Keep Pressing On

Do not be focused on past failures or successes,
instead be focused on finishing strong for the Lord.
Philippians 3:10-21

Apostle Paul completely surrendered his old identity
and embraced his new identity in Christ.
He did not live in the past... he plowed ahead.
Paul kept pressing on to finish strong for the Lord....
He focused on being found in Jesus Christ in every area
of his life.

Have you ever been sidetrack in your walk with the Lord
by dwelling on past failures or successes?
We need to intimately and passionately keep pressing on.
The finish line is just ahead... I can almost see it.

Living the Call Together - All for the Glory of God

Trusting God

Thus says the LORD,
Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches.
But let him who glories, glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness,
judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight, says the LORD.
Jeremiah 9:23-24

What if we wake up tomorrow and we've lost everything?
Everything that the world says we need to have is gone.
Would we still trust, love and worship God?
What if we lose our job, our home, our finances or our friends?
If we had nothing left in our lives besides Jesus,
would we still trust Him and still love Him no matter what happened?
Are we trusting the stuff of this world,
or maybe our own might for our secruity, instead of trusting God?

Are we able to find peace and contentment through Christ
despite what's happening around us in this world?

Living the Call Together - All for the Glory of God

We Need You Lord

Like lost wanderers in a burning, empty desert
thirst for cool, clean water,
we long for you to quench us.
In a world gone progressively mad,
with chaos all around us,
we seek refuge in the order and purpose of your law.
With evil sneaking, leaking everywhere,
spreading heavy darkness,
creating feelings of emptiness,
we hunger for your goodness and light.
Turn us around, Lord, we pray;
retrieve your sheep who have gone astray.
Draw us to the satisfaction
of your purity and righteousness.
Cleanse us, and make us more like you,
for others who are searching for meaning for their lives.
Come, Lord Jesus.
We need you, Lord.

By Joanna Fuchs

Above All ...

"Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another,
because love covers a multitude of sins."
1 Peter 4:8

How does love cover a multitude of our sins?

Living the Call Together - All for the Glory of God

Capture That Moment For Jesus

Pastor Cliff's Bible study was very inspiring tonight.
He challenged us to be "found in Jesus Christ".
To capture those passing moments in our lives
and share Jesus with all those around us.

Then I came home and logged on to a Pastor's blog in another State
and found the following story written there:

"Last Monday Morning, I was at Wal-Mart
and as I entered the building, I was practically run over
by three security officers chasing down a shop-lifter.
This young man had stolen several play station games
and as they wrestled him to the ground,
many people gathered around to watch.
It was quite a spectacle.
I thought to myself as I was buying some Doritos,
Surely, if a shoplifter can stir up that much interest,
Godly, men and women who are serious
about being set a part for God’s service
can magnetically draw people to our Jesus.
Let’s create our own spectacle in the days ahead."
Pastor Don Schultheis

In Philippians 3:9, Apostle Paul talks about being "found in Jesus".
No matter how ordinary our daily lives are
we need to look for those moments
where we can point people to Jesus.
Pastor Cliff told us to capture those moments
and build on them.

May I be found in Jesus
by a lost world who needs to know Him.

Living the Call Together - All for the Glory of God

I Am

Jesus said... "I Am the Alpha and the Omega,
the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."
Revelation 22:13

I Am the Alpha and the Omega...
I Am the first and the last...
I Am the beginning and the end...
I Am the maker of the heavens and the earth...
I Am the breath of all creation...
I Am the Kings of Kings...
I Am the holy lamb of God...
I Am your fountain of living water...
I Am the risen Son of God...
I Am the healer of the broken hearted...
I Am the one who bore the sins of man...
I Am the word upon your heart...
I Am the one who knew you before you were born...
I Am the one who walked on water...
I Am the one who calmed the seas...

I Am your Savior and Redeemer.

There are only four possibilities.
Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, a legend,
or the Truth.

Jesus is our Truth... He wants to be our Lord of everything.
Will we call upon Him... to calm our seas
and allow Him to continue to transform us
in every area of our lives ?

Living the Call Together - All for the Glory of God

Sick and Tired ?

Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired?

I don't know where you been,
or where you are today.
But Jesus is ready to wrap His arms around you.

Tell Jesus that you need His help and forgiveness.
He will transform you and give you a new life.
No more... sick and tired.

I am with you always,
until the end of the world. - Matthew 28:20

Our Savior never fails us.

Living the Call Together - All for the Glory of God

The Altar Call

Today, our Pastor shared a wonderful Spirit led message.
He ended the worship service with an altar call.
People were encouraged to come forward and pray.

I contemplated whether the Holy Spirit wanted me to go forward.
There were not any heavy convictions in my heart,
that I thought needed to be confessed to my Lord.
Then the Holy Spirit quietly whispered these words to me
"Paul... never be satisfied with how your walking with the Lord."
That quickly resolved in me... that I needed to go forward.

We shouldn't be satisfied with our walk with the Lord today,
considering where He is going to take us tomorrow.

Living the Call Together - All for the Glory of God

You Must Be Jesus

Donna emailed me a story today,
that reminded me about an encounter I had in a hospital.

Some years ago, a small boy said to me... "you must be Jesus",
after I prayed with a group of people in a hospital waiting room.
I told him no... but Jesus loved him very much.

Just thinking out loud...
Do people mistake us for Jesus?
Should we live our lives so much like Jesus,
that people can't tell us apart?
Maybe that's just the Pastor's job.

Living the Call Together - All for the Glory of God

Seat Cushions

An unfortunate reality is
that a person can use church activities
to avoid a hurting world.
Charles Roesel and Donald Atkinson on "Sharing Christ"

Do we as believers have a siege mentality
that sees the world as our enemy, instead of our mission field?
Are we hiding behind the protective walls of our churches,
keeping busy with church activities?

Has separation from the world
become our highest expression of faith and piety,
when we need to be taking it to the streets?

Just thinking out loud here...
but are the pew cushions too padded !

Somebody... please drag me into the streets with you.

Living the Call Together - All for the Glory of God