Greetings to all on this messy Tuesday. I don't know about you but to me snow and rain do not go together well. And to think that more snow is supposedly coming later on. God does some creative work.
I am really excited about the up coming series "The Reason I Live." I believe it is going to be a powerful time for all of us as we remember what God has done in our lives and that He truly is the reason that we live! Let us all take time to think about that this Easter season. Glory to God He set me free!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
What a Wonderful WOW Wednesday!
You could feel the Spirit moving last night as we got onto a great discussion about being on time to church and our passion for Jesus. What powerful insight came forth as we looked at Moses and the Israelites and then looked at ourselves. This wasn't even what I had planned last night. I was going to have us look over 1 Corinthians 7, but God had other plans. Thank You Jesus for Your plans. I found this today in illustrations that I get via email from Tim Satryan, a pastor and sectional presbyter from Delaware. Check this out...
Passion for Jesus
by Wesley L. Duewel
All other passions build upon or flow from your passion for Jesus. A passion for souls grows out of a passion for Christ. A passion for missions builds upon a passion for Christ. When Hudson Taylor was once asked what was the greatest incentive to missionary work, he instantly replied, “Love of Christ.” William Booth’s passion for helping the underprivileged, the derelicts of society, and for world evangelization was built upon his passion for Christ. The most crucial danger to a Christian, whatever his role, is to lack a passion of Christ. The most direct route to personal renewal and new effectiveness is a new all-consuming passion for Jesus. Lord, give us this passion, whatever the cost!
We need a fresh passion for Jesus! As a church, we say we believe God is doing something here. But our actions are not lining up with our words. How do I know this? We come in late to our gatherings. We are not inviting friends. We are not filling the altars in prayer. (This is not to condemn anyone, only to spur us on to check ourselves. Myself included.) These are the little things that are done when we expect God is going to move and we don't want to miss out and we don't want others to miss out. Think about the little girl who went to a prayer meeting with a bunch of farmers to pray for rain. She was the only one who went with an umbrella. She was excited. She had expectancy. She knew that God was who He said He was and was able to do what they were asking for.
We need people who are coming with their umbrella's. In fact, it's time we start carrying our umbrella's everyday!
Lord, I repent for not carrying my umbrella. Forgive me for lacking passion and expectancy everyday. Let our passion, RISE up Jesus. Let our faith, RISE up Jesus. Let our level of expectancy, RISE up Jesus. That this church would set a new spiritual tone for this area. And that those who were present last night would never be the same again. AMEN!
Passion for Jesus
by Wesley L. Duewel
All other passions build upon or flow from your passion for Jesus. A passion for souls grows out of a passion for Christ. A passion for missions builds upon a passion for Christ. When Hudson Taylor was once asked what was the greatest incentive to missionary work, he instantly replied, “Love of Christ.” William Booth’s passion for helping the underprivileged, the derelicts of society, and for world evangelization was built upon his passion for Christ. The most crucial danger to a Christian, whatever his role, is to lack a passion of Christ. The most direct route to personal renewal and new effectiveness is a new all-consuming passion for Jesus. Lord, give us this passion, whatever the cost!
We need a fresh passion for Jesus! As a church, we say we believe God is doing something here. But our actions are not lining up with our words. How do I know this? We come in late to our gatherings. We are not inviting friends. We are not filling the altars in prayer. (This is not to condemn anyone, only to spur us on to check ourselves. Myself included.) These are the little things that are done when we expect God is going to move and we don't want to miss out and we don't want others to miss out. Think about the little girl who went to a prayer meeting with a bunch of farmers to pray for rain. She was the only one who went with an umbrella. She was excited. She had expectancy. She knew that God was who He said He was and was able to do what they were asking for.
We need people who are coming with their umbrella's. In fact, it's time we start carrying our umbrella's everyday!
Lord, I repent for not carrying my umbrella. Forgive me for lacking passion and expectancy everyday. Let our passion, RISE up Jesus. Let our faith, RISE up Jesus. Let our level of expectancy, RISE up Jesus. That this church would set a new spiritual tone for this area. And that those who were present last night would never be the same again. AMEN!
Thought...
Amazing Things Happen
When God sends forth the Spirit amazing things happen: barriers are broken, communities are formed, opposites are reconciled, unity is established, disease is cured, addiction is broken, cities are renewed, races are reconciled, hope is established, people are blessed, and church happens.
Today the Spirit of God is present and we’re gonna have church.
So be ready, get ready... God is up to something...
discouraged folks cheer up, dishonest folks ‘fess up,' sour folks sweeten up, closed folks open up, gossipers shut up, conflicted folks make up, sleeping folks wake up, lukewarm folks fire up, dry bones shake up, and pew potatoes stand up!
But most of all, Christ the Savior of all the world is lifted up.
taken from the opening remarks to the Memphis Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church by Rick Kirchoff, Senior Pastor of the Germantown (Tennessee) United Methodist Church
When God sends forth the Spirit amazing things happen: barriers are broken, communities are formed, opposites are reconciled, unity is established, disease is cured, addiction is broken, cities are renewed, races are reconciled, hope is established, people are blessed, and church happens.
Today the Spirit of God is present and we’re gonna have church.
