a violin can cut so deep into our hearts. I love that sound.
*I can't say enough how happy I am that the Lord has blessed us with Donovan and his team. Their focus is clearly on worshiping Jesus, and they will do whatever we ask of them with no ego problems or complaints.
*Joe led prayer over the parents last night and it was powerful. Scott Moon was with us again last night so he played piano while the worship team prayed over parents.
*I had a great conversation with Scott last night after the service and he opened his heart about his burden for Sunday night services. Sunday nights have a special place in his heart, because his dad accepted Christ (right next to Jerry Falwell) on a Sunday night in a church here in Lynchburg.
*What a great congregation we have been blessed with on Sunday nights. They come hungry, but not with a consumer mentality. They are encouraging and spirit filled and ready to worship!
*Last night was "Super Nanny". I was nervous about this message at first because I didn't want to present myself as an expert on child rearing. I also knew that the content might offend people, as the truth often does. And to top it all off, I felt like the Lord did not want me to write out as many notes, so my notes for this message included all of the scriptures we were using and a few scribbled notes to myself. By 6:15 I felt a peace that passed all understanding and I was ready to roll.
*I love my wife's laugh. When she laughs I feel like I could do some of those gymnastics jumps we've been watching from the Olympics.
*Donovan and the worship team were just soaked in the Spirit while they played and sang. We had a violinist with us last night and that was cool, because music from a violin can cut so deep into our hearts. I love that sound.
*I can't say enough how happy I am that the Lord has blessed us with Donovan and his team. Their focus is clearly on worshiping Jesus, and they will do whatever we ask of them with no ego problems or complaints.
*Joe led prayer over the parents last night and it was powerful. Scott Moon was with us again last night so he played piano while the worship team prayed over parents.
*I had a great conversation with Scott last night after the service and he opened his heart about his burden for Sunday night services. Sunday nights have a special place in his heart, because his dad accepted Christ (right next to Jerry Falwell) on a Sunday night in a church here in Lynchburg.
*What a great congregation we have been blessed with on Sunday nights. They come hungry, but not with a consumer mentality. They are encouraging and spirit filled and ready to worship!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Super Nanny Tomorrow!
Tomorrow night is going to be incredible. I can't wait. During my message I will mention two books: "Revolutionary Parenting" by George Barna AND "The Parent You Want To Be" by Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott.
Both books are challenging and I will tell you tomorrow how to get one of them.
Both books are challenging and I will tell you tomorrow how to get one of them.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Super Nanny
This week's message is a tough one because I've been completely burying myself in information about Biblical views of raising children.
I've come to the point now where I need to let everything simmer and focus on what the Holy Spirit wants brought forth.
I will probably start the message with a confession that my children are not angels. Shocking, I know...
I've come to the point now where I need to let everything simmer and focus on what the Holy Spirit wants brought forth.
I will probably start the message with a confession that my children are not angels. Shocking, I know...
Monday, August 11, 2008
Prison Break [in a nutshell]
Last night we read Acts 16 together and looked primarily at Paul and Silas in prison. By looking at all of the other characters we saw that everyone was captive to something. Those who appeared to be free were actually captive.
But what about Paul and Silas. Were they free?
It depends on how you define free!
If you define free by the world’s standards: being able to do whatever they want, whenever they want, NO. By the world's standards they aren't free.
BUT IS ANYBODY TRULY FREE BY THAT DEFINITION?
Think about it.
I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. If I can take what I want, go where I want and do what ever I want to do, I may be free, but you won’t be. Not if you have what I want.
Somebody bigger is going to come along and then they will be free, and I won’t be.
And people are fickle.
When we get what we want, we often don’t want what we get.
Why is this?
Because of two blessings that became problems for humans.
The first blessing was that we were created to serve God
The second blessing was that we were created to serve Him for Eternity.
When we sin we turn those blessings into problems.
The first problem is that we are created to serve and if we aren’t serving God, then
We are going to serve somebody or something. We will live our lives serving something or lots of somethings. Somebody or lots of somebodies.
The second blessing becomes a problem because we are going to live eternally and if we don’t serve God in this life, we face an eternity of serving His enemy.
