Book To Help With Philippians Study

Both of these books are good. Both are written to help the reader gain a better understanding of Philippians and experience joy.

A Letter To SCC - Joy In Your Circumstances

Hello,

I hope you are already sensing and experiencing your joy quota increasing as we continue learning from the book of Philippians during this “Surprised By Joy” series. I hope at various times this past week you were able to “turn that frown upside down” as you gave thanks for people in your life and sought to increase someone else’s joy.

In the book of Philippians it is obvious that Paul isn’t writing from a circumstantial point of view. If he was the letter would have been sour, negative, harsh, and disheartening. Instead, Paul is upbeat, warm, hopeful, positive, and even cheerful despite his circumstances. The letter is full of thanks, joy, and hope. It is clear that Paul is not focused on his circumstances and has been able to see beyond the temporary and focus on the eternal, see past the bad and focus on the good, and to see how the good news of Jesus Christ is being proclaimed despite his difficult situation. This letter is crazy or outrageous if you really think about it, but this is what can happen in our lives if we will choose to see and live life from a new perspective and not focus on circumstances.

Circumstances are much like the weather. They can be good, bad, and sometimes ugly. They can change very quickly. I remember one day not long ago in this area when in one day it was warm, sunny, cloudy, thundering, cold, rainy and then snow followed by a clearing blue sky, all of this in one day. It is not wise or healthy to base our lives on circumstances because they can change in a heartbeat and there are many circumstances that we have no control over. Instead we can choose to allow God to have reign in our lives, in our attitudes and begin experiencing real joy that is crazy, outrageous and contagious. Experiencing joy (peace, calm, anticipation, hope, a positive attitude, encouragement) in the midst of circumstances can be accomplished if we will focus on how God is working in our lives, the good news, and view life from an eternal perspective. I hope that you and I and Sunrise Community Church will continue to, “Delight yourselves in God, yes, find your joy in Him at all times.”, and live with a sense of awe and wonder that will draw others to Jesus Christ.

As I end this letter I want to share some good news, really good news and great news with you. The good news is that you are reading this letter so you are currently alive. The really good news is that life is a gift from God and He really is in control no matter what your circumstances. The great news is that we can live with a deep sense of awe, wonder and joy if we will focus on God’s work in our life’s and those around us, the good around us, and live with an eternal focus.

God’s work is happening. You and I just need to adjust our perspective a little bit to see His wonderful work in our lives. You and I have plenty of good things to dwell on in our daily lives. We just need to choose what we are going to see. I have eternal hope because of my trust in Jesus Christ. If you have trusted Jesus you have that same hope. That is joyful news. This week take a few minutes each day to look at your life and the life of those close to you and begin to discover how God is moving and working. Make a list of all the good things in your life. Think of people, material possessions, and a positive story that you recently heard and write them down at the bottom of this sheet. Take few minutes now and thank God for eternal hope. Ask God to help you discover how you can help others come to know Jesus Christ personally and experience the eternal hope you have. As you act on these three items in your life watch your joy quota increase. Just be careful someone might think you are crazy.

Rejoicing,
Steve Nethery

How God is working or moving:

The good stuff:

How can you help others come to faith in Jesus Christ?

Some of Paul's Hardships

I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
2 Corinthians 11:23b-28 NIV

Sunrise is 8

Sunrise turned 8 today. Pretty good stuff. Eight years of ups and downs. Eight years of sharing the Gospel with people. Eight years of making disciples. Eight years of laughs. Eight years of some tears. Rejoice. Rejoice. Thanks to those who helped start Sunrise eight years ago with a great deal of prayer, work, planning, giving, serving and teamwork. "3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:3-6 NIV

Stuart

Remember, God works in all things and people like you.

Sunday Morning Rest

Salsman backstage sleeping during the message. He really believes in meditation. JK. This is a planned photo. Just havin' fun.

