A New Blogger

Jon Trude, a friend of mine, recently started blogging. Good stuff. Visit Jon Trude and enjoy. Way to go Trudey, JT, Mr.T, T, Jon Boy, Trudebager, Okie AKA Jon Trude who is helping people become totally committed followers of JC.

David Did Not Live In The Past

At Sunrise we recently took a look at the life of David found in I and II Samuel. In reading this story you will see that David had some very difficult days in his journey, but he did not dwell on the difficult days or live in these days. David did not live in the past. He learned, grew, owned up to mistakes and LIVED. You and I need not dwell on the past difficulties in our lives. We can learn, grow and LIVE. Count on this, you and I will have difficulties. May we choose not to dwell on the past, but instead dwell on LIFE.

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:6

The LORD is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1

David Lived With Passion

David the shepherd, the warrior, the artist and the King lived with passion. The account of his life found in I and II Samuel is replete with with passion. David lived life to the fullest most of the time. His writings in the Book of Psalms are passionate. His pain, sorrow, anticipation, joy, and worship recordings are full of passion.

Passion - fervor, intensity, ardor, fervor, desire and excitement

Passion - Boundless enthusiasm

In his work, relationships, worship, sorrow, present, and future David lived with anticipation and enthusiasm.

Some Beach Fun

Today we caught a few pics and short videos of our children catching some small waves. Fun times.

A Great Book About David And Two Others

The Tale Of Three Kings is a thought provoking book based on the story of Saul, David and Absalom. I have this book in my personal library and I am willing to loan it out for a person's August reading.

Psalm 51:10-13

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.

Moving Past The Past and Into Renewal

For the past six weeks SCC took a look at the life of King David found in the Bible. This past week we peered into a very open account of David's life and hopefully walked away with a sense of humility and the need we have for God in our lives. The following video is a brief of a man's life who desires to live for God with a humble heart and experience God's power and goodness in his life so he can help others experience God's power and goodness.

Approaching God

9-12He told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: "Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: 'Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.'
13"Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, 'God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.'"
14Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself." Luke 18:9-12

Newcomers Luncheon

This past Sunday, 7-20-07, Sunrise hosted another newcomers Luncheon. It was a great time. Meeting new people, hearing stories and watching people connect through common backgrounds and/or common interest. The luncheon also makes us as leaders think through why we believe what we believe and why we do what we do. We have all of this in writing, but really thinking about it leads to some pretty serious introspection. I am glad that we as a church are seeking to live out our core values, mission, beliefs and work to align ourselves with these things we have thought and prayed about in the life of SCC. Makes for a pretty exciting time. People accepting Jesus Christ, growing in Christ and thinking about life and living in general.

The Grace Of God

A man dies and goes to heaven. St. Peter meets him at the Pearly Gates and says, 'Here's how it works. You need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you've done, and I give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get in.' 'Okay,' the man says, 'I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart.' 'That's wonderful,' says St.Peter, 'that's worth two points!' 'Two points?' he says 'Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my tithe and service.' 'Terrific!' says St.Peter.. 'That's certainly worth a point.''One point!?!! ' 'I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for homeless veterans.' 'Fantastic, that's good for two more points,' he says.'Two points!?!! 'Exasperated, the man cries. 'At this rate the only way I'll get into heaven is by the grace of God.' 'Bingo! 100 points ! Come on in!'

Touching Lives and Having Fun

When you and I serve Jesus Christ in and through a local church we make an eternal difference and are blessed as we serve. Just imagine a church where everyone serves in some fashion. People praying, giving, serving, sharing and God's power being expereinced in ways beyond understanding. When we expereince this we will be smiling like the couple in the pic who is making an eternal difference.

Interesting

35James and John, Zebedee's sons, came up to him. "Teacher, we have something we want you to do for us."
36"What is it? I'll see what I can do."
37"Arrange it," they said, "so that we will be awarded the highest places of honor in your glory—one of us at your right, the other at your left."
38Jesus said, "You have no idea what you're asking. Are you capable of drinking the cup I drink, of being baptized in the baptism I'm about to be plunged into?"
39-40"Sure," they said. "Why not?"
Jesus said, "Come to think of it, you will drink the cup I drink, and be baptized in my baptism. But as to awarding places of honor, that's not my business. There are other arrangements for that."
41-45When the other ten heard of this conversation, they lost their tempers with James and John. Jesus got them together to settle things down. "You've observed how godless rulers throw their weight around," he said, "and when people get a little power how quickly it goes to their heads. It's not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not to be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for many who are held hostage."
Mark 10:35-45 The Message

Nic @ NIght, Friday, 7-18-08

We had some good fun and many children heard the story of Nicodemus and gained some insight into John 3:16. Thanks to Sharon Salsman for leading this wild and crazy event and for the students and adults who helped the children better understand what it means to accept Jesus Christ and have fun.