So, how do we find true freedom in this world AND THE NEXT ONE?
The answer is found in 2 Corinthians 3: 12-18.
12Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. 14But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit
And
The access of Jesus Christ the Son
That we can boldly approach the Father.
Looking for freedom? You will find it only at the throne of the Father.
He is the source!
James 1:17 says
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
That means 2 things: He is our source and He doesn’t change!
Titus 1:2 says He CANNOT LIE
Hebrews 10:23 says He is FAITHFUL
1 Peter 1:13 says that because of all of this, we can put our hope fully in His grace.
AND BECAUSE OF ALL OF THIS, WE HAVE TO BUST LOOSE FROM EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE THAT WE SERVE BESIDES HIM
ONLY IN HIM WILL YOU FIND HAPPINESS
ONLY IN HIM WILL YOU FIND PEACE
ONLY IN HIM WILL YOU FIND FREEDOM
But what about Paul and Silas. Were they free?
It depends on how you define free!
If you define free by the world’s standards: being able to do whatever they want, whenever they want, NO. By the world's standards they aren't free.
BUT IS ANYBODY TRULY FREE BY THAT DEFINITION?
Think about it.
I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. If I can take what I want, go where I want and do what ever I want to do, I may be free, but you won’t be. Not if you have what I want.
Somebody bigger is going to come along and then they will be free, and I won’t be.
And people are fickle.
When we get what we want, we often don’t want what we get.
Why is this?
Because of two blessings that became problems for humans.
The first blessing was that we were created to serve God
The second blessing was that we were created to serve Him for Eternity.
When we sin we turn those blessings into problems.
The first problem is that we are created to serve and if we aren’t serving God, then
We are going to serve somebody or something. We will live our lives serving something or lots of somethings. Somebody or lots of somebodies.
The second blessing becomes a problem because we are going to live eternally and if we don’t serve God in this life, we face an eternity of serving His enemy.
So, how do we find true freedom in this world AND THE NEXT ONE?
The answer is found in 2 Corinthians 3: 12-18.
12Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. 14But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit
And
The access of Jesus Christ the Son
That we can boldly approach the Father.
Looking for freedom? You will find it only at the throne of the Father.
He is the source!
James 1:17 says
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
That means 2 things: He is our source and He doesn’t change!
Titus 1:2 says He CANNOT LIE
Hebrews 10:23 says He is FAITHFUL
1 Peter 1:13 says that because of all of this, we can put our hope fully in His grace.
AND BECAUSE OF ALL OF THIS, WE HAVE TO BUST LOOSE FROM EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE THAT WE SERVE BESIDES HIM
ONLY IN HIM WILL YOU FIND HAPPINESS
ONLY IN HIM WILL YOU FIND PEACE
ONLY IN HIM WILL YOU FIND FREEDOM
Monday Morning Downloads
*We are officially in the dog days of summer but you couldn't tell it last night. We all had a great time worshiping the Lord and getting into His Word together.
*Michelle D. tells me that I use the word "awesome" too much and that is an awesome point, so I will put forth an awesome effort to find other adjectives.
*Joe spent the last few days working on the 'texting questions' concept. This has been his baby and I am excited about it. For those of you with questions about it, I'll put together a post that details what it is and what it isn't. That should be up in the next couple of days and if you still have questions I will give you Joe's e-mail address and he will be happy to talk with you about it. In a nutshell: We are trying to find another way to communicate with people and break down a wall that will more fully bring people into communion with God's Word. People will not be texting during my message or during the altar call. That has worried a few of you and I understand your concerns. If that becomes a problem, we will fix it.
*Lindsey's voice is spectacular (and awesome, but I can't use that word any longer). She won't like the fact that I said that, but since she gives all credit to the Lord, than I am really complementing the Lord for using Lindsey.
*My disco confession could cause me some trouble. I will keep you posted.
*Donovan continues to be a blessing. He is a true leader. Too many times we see worship leaders that won't cultivate any of the other singers the Lord has blessed him with and that is definitely not true with Donovan. He really works to see the big picture and he encourages his singers and musicians to work as a team. They have led me into some sweet worship over the past several weeks.