Timothy and Epaphroditus

Good friends and co-servants of Jesus Christ. People like this help us live in joy and rejoice in life. I thank God for people like Tim and Phro. People who are helpful, encouraging, committed to Christ and who take risk when needed. What a joy and thrill to experience life with Joy Givers. I want to be a Joy Giver.

19-24I plan (according to Jesus' plan) to send Timothy to you very soon so he can bring back all the news of you he can gather. Oh, how that will do my heart good! I have no one quite like Timothy. He is loyal, and genuinely concerned for you. Most people around here are looking out for themselves, with little concern for the things of Jesus. But you know yourselves that Timothy's the real thing. He's been a devoted son to me as together we've delivered the Message. As soon as I see how things are going to fall out for me here, I plan to send him off. And then I'm hoping and praying to be right on his heels.
25-27But for right now, I'm dispatching Epaphroditus, my good friend and companion in my work. You sent him to help me out; now I'm sending him to help you out. He has been wanting in the worst way to get back with you. Especially since recovering from the illness you heard about, he's been wanting to get back and reassure you that he is just fine. He nearly died, as you know, but God had mercy on him. And not only on him—he had mercy on me, too. His death would have been one huge grief piled on top of all the others.
28-30So you can see why I'm so delighted to send him on to you. When you see him again, hale and hearty, how you'll rejoice and how relieved I'll be. Give him a grand welcome, a joyful embrace! People like him deserve the best you can give. Remember the ministry to me that you started but weren't able to complete? Well, in the process of finishing up that work, he put his life on the line and nearly died doing it.
Philippians 2:19-30 The Message

The Friendship Factor. This is a good book. My suggestion. Order it. Read it. Discuss it. It will help you become a Joy Giver. The links below will take you to info about the book.
http://books.google.com/books?id=vqSa4Ii2LNQC&dq=friendship+factor&pg=PP1&ots=RKI8P_07dF&sig=vWP-wNhKaRhnIAPTCSCs4Ll5SF8&hl=en&prev=http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=HPIB,HPIB:2005-19,HPIB:en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=friendship+factor&spell=1&oi=print&ct=title&cad=one-book-with-thumbnail

http://www.amazon.com/Friendship-Factor-Closer-People-Care/dp/080661711X

Leadership Thought

The leaders who work most effectively, it seems to me, never say "I." And that's not because they have trained themselves not to say "I." They don't think "I." They think "we"; they think "team." They understand their job to be to make the team function. They accept responsibility and don't sidestep it, but "we" gets the credit. This is what creates trust, what enables you to get the task done.
Peter Drucker

"Joy is the serious business of heaven." C. S. Lewis

"Joy is like peace dancing." G.K. Chesterton

Joy

Praying for others

This past week and weekend I was able to visit with people that I rarely see and yet have prayed for and served Jesus Christ with them for a good while. One was a college student at VT. She is an active part of SCC when she is in the Hampton Roads area and is missed by the music team and her family when she is at VT. She took some time from her full day at VT and gave my family a brief tour of VT so my daughter could get a feel for the campus. She is a blessing to my wife, SCC and my daughter. It is a joy to serve JC with this college student even though we are miles apart.
The other is a young man whom I've known for 12 or 13 years. He was an active part of a Student Ministry that I led in Chesapeake and I had the opportunity to serve with him on Summer Mission Trips. He and his family were instrumental in helping start Sunrise. He is a VT grad and has been and is an active part of a church that is sharing the Gospel at VT. He is soon moving to northern VA to begin a new phase of life and ministry. It is a joy to have helped this young man grow in Christ and serve JC with him even though we are miles apart.
Sunday evening my family, minus my daughter, had dinner with a couple and their two teens. This family was a part of Sunrise after we launched and SCC had the joy of baptizing them and serving with them. They now live in GA and are active in a church where they live. They are awesome people who are gracious and fun to be around. They bring joy to people. Their children are fun loving, kind and talented. Much like their parents. It is a joy to serve JC with these people even though we are miles apart.
These are people I have prayed for and served with for a good number of years. I remember them with joy in my heart and thank God for them as we continue to serve JC