PROTECTING THE CONTACTS

YUMMY

Nic @ Night - Water, Hi, and a Cheap Shot

Debt Free

Leadership Thought

"The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it."
Theodore Roosevelt

Today

Today, I will ...

Take a moment right now and and think about this statement and finish it out with some positive thoughts about the opportunities before you, your family, your job, your time on the road and in regards to your relationship with God.

“Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find ''tomorrow'' on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, ''If I had my life to live over again. ''Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day! Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.” Og Mandino

For Leades

In his book, Practicing Greatness, Reggie McNeal discusses how great leaders need to stay very sharp mentally. Reggie gives us several ways that we can keep our brain chemistry healthy. Some are simple. Others take a little more effort:

• Adequate sleep (a sleep-hungry brain is subject to fuzzy thinking and poor judgment)

• Proper Diet (especially a good amount of protein)

• Moderate your use of alcohol, caffeine, nicotine (don’t use these to ‘medicate your anxiety’)

• Adequate exercise (helps physically, but also mentally)

• Daily doses of positive human contact (leaders who are connected are keeping their brains ‘wired’)

• Mental recreation (It helps from making your thoughts dull and tired)

• Muse time (time to ponder, noodle, reflect)

Va Beach Sunrise - 191

The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Psalm 19:1

The Return

The students and adults who were are part of M-Fuge in Charleston have returned. The work of God is evident in their changed lives and because of the results of lives changed in Charleston. Two students with the group accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Three students made the decision to walk closer with God. One student is interested in International Ministry and story after story is being told of God's handiwork. As the students and adults went out during the week many children accepted Jesus Christ through various ministries and due to the Message of God's love found in Jesus Christ being presented in the power of the Holy Spirit. My wife had the opportunity to work with a group that saw eleven older school aged children accept Jesus Christ. Homes were improved, yards were cleaned, Sr. Adults were ministered to through one on one visiting, the message of Jesus went forth in the power of prayer. May it continue.

Post M-Fuge Feeling

M-Fuge - Friday and Saturday Schedule

Friday's Schedule
7:00am Breakfast
8:00am Quiet Time and Bible Study
9:15am Send-Off Celebration
10:00am Vans Pull Out to Site (lunch will occur on site)3:00pm Vans Return From Site/Free Time
5:00pm Dinner
6:30pm Worship
8:00pm Church Group Devotions
9:30pm Night Life
11:00pm In Dorms

Saturday's Schedule
7:00am Breakfast
8:00am Closing Time with Ministry Track Group
9:00am Closing Celebration
10:00am Departure

Psalm 33:1-9

1 Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
2 Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.
4 For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.
5 The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.
6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him.
9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.

M-Fuge Update - Energy and Enthusiasm

Phone call from Jon Trude yesterday was very positive. He left a brief voice mail and mentioned that the energy and enthusiasm of the students was very high. The students feel like they are making a difference and are learning that they can impact lives for God.

Gator

I spoke with my daughter via the phone today. She was in a restaurant in Charleston and had eaten some Gator. She said it was good. Interesting.

FIG

The group from Sunrise may eat supper at FIG this eveneing.

Good Point

Praying For The Adult Chaperones

Today I am praying throughout the day for the adult chaperones from Sunrise who are helping students from all over the east coast minster to children and Sr. Adults in the Charleston area. Please considering stopping right now and praying for Ruth Nethery, Sara Williams, Chris Fritszinger and Jon Trude.

M-Fuge Thursday Schedule

7:00am Breakfast
8:00am Quiet Time and Bible Study
9:15am Send-Off Celebration
10:00am Vans Pull Out to Site (lunch will occur on site)
3:00pm Vans Return From Site/Free time in the city (dinner off site)
Sunrise Group will spend time in Historic Charleston
9:00pm Worship
10:15pm Church Group Devotions
11:00pm In Dorms

About To Finish A Little Book

The Energy Bus has been a fun and thought provoking read. I will have to look back over the principles in the book several times in July so I can seek to memorize them and live them out in my personal, family and work life. Get on the Bus. Check out Jon Gordon for more info.

Leadership Thought

"Leaders do not worry about the future, instead they plan for success."
Rick Warren of Saddleback Church

Obituaries This Morn

This morning I read the Obituaries section of the paper which for me is a rare reading. Even reading the paper is a rare thing for me. Skimming the paper is reading the paper in my life. The Obituaries section jumped out at me this morn because as of late I have been thinking about eternal life. As I read the Obis (my short for Obituaries) I noted dates, nice people, individuals who will be missed, some organizations in which people belonged, hopes for a good eternity and when and where the services would be held. I did not see anything about when a person accepted Jesus Christ by faith, security of eternal life, how someone else might accept Jesus Christ and have eternal hope, and the hope that is real because of god's love for us. I am aware that the Obis are written in times of grief and that wording an Obi is an important part of honoring the deceased and the family of the deceased. I am aware of this because I have done numerous funerals as a minister and because have had a sister, father, uncle and aunts and grandparents pass away. Loss of a loved one is a time of sorrow, memories and gathering. It can also be a time of hope. Hope in the fact that a loved one is in Heaven because of Jesus Christ and the loved ones decision to accept God's love while living life on earth. Hope because eternity is a beautiful aspect of life in Christ. Hope because the family realizes that life on earth does end, but eternity never does. Hope. I know today that I have eternal hope because of Jesus Christ. You can also know if you will trust Jesus Christ and give your life to Him. A Wonderful Story Of Hope