*Ryan was working the shaved head last night. I like it.
*Someone asked if I could sum up my message in a post and I will do that later today.
*I want to take a moment to thank everyone who supports the 6:00 service. I love each of you and I thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve with you.
*Michelle D. tells me that I use the word "awesome" too much and that is an awesome point, so I will put forth an awesome effort to find other adjectives.
*Joe spent the last few days working on the 'texting questions' concept. This has been his baby and I am excited about it. For those of you with questions about it, I'll put together a post that details what it is and what it isn't. That should be up in the next couple of days and if you still have questions I will give you Joe's e-mail address and he will be happy to talk with you about it. In a nutshell: We are trying to find another way to communicate with people and break down a wall that will more fully bring people into communion with God's Word. People will not be texting during my message or during the altar call. That has worried a few of you and I understand your concerns. If that becomes a problem, we will fix it.
*Lindsey's voice is spectacular (and awesome, but I can't use that word any longer). She won't like the fact that I said that, but since she gives all credit to the Lord, than I am really complementing the Lord for using Lindsey.
*My disco confession could cause me some trouble. I will keep you posted.
*Donovan continues to be a blessing. He is a true leader. Too many times we see worship leaders that won't cultivate any of the other singers the Lord has blessed him with and that is definitely not true with Donovan. He really works to see the big picture and he encourages his singers and musicians to work as a team. They have led me into some sweet worship over the past several weeks.
*Ryan was working the shaved head last night. I like it.
*Someone asked if I could sum up my message in a post and I will do that later today.
*I want to take a moment to thank everyone who supports the 6:00 service. I love each of you and I thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve with you.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Prison Break
The main passage we will be learning from this week will be Acts 16. Try asking yourself the question "who is really being held captive?" while reading this chapter.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Joe's Flier
Joe just made a sweet flier for Sunday nights. One side has all of Tree of Life's information and the other side advertises our Sunday night service. It has a retro flavor to it and I like it. If I was more of a techie I would post it on here, but I'm not.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Monday Morning Downloads
*Last night it was so hot outside that I was tempted to bust out some of David Letterman's "Its so hot" jokes. Luckily, Joe opened with a joke about the weather, so I opted out of using Letterman during my message. Misty agreed that it was probably a wise move...
*Donovan and Erika are on vacation so Judy and Larry led the service with Lindsey, Ryan and David. Judy has a sweet spirit and I love her and the worship through music was as sweet as Judy.
*I prayed all week that the Lord would bring at least one person that needed to be called back to Jesus and we had several people feel that call. A man came up to me afterwards and affirmed that the message was for Him.
*Yesterday's message meant a lot to me because I was haunted by failure for a long time and when Jesus calls Peter back into ministry I get emotional every time I read it.
*Noah was suspicious about why I used his soccer ball during the message.
*I said last week that Joe bringing me water was a small act that meant a lot to me. Last night he brought me Mountain Dew and I was prepared to nominate him for Sainthood.
*I broke away from my notes last night and I felt vulnerable and dependent upon the Holy Spirit. Hmmmm...maybe I should try that more often...
*This is a summer I will never forget.
*Donovan and Erika are on vacation so Judy and Larry led the service with Lindsey, Ryan and David. Judy has a sweet spirit and I love her and the worship through music was as sweet as Judy.
*I prayed all week that the Lord would bring at least one person that needed to be called back to Jesus and we had several people feel that call. A man came up to me afterwards and affirmed that the message was for Him.
*Yesterday's message meant a lot to me because I was haunted by failure for a long time and when Jesus calls Peter back into ministry I get emotional every time I read it.
*Noah was suspicious about why I used his soccer ball during the message.
*I said last week that Joe bringing me water was a small act that meant a lot to me. Last night he brought me Mountain Dew and I was prepared to nominate him for Sainthood.
*I broke away from my notes last night and I felt vulnerable and dependent upon the Holy Spirit. Hmmmm...maybe I should try that more often...
*This is a summer I will never forget.
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