Grace and Peace

"1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:1-2 NIV

Grace and peace. This is a fantastic way to greet people. Blessing them with God's grace and peace. Grace - God's undeserved favor towards you and I. God looking out for us. God, getting our back. God having our very best interest in His heart. Peace - A stillness and calm about life even in the midst of everyday life. A peace that allows us to move from fretting and frustration into a deeper faith in God. A peace that helps us sleep at night. A peace that clears our minds and hearts and allows us to enjoy life and relationships as we sit in traffic, correct mistakes at work, negotiate contracts, pay bills, study for exams, loose a game, and on and on the list goes.

Grace and peace. May we live in them a little bit today. Take a breath and ask God for that grace and peace and pray the same blessing for someone else right now.

ACT 16: 1-40 - Paul in Philippi

1 Paul went first to Derbe and then to Lystra, where there was a young disciple named Timothy. His mother was a Jewish believer, but his father was a Greek. 2 Timothy was well thought of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium, 3 so Paul wanted him to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left, for everyone knew that his father was a Greek. 4 Then they went from town to town, instructing the believers to follow the decisions made by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. 5 So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day. 6 Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. 7 Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. 8 So instead, they went on through Mysia to the seaport of Troas.
9 That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” 10 So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there.
Lydia of Philippi Believes in Jesus 11 We boarded a boat at Troas and sailed straight across to the island of Samothrace, and the next day we landed at Neapolis. 12 From there we reached Philippi, a major city of that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. And we stayed there several days. 13 On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. 14 One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. 15 She was baptized along with other members of her household, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed. 16 One day as we were going down to the place of prayer, we met a demon-possessed slave girl. She was a fortune-teller who earned a lot of money for her masters. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.”
18 This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her. 19 Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace. 20 “The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials. 21 “They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.”
22 A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. 23 They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. 24 So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.
25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. 26 Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! 27 The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. 28 But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” 32 And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. 33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. 34 He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God. 35 The next morning the city officials sent the police to tell the jailer, “Let those men go!” 36 So the jailer told Paul, “The city officials have said you and Silas are free to leave. Go in peace.” 37 But Paul replied, “They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison—and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!” 38 When the police reported this, the city officials were alarmed to learn that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. 39 So they came to the jail and apologized to them. Then they brought them out and begged them to leave the city. 40 When Paul and Silas left the prison, they returned to the home of Lydia. There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.
Acts 16:1-40 NLT

For SCC - 3-30-08 Joy In Your Relationships

This past Sunday Sunrise began a new series based on the book of Philippians found in the New Testament of the Bible. The book is really a letter written to the followers of Christ in the city of Philippi. The letter is written from prison by the apostle Paul who had started the church in Philippi ten years earlier on one of his three trips that he and others took to begin sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with others. You can read about about adventure in Philippi in Acts Chapter 16 of a Bible or in the post above.

Scott Salsman started the series with a message about experiencing Joy In Your Relationships. Sharing from the text found in chapter 1 of Philippians he shared these three truths that if we will apply them to our lives we can increase our joy quota in our relationships.

1. Put people in your thoughts and be thankful for them.

"I thank my God every time I remember you." Philippians 1:3

We tend to think about many things during the day. Scott encouraged us to think about people. Remember people. Paul remembered the people in Philippi and gave thanks for them. He remembered the positive and gave thanks for the people. Paul understood that people are a priority to God and therefore gave thanks as he remembered and prayed for those in Philippi. You and I need to give thanks for people in our lives.

2. Put people in your hearts.

"It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart..." Philippians 1:7a

Not only did Paul think about these people bu he also cherished his relationship with them and considered partners and friends. He cared for these people. He enjoyed these people. He had warm and fuzzy thoughts and feelings for these people and he expressed this to them throughout the letter. Two way for you and I to begin to put people into our hearts is to think about and practice partnership and fellowship. When we begin to flesh out that partnership and fellowship are important to God, relationships, and the Gospel we will begin to fan the flame of warm and fuzzy feelings for people in our lives the joy quota in our relationships will increase.