So be ready, get ready... God is up to something...
discouraged folks cheer up, dishonest folks ‘fess up,' sour folks sweeten up, closed folks open up, gossipers shut up, conflicted folks make up, sleeping folks wake up, lukewarm folks fire up, dry bones shake up, and pew potatoes stand up!
But most of all, Christ the Savior of all the world is lifted up.
taken from the opening remarks to the Memphis Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church by Rick Kirchoff, Senior Pastor of the Germantown (Tennessee) United Methodist Church
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
ANNOUNCING... Duh, Duh, Duh, Duh
I am very excited to announce that April 22, at Kittanning High School, I will get to play against the Pittsburgh Steelers Basketball Team. Each off season, some of the Steelers travel around and aid Causes in raising money. They just so happen to be coming to this area in April to help the Kittanning Rotary Club. Yesterday, the head basketball coach of Ford City, asked me to be one of the three players he sends from Ford City Jr./Sr. High School. I guess each school gets to send three guys. So, I am pretty excited. Who knows what Jesus has in store for that night. I am already blessed to even be one of the three guys chosen.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
The End has Come...
Well, it's official. Basketball season is over for my 7th grade team. This team was the best team I've ever coached in my 7 years of coaching. Not just talent wise but attitude wise. To top things off, we won first place in our tournament. OH YEAH! We beat Dubois in the championship game. And I will just say that they were not very happy. During warm-ups, I could see that they had a "We're the best team" attitude in their faces. They were smirking and just looking at us funny. And maybe they thought they had the right to think that. After all, they had a legite 7th grader that was like 6 foot tall and looked to way about 185. The weight maybe exagerated a little, but the kid was big and muscular. But from the opening tip, we didn't let up. We pressed them, caused turnovers, and won the game. It was a great job by everyone.
I loved all of those kids and I already miss them. It's only been one day, but I missed coaching them. But I hope that I left an impression with them. Before the game Saturday, I shared with them that I didn't want them to remember me as a basketball coach or even as someone who likes the game of basketball but as someone who loves Jesus. I pray that as the years go by, they will know that they have a friend in me and ultimately a friend in Jesus.
Here is a shout out to all 18 of those guys by last name: Lattanzio, Willyard, Labutka, Kutsch, Dombroski, Dineley, Frazier, Sweeney, McElwain, Morvik, Cholak, Bowers, Aiken, Bureau, Porter, Scoccimerra, Lamison, and Walker.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
A Big THANK YOU!
I'm so thankful for men and women like Mike and Tina Cholak. Last night, I had a basketball tournament to go to in Indiana. (We beat Indiana and now get to play for the championship Saturday. Woo Hoo, I will get my first trophy since I started coaching 7 years ago because 1st and 2nd place are guaranteed a trophy.) Those two, lead by the Holy Spirit taught our Wednesday evening Bible study. I believe that it was the beginning of many such times for them and not just here at the NLC, but all over.
I'm so thankful for all of the people of the NLC and the abilities Jesus has given to each of you. I'm proud and encouraged to be your pastor. You all make the NLC what it is.
Here is looking forward to everyone fulfilling their God given potential this year. Look out, here we all come!
I'm so thankful for all of the people of the NLC and the abilities Jesus has given to each of you. I'm proud and encouraged to be your pastor. You all make the NLC what it is.
Here is looking forward to everyone fulfilling their God given potential this year. Look out, here we all come!
Monday, February 4, 2008
Yesterday
Yesterday, what a powerful gathering we had. Do you believe God is doing something at the NLC? I do. He just continues to show His unfailing love to us. I have to admit, I was excited about beginning this new series "The Most Extreme Relationship" and looking at relationships from a Biblical perspective, also thoughts from a book called "Going all the Way" by Craig Groeschel. I just wasn't sure if I was prepared enough to present the first point... Making Jesus your #1. But God moved in a powerful way from the beginning with the singing of a new song, my son Isaiah's favorite, "Promises" by Jared Anderson, and going on to our worship time with a powerful demonstration of tongues and interpretation that went right along with the message (before I said anything about what I was preaching), the preaching of the Word, and communion.
Continue to think about what Jesus said with the lifting of the cup and telling the disciples to drink. In the Jewish wedding ceremony, when a young man found a woman he would marry, he would pour a cup of wine drink from it signifying that he would give his life for her and then set it down for her. If she drank she was saying yes to his proposal. If she didn't drink, she was saying no. So we have a proposal from Jesus as soon as we are born and come to understand what He has done for us. "Will you marry me?" The answer is up to us. So what is your answer? It is a big commitment. But it is the first commitment we must make in order to have any relationship with anyone else. What do you think?
Continue to think about what Jesus said with the lifting of the cup and telling the disciples to drink. In the Jewish wedding ceremony, when a young man found a woman he would marry, he would pour a cup of wine drink from it signifying that he would give his life for her and then set it down for her. If she drank she was saying yes to his proposal. If she didn't drink, she was saying no. So we have a proposal from Jesus as soon as we are born and come to understand what He has done for us. "Will you marry me?" The answer is up to us. So what is your answer? It is a big commitment. But it is the first commitment we must make in order to have any relationship with anyone else. What do you think?
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