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

Optimum Power

" I am the vine and you are the branches.
If a man remains in Me and I in him,
he will bear much fruit ;
apart from Me you can do nothing. "
John 15:5

Sometimes we can feel so very distant.
We become disconnected from the source
that gives us the power to live by.

May we never forget ...
we need to stay connected to Jesus ... the true vine.
He is our true source of power...
apart from Him we can do nothing ...
connected to Him we can do all things... through Him.
( John 15:1-8 )

Living the Call Together - All for the Glory of God

Fly with the Eagles

Yet those who wait for the LORD;
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles;
They will run and not get tired;
They will walk and not become weary.
Isaiah 40:31

Don't settle for ordinary... fly with the eagles.

Living the Call Together - All for the Glory of God

Walking the Talk

Preach the Gospel ............
if necessary use words !

Do People See Jesus In Us ?

Living the Call Together - All for the Glory of God

Put On Jesus

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
Romans 13:14

A grandfather told his grandson a story
about 2 wolves that live inside him.
He told his grandson that the one wolf was good
and the other wolf was bad.
He went on with the story and said...
both wolves were continually fighting inside him.
The grandson interrupted his grandpa
and asked him which wolf wins the most fights?
The grandfather leaned over and told him...
the one I feed the most... always wins.

Paul is telling us in Romans not to feed our sinful desires.
Instead... we need to put on Jesus
and make Him "Lord" over our thoughts and actions.
The more we focus on Jesus
and the more involved we are in sharing Him with others...
the less we will desire the things of the flesh.

Put on Jesus everyday... before stepping out the door.

Living the Call Together - All for the Glory of God

Just Give Me Jesus

The world is filled with lots of clutter
and so many distractions.
Sometimes the noise of life
drowns out the voice of God in my ears.

I want to base my life on the fact that I am a child of God...
through believing in Jesus Christ.

I am an heir to the Kingdom of God... I want to live like it.
May the fruit of the Holy Spirit be practiced in my life...
peace, joy, love and all the other Gifts of the Spirit.

I want to move more stuff out of my life...
to make more room for Jesus.

Just give me more and more of Jesus...
and more people to share Him with.

There are a lot of people lost in this world
and our Heavenly Father wants them found...
by sharing the Good News of His Son... Jesus Christ.

Let's go... starting with Cambridge Springs...
the clock is ticking.

Needy Take From Church Collection Plates

Church lets needy take from their collection plates...

In these hard economic times,
we can't be so into church business
that we forget what our business is,
and that is to help people.
Pastor Toby Slough

A North Texas pastor passes the collection plates at his Church,
but now he tells struggling people to take what they need.
Toby Slough, pastor of the Cross Timbers Church in Argyle, TX,
says the church is helping single moms and widows,
and people who are behind on their utility bills.

Slough says it all started early this year
when he told his congregation to take money from the plates
if they needed it, even though donations were down.
That day, he tells the Dallas-Fort Worth TV stations,
the church took in the largest offering ever,
even after people took for their needs out of the plates.

Slough says, that it all started after he gave a ride to a jobless man
who was down to his last bus pass.
That's when the Lord told him...
to turn the collection plates into giving plates.

Would you be willing to trust God and do this in your church?

Turning Fear Into Boldness

Trying to do the Lord's work in your own strength
is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work.
But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit,
then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you.
Corrie ten Boom

I have personally found...
that when trying to do the Lord's work
the most important thing is to pray first.
The time spent in preparation
is certainly vital too.
But the absolute most important thing
is to be prayed up........
You will be operating in His confidence after praying and preparing.
Cling to the promise.......
that the Lord will equip us for whatever He calls us to do.
Be not... overly concerned about what words to minister with
our Holy Spirit will put them on our lips...when we are prayed up.

Be bold for our Lord... step out in His confidence...
be prayed up.

Keep Pressing On For The Lord In All You Do
Bringing Glory To The Name Of Jesus Christ.

What Is Enough

My friend Dale, who loss his wife last year,
just shared this story with me.
It is an account that has been posted on the net before,
but it really touched me

Recently, I overheard a mother and daughter
in their last moments together at the airport.
They had announced the departure.
Standing near the security gate,
they hugged, and the mother said,
'I love you, and I pray you enough.'
The daughter replied,
'Mom, our life together has been more than enough.
Your love is all I ever needed.
I pray you enough, too, Mom.'

They kissed, and the daughter left.
The mother walked over to the window
where I was seated.
Standing there, I could see she wanted
and needed to cry.
I tried not to intrude on her privacy,
but she welcomed me in by asking,
'Did you ever say good-bye to someone
knowing it would be forever?'
Yes, I have,' I replied.
My wife went to be with the Lord last year.
'Forgive me for asking,
but why is this a forever good-bye?'
'Well...I'm not as young as I once was,
she lives so far away & has
her own busy life.
I have some challenges ahead and the reality is,
her next trip back will be for my funeral,'.

'When you were saying good-bye,
I heard you say, 'I pray you enough.'
May I ask what that means?'
She began to smile.
'That's a prayer that has been handed down
from other generations.
My parents used to say it to everyone.
'She paused a moment and looked up
as if trying to remember it in detail,
and she smiled even more.
'When we said, 'I pray you enough,'
we wanted the other person to have a life
filled with just enough good things to
sustain them.'

Then, turning toward me, she shared the following
as if she were reciting it from memory.

I pray you enough sun to keep your attitude bright
no matter how gray the day may appear...
I pray you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
I pray you enough happiness
to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.
I pray you enough pain so that even
the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
I pray you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I pray you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I pray you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

Then, she began to cry, and walked away.

They say, it takes a minute to find a special person,
an hour to appreciate them,
a day to love them,
but an entire life to forget them.

"To all my friends and loved ones,
I PRAY YOU ENOUGH..." Dale Sabin

Make Time To Love

If you judge people,
you will have no time to love them.
Mother Teresa

Lord forgive me for all the time I have wasted.
Teach me to love people with your love.

An Unforgivable Sin

Chapter 5 of the book of 1st John,
is a very exacting declaration that faith in Jesus Christ
is the only way to receive forgiveness and eternal life
from the Heavenly Father.

Verses 10 thru 16 read,
10. Anyone who believes in the Son of God
has this testimony in his heart.
Anyone who does not believe God
has made him out to be a liar,
because he has not believed the testimony
God has given about his Son.
11. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life,
and this life is in his Son.
12. He who has the Son has life;
he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
13. I write these things to you who believe
in the name of the Son of God
so that you may know that you have eternal life.
14. This is the confidence we have in approaching God:
that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
15. And if we know that he hears us,
whatever we ask, we know that we have what we asked of him.
16. If anyone sees his brother commit a sin
that does not lead to death,
he should pray and God will give him life.
I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death.
There is a sin that leads to death.
I am not saying that he should pray about that.

A lady once asked me to identify the sin that leads to death,
mentioned in verse 16.
Her question started a 15 week Bible study
on the Book of 1st John.
The answer to her question is revealed in verse 10.
"...Anyone who does not believe God
has made him out to be a liar,
because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son."

God's word is telling us here
that if we go to our grave not believing in His son,
we have called Him a liar.

We concluded from the study
that an unforgivable sin would be not believing
in Jesus Christ and thereby calling God a liar.

While we still have breath,
all who repent and receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior
can know that they have eternal life.
But woe to those who knowingly do not and call God a liar.

Keep proclaiming Jesus Christ
to the loss world we live in.

"Living the Call together"

Letting Go of Our Anger

Sometimes anger can sneak up on you.
You think everything's fine
and then the smallest thing
will cause you to erupt.
But before our emotions get away from us,
we must remember that rage often comes at a great personal cost.
Dr. Charles Stanley

Anger is an extremely powerful emotion.
It can destroy lives, tear relationships apart,
and ruin a believer’s witness.