3. Put people in your prayers."And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God." Philippians 1:9-11

Praying for people will increase your joy quota as you spend time with God praying for others and watch God do a wonderful work in their lives. You can pray that they will grow in their capacity to love, in their knowledge of God's love, that they will live pure lives, and be filled with God truth and holiness as they live for Jesus Christ. Praying for others will also cause you to grow in Christ and will help you remember others, hold others in your heart and move you higher on the joyful scale of life.

March 30 - A Letter to Sunrise

March 30, 2008

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:3-6 NIV Bible
The above greeting is how Paul begins his letter to the people who are in the church at Philippi. In this greeting it is evident that he cares for the people, sees God working in their lives and is thankful that they are working together to help others experience the Gospel (Good News of Jesus Christ).
Paul’s greeting is a good description of how I and the other leaders in Sunrise feel about the people involved in Sunrise. I and the other leaders thank God for you as we pray for you and your family during the week. We see how God is working in your lives and continuing to strengthen your faith and life in Jesus Christ, and how we as a church desire others to come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord. What an honor and joy it is to serve Jesus Christ alongside you and others in Sunrise. Even just in the recent months it is evident that God is moving in the midst of Sunrise in the following ways:
He began the Ministry Partnership with Lee Memorial
How we worked together to make the move from meeting at Jolliff Middle School to Lee Memorial
The wonderful Candlelight Christmas Eve Service Sunrise and Lee Memorial hosted together
New faces on Sunday mornings and in Community Groups
The well attended Baptism Celebration
Adults recently accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord
Adults recently rededicating their lives to Jesus Christ
Children and Students having fun on Sunday mornings (Miracles Happen)
The great atmosphere during the Easter Breakfast and in the Easter Service
The smiles on peoples faces as they are welcomed into an open atmosphere for worship
May we as a church continue to be sensitive to God and His leadership as we continue to work together to share His goodness, joy and love with others. May we thank God for one another and encourage each other to “Delight yourselves in God, yes, find your joy in Him at all times.” Philippians 4:4 Phillips Translation of the Bible
The message today was about experiencing joy in your relationships. Relationships are a vital part of life and can be encouraging and at times discouraging. Paul, in his letter to the Philippians expresses joy in his relationship with them even though he is aware relationships experience difficult times. He is grateful for the people in the church at Philippi. He is encouraged by Timothy and Epaphroditus (how about that name), his friends and co-laborers in ministry. He encourages the people in Philippi to be humble and serve one another with joy, and to seek to resolve conflict for the sake of the Gospel. Because relationships are so vital to life I hope that you will decide to be thankful for the people in your life, be encouraged by those who help you in your walk with God and encourage them, and seek to live with a humble heart that honors and brings joy to others.
This week take some time to write in the space below people you are thankful for and people who encourage you in your walk with Jesus Christ and watch your joy quota rise as you do so. Then write down a few things you might be able to do for someone this week to see their joy quota increase and have fun going for it. May you have a joyful week experiencing joy in your relationships.

Rejoicing,
Steve Nethery

People I’m thankful for:

People who encourage me:

What I am going to do to bring joy to others:

Going West

I am going west for a little family fun. I will begin posting again the week of March 30. have a good one.

Happy Easter

Synergy

Synergy - The action of two or more substances, organs, or organisms to achieve an effect of which each is individually incapable. Working together.

On Saturday, 3-15-08, Sunday, 3-16-08, and Wednesday, 3-19-08 I saw and experienced synergy. Synergy was a buzz word in the corporate world for a while. It is still used some, but not as much as it was a couple of years ago. It was also used in the church world lingo for a while and seems to have faded from the church world vocabulary. But not for me. I think it is a very Biblical word and I had the opportunity to experience it recently.