For SCC A Heart Of Passion 7-6-08

On Sunday, 7-6-08 SCC contnued the series Wild At Heart. The passage used was II Samuel 6. The service was expereinced in Three Acts.
Act One:
Not paying attention, going through the motion, do it your own way worship which is not really worship at all. In II Samuel 6:1-11 Uzzah loses his life because he dishonors God. He is unattentive and misses out on worship and it cost hima dn others dearly.
Act Two:
Passionate. Heartfelt. Focused. Active. Worship. In II Samuel 6:12-19 David leads people in worship that is focused, intense and leads to the blessing of others.
Act Three:
Me centered, bitter, sarcastic, cynical worship which is not really worshi at all. In II Samuel 6:20-23 Michal misses out on a wonderful experience because she misses out on worship due to her self-centeredness and hard heart.

Everyone in attendance was encouraged to live in Act Two:

Worship with a passionate heart. Worship that is focused on glorifying God. Worship that is thoughtful and active.

Student Involved In M- Fuge

The latest as of 2:30 PM today. Students with Sunrise are helping with Children's Ministries in local Day Care, PCY (Paint, Construction and Yard) Ministries, Social Ministries such as visiting the elderly, puppet shows for children and playing Board Games with people, and last but not the least the students are helping with Sports Ministries in the Charleston area. Very upbeat report from Jon Trude. As I write the worship time for the eve is coming to a close and the students will move into a time of sharing with one another in Church Group Devotional/Sharing Time.

Serve

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Mark 10:45

Fuge Schedule The Next Couple Of Days

Tuesday and Wednesday Schedule
7:00am Breakfast
8:00am Quiet Time and Bible Study
9:15am Send-Off Celebration
10:00am Vans Pull Out to Site (lunch will occur on site)
3:00pm Vans Return From Site/Free Time
5:00pm Dinner
6:30pm Worship
8:00pm Church Group Devotions
9:30pm Night Life
11:00pm In Dorms

Psalm 34:1-3

1 I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.
2 My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.

Moses Caesar

Friends of MoMo in SCC. He is the Camp Pastor at M-fuge in Nashville, TN on the campus of Belmont University. I spoke with him on the phone today. Good decisons are being made in regards to JC. check out www.shineout.org for more info on MoMo Casear.

Fuger's - On Location

Fuger's are in Charleston, SC. Their schedule for today is...

1:00 - 4:00pm Registration
5:00pm Dinner
5:45pm Group Leader and Driver Meeting
6:30pm Opening Celebration
7:30pm Ministry Track Planning
10:15pm Church Group Devotion
11:00pm In Dorms

Charleston or Bust

The group departed this morn at 6:00 AM. Travel is going good. Look to arrive in Charleston at 2:00 PMish.

Passionate Worship

What a 4th

July the 4th was SWEEEEEET. The beach with family and friends. Football, Paddle ball, hanging out, relaxing, watching my son surf as I lurfed (Learning to surf) and caught plenty of waves and stood up on three. Yeah Baby. The trip home we all scarfed down the food in the cooler and took a little snooze. Yummy. No, not me. To the pool we traveled where we played TAG, hung out, visited with friends and worked up another appetite for some Hamburgers, Pasta Salad, Baked Beans and Dr. Pepper. You bet your rear end, I had 3 Dr. Peppers on July 4th. Yummy. We then traveled out a ways anticipating the fireworks show of the evening. Visited with friends, threw the Frisbee, talked about fun times and then CA BOOM. The fireworks started and so did the Lightning Storm. Cool but scary. Thunder and lightning right on top of us. To the car in the rain and then to a friends house for shrimp, corn, potatoes, sausage and coffee. Yummy. Dude, good thing I worked out in January '06.
The Fireworks display was of God and man this year. Pretty cool mixture. Made for some excitement, smiles, laughter, hauling rear to the car and now a good memory. What a 4th.

Happy Independence Day

Money Matters: 8 Helps

This article, 8 Ways Not To Throw Away Your Money, is a good and quick read. Fuel prices, food prices and money seems to be the topic of many conversations these days. This will cause you to think and make for a good conversation piece at work, with your family and with your children. Have fun and be cool.

See You This Weekend

Free

13You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. 14The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 15If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
Galatians 5:13-15

Free to encourage. Free to inspire. Free to help. Free to serve. Free to do what benefits others. Free to .... Freedom is a wonderful way to live.