The apostle Paul understood the negative potential of resentment,
and he offered this advice on how to deal with it:

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger
and clamor and slander be put away from you,
along with all malice.
And be kind to one another, tender-hearted,
forgiving each other,
just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”
Ephesians 4:31-32

Our anger can shut down communication with others.
It can also lead to a silent and very damaging type of resentment.
The “passive-aggressive” person takes out his bitterness on others in subtle ways.
One of the most harmful consequences of uncontrolled anger is depression.
Over time, inner turmoil and unresolved conflicts
will take their toll on a person’s mental health.

We can let our anger control us and suffer the consequences.
Or we can conquer it by forgiving others
that we feel have stirred up the bitterness in us.
Try to identify the causes of anger in your life,
and give those burdens over to the Lord.
Trust that He will empower you to overcome them.

We can't move ahead - if we're trying to get even.
Frank Tyger

More Than A Village

When warmth exists in God’s house, God is pleased and glorified!
Don Schultheis

Look at Acts 4:42-44
“They devoted themselves to the fellowship…
All the believers were together”

The people in that very first church loved each other.
The atmosphere was warm and caring.
They were devoted to fellowship and all the believers were together.

Ten times in the first five Chapters of Acts,
the word tells us that the early Church in Jerusalem was unified.

Look at these phrases:
They were in one accord.
They had one heart.
They had one purpose.
They had one spirit.
They were all united in thought.

There is a mighty movement of God
happening in our church.
May our cups continue to overflow
and spill into our neighborhoods.
Keep lifting up the name of Jesus Christ in all you do.

God is doing something in our midst... be in the center of it.

Can the Enemy Read Our Minds

"No, I don’t think Satan can read your mind.
Because the Bible reveals that satan is not omniscient.
He's fallen, and sin curses the intellect, even an angelic intellect.
I don't think he was ever omniscient.
Omniscience belongs only to God.
Satan can not read your mind.
But, satan can pretty well peg what you are thinking
by how you are acting and how you are talking.
And, he can pretty well analyze the pattern of your living.
And, he pretty well knows what affects you in what way
and how you respond and react to things.
So, he can pretty well pinpoint your weaknesses,
but he can not read your mind.
There is nothing in scripture to indicate that satan can read your mind."
John MacArthur

We should seek to live Holy lives with never giving satan a foothold or place in our thoughts, words and conduct.
The best way to flee from satan
is to be running the race that God has given each of us.
Finish strong for the Lord in all you do.
Seek the things of God
not the things of this world.
If you are weak and tempted
build yourself up through prayer, reading of God's word
and assembling with God's people often.
If you have not received Jesus into your life
the first step is to go to the foot of His cross
and repent and believe.
When we come to the end of ourselves
Jesus has His arms open to receive us.
Flee from the enemy today... run to Jesus.

Leave all your bad deeds, sins and burdens
at the foot of the cross and believe in Jesus Christ.
Your Heaven Father will renew your life
and welcome you home.

Heart of Worship

Song writer, Matt Redman’s church was struggling
to find truth worship in their services.

Reminding his church family to be producers in worship,
not just consumers, his pastor Mike Pilavachi, asked
"When you come through the doors on a Sunday,
what are you bringing as your offering to God?"
Pastor Mike said, we have lost our way in worship
and the way to get back is to strip everything away."
His pastor did a pretty brave thing and got rid
of the sound system and band for a season
with them gathering together with just their voices.
Initially there was embarrassing silence,
but eventually people broke into a capella songs
and heartfelt prayers, encountering God in a new fresh way.

Some of the words from the song "Heart of Worship"
written by Matt Redman :

I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You
All about You, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You
It's all about You Jesus

Click Here - To Listen To This Song

May new worship come out of hearts
everyday of our lives.

His Favor Is Within Reach

"Scripture tells us repeatedly that our Lord is gracious
and compassionate.
He bestows unmerited favor on us,
and he desires to alleviate our suffering.
All throughout his word,
we see a God who is extending his arms
and ready to run to those who are earnestly seeking him."
Burt Wichek

The above comments are from a friend's FaceBook page.
Burt has reminded me of the importance of
always seeking out God in every area of our lives.
Our pastor said yesterday on his blog
that he wants each of us to become more dangerous
in our war against satan.
If we are seeking God with all our hearts
there will be no room for the enemy in any of us.

But if from there you shall seek the LORD your God,
you shall find him,
if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deuteronomy 4:29

I want to be living in the center of God's will and grace.

Standing On Your Convictions

Miss California produced a controversial moment
in this year's Miss USA Contest,
when questioned about gay marriages.

"We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite marriage,
" Miss Carrie Prejean said...
"And you know what, I think in my country, in my family,
I think that I believe that a marriage,
should be between a man and a woman.
No offence to anybody out there,
but that's how I was raised."

Some in the audience cheered, others booed.

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me
before it hated you.
John 15:18

Putting Our Competence In Him

Many of us as believers,
tackle difficulties using our own resources,
and thus attempt little and often fail in the little we do attempt.
All of God’s giants have been weak men and women
who did great things for God
because they depended on His power, presence and strength within them.
Hudson Taylor

Thank you Heavenly Father for equipping us.
Keep my competence in You alone and not my own strength.

If you are a Christian, expect folks to criticize you,
but live your life so nobody will believe them.
Author Unknown

By the Grace of God

I am not what I ought to be,
I am not what I want to be,
I am not what I hope to be in another world,
but still I am not what I once used to be,
and by the grace of God I am what I am today.
John Newton

Lord Jesus, thank you for your grace.
You are my true redeemer.
Thank you for restoring me to my Heavenly Father.
May the Holy Spirit continue to lead me in Your ways.

God Wants To Bless Us

How do we hear the voice of God in our lives ?
Are we obeying His voice and walking in His Light ?

"And all these blessings shall come on thee,
and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken
unto the voice of the Lord thy God.

Blessed shalt thou be in the city,
and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body,
and the fruit of thy ground,
and the fruit of thy cattle,
the increase of thy kine,
and the flocks of thy sheep.

Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in,
and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
Deuteronomy 28:2-6

Are we listening to God's voice
or is the noise of life causing a hearing loss ?

What's Going On ?

Last night Brian walked to church with a couple of children,
escorting them to the weekly Team Kids program.
It was stuffed animal night,
so the kids were carrying their favorite ones with them.
As they walked by one of the neighbor's homes,
someone yelled from the porch... "What's going on".
Brian immediately told them, that they were on their way
to Team Kids - a church club for boys and girls.
The neighbor then said, can my children go with you too ?
I guess you know what Brian's answer was.
Brian ended up being a missionary last night
by walking a group of children to church
where they all heard how much God loves them.

During Betsy's group Bible time a new child asked a neat question.
Children learning about God - "What's going on"

Our Pastor has been seeing people in our worship services coming to receive salvation in Jesus - "Whats going on"

Giving to missions is up in our church - "What's going on"

Pastor has a baptism class of 10 or more people in it, with 9 of them wanting to join our church - "What's going on"

There were over 135 people in last Sunday's worship service.
We witnessed God's blessings - "What's going on"

People are praising God for the encouragements,
they receive when they assemble together - "What's going on"

Then the LORD said,
" ... I am watching over My word to perform it."
Jeremiah 1:12

God wants to perform His word in every area of our lives.
SEE YOU IN CHURCH SUNDAY.

I Will Rise

I love this praise song !
I hope Tom will add it to the ones we sing in church.

"I Will Rise" by Chris Tomlin
(CLICK HERE - TO LISTEN)

There's a peace I've come to know...
No more sorrows... no more pain.
A day is drawing near... when I will rise on eagle wings.
The darkness will break into Light.

Lord, you are the anchor of my soul.
Storms come and go,
but your anchor always holds.

Living Our Lives For His Glory

Live as though Christ died yesterday,
rose from the grave today,
and is coming back tomorrow.
Theodore Epp

Have you ever looked at your life
and wondered how God could possible use you ?
God wants to use all of us in His Kingdom work.
We need to let Him be in the center of our lives.
Always puting our trust in the finished works of Jesus Christ
in every issue we face.

For I am confident of this very thing,
that He who began a good work in you
will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6

Casting All My Cares Upon Him

"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow,
it empties today of its strength."
Corrie Ten Boom

“Casting all your care upon him,
for he careth for you.”
1 Peter 5:7

David encouraged the same type of commitment in Psalm 55:22,
“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and He shall sustain thee..."

Lord, help me to continue to lean on You.
Your word tells me that You will meet my every need.

I Love You Back

In some of President Obama's recent townhall meetings,
some people in the crowds have been yelling"I love you Obama".
The President in return, immediately shoots to them
"I love you back".

Jesus loves all of us and always has,
can you think of some ways... we say to Him - "I love You back".

"We love because he first loved us"
1 John 4:19

It Is Not About A Religion

Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life,
no one comes to the Father but through Me.
John 14:6

Curious to know what comes to mind
about Jesus stating "I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life"

I have two sets of uncles and aunts along with cousins,
who have been Jehovah Witnesses for many years now.
One of the principles of their faith
is that the Jehovah Witness Religion is Truth.
They have been taught that all other beliefs
and religions are false.
I asked one of my cousins what he was trusting in
to receive eternal life from God.
He said, on judgement day if God would find
that he lived an obedient life as a Jehovah Witness
he would be rewarded with eternal life in a newly created earth.

The word grace and it's understanding
is not in his vocabulary.
My cousin's faith is performance driven.
We are on two different roads.

I do confess that I am a driven person also,
but I am depending upon the finished work of Jesus Christ,
for my eternal life.
If my faith is performance driven
it is based on the performance of my Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank the Heavenly Father for driving me
to the foot of the cross of His Son.
There the pierced hands of Jesus reached out to me
and I grabbed hold of them... never to let let go.

Today, I have many brothers and sisters in the Lord.
They have church memberships in many different denominations,
but we are all one... through our saving faith in Jesus Christ.

The good news is that one of these cousins
came to know Jesus Christ as his Lord.
He and his wife have sinced joined a Baptist church in Florida.
Praise the Lord... God never gives up on any of us.
His hands are always stretched out
to recieve us into His loving arms.

The Last Three Words from the Cross

When He had received the drink,
Jesus said, "It is finished"
with that, He bowed His head
and gave up His spirit. (John 19:30).

What do you think the significance is ...
of Jesus's last three words ?

Some Of My Favorite Songs

"AT THE CROSS" by Hillsongs
Oh Lord' You've searched me...
and even when I fail You,
I know You still love me.
At the cross I bow my knee,
where Your blood was shed for me.
There's no greater love than this.
You have overcome the grave.
Nothing can now separate me from You.
You made the Way for all who will believe.

"EAST TO WEST" by Casting Crowns
Time and time again, Your truth is drowned out
by the storms within me.
In Your arms of mercy I find rest.
You got me through the night
and brought me to the Light of Your Son.
I don't want to slip back
to that place where You found me.
Keep holding on to me...
You have turned by night into Light.

PSALM 103:12
"Just as far as the East is from the West,
so far has He removed our trangressions from us."

Our daughter, April and our two grandchildren
visited us a couple of weekends ago.
She said to me, dad you like alot of "7 and 11 songs".
I asked her what she meant by that.
She said most of my favorite songs
have 7 words in them that are sung 11 times.
I guess that might be true in some cases,
but if a song moves me to worship,
it can't be a bad thing... right ?

What are some of your favorite praise songs
and their meanings to you ?