On Saturday, 3-15-08 people worked together to accomplish a great deal of work that involved packing, loading and moving.

On Sunday, 3-16-08 people cooperated with one another and God in order to help others worship, accept Christ, recommit their lives to Jesus and be encouraged in their faith walk. I also watched as people moved in harmony to rearrange a worship area so that it would be ready for a special Easter Service. People buzzing back and forth with positive attitudes, good ideas and an abundance of joy and laughter.

On Wednesday, 3-19-08 men came together and accomplished in two hours what it would have taken two days for one man to accomplish. And we had fun working together.

Synergy. It is found in Theology, Psychology, Spirituality, Sociology and in other "ologies". It is seen in science, history, the human body and in nature and in the Three Musketeers.

Synergy. It is not found in Meology. It is not found in the great trinity of self - Me, Myself and I. It is not found in mine not Thine.

Synergy calls for humility, pride, selflessness, self awareness, cooperation, confidence, and the desire to accomplish a greater good than yourself. Christianity is about Synergy. Working together to accomplish God's Kingdom Work.

Think Synergy.

1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Philippians 2:1-4

Matthew 28:1-8

1After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
8So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

Mark 16:1-7

1When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. 2Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" 4But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 6"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' "

Luke 24:1-12

1On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' " 8Then they remembered his words.
9When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

John 20:1-16

1Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" 3So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. 8Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9(They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10Then the disciples went back to their homes, 11but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"
"They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." 14At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him." 16Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Wear Green. Drink something green. Pinch someone who isn't wearing green. Have some green eggs and ham. Attend a green parade. Speak with an Irish accent. Plant a shrub or tree. These are just a few things people will do to have fun at the work place and with friends to honor St. Patrick on this St. Patrick's Day.

It may be more fitting and honorable to the saint if we thank God today for our salvation. Pray for someone who does not yet know Christ. Invite someone to attend an Easter service or mass as our guest so they may hear about Jesus Christ. Become involved in beginning churches that help others experience Jesus. Begin serving Christ in a local church with our financial giving, talents, abilities, and spiritual gifts God has given us.

I hope yo uhave a fun St. Patrick's Day. Look at how Paul the apostle greeted the followers of Jesus in the letter of Philippians.

"1Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi..."

May we consider this greeting and live as St. Patrick for just today.

See the following link for a little info about St. Pat.

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=89

Doug Murren Leadership Thoughts

Developing Your Leadership Potential, Doug Murren on 3-11-08

Definition of Leadership - Influencing others to achieve together a worthy goal.

1. Know Yourself
Contemplation. Input from others. What makes you tick? Know how you are wired.
2. Know Your Strengths
Work in areas of strengths. Do what you are good at doing. Lead out of your strengths.
3. Recruit The Right People
Recruit competent people. Those around you are very important.
4. Learn
Life long learning.
5. Know You Are Vulnerable In Your Family Life
Pay attention and be sensitive to your family.
6. Stay Healthy
Exercise. have fun. What helps you relieve stress? Give stuff to God.
7. Have Balcony People In Your Life
Encouragement is needed. Cheerleaders are important.
8. Make Someone Else Successful
Help others do well. Help others succeed.
9. Develop A Life Plan
Spend your time in such a way that you get where you want to go. Plan. Time Management.
What are some life goals, yearly goals, learning goals, etc.
10. Make Quick Adjustments
Seize opportunities. Change is okay. Be Decisive.

I've Decided

I've decided... This is part of Philippians 1:18 found in The Message by Eugene Peterson. You can go to http://www.biblegateway.com/ and read Philippians 1 at your convenience.

I began the year 2008 reading through and through Psalm 34 for my personal Scripture reading time. A few weeks ago I started reading through Philippians for my personal reading and for message preparation because the church I pastor is beginning a series in Philippians in late March. This morning as I was reading this phrase jumped off the screen and into my mind and heart. I will seek to see to it that it jumps into my everyday life.

I've decided...

The author of this letter is writing from a difficult place and has faced some difficult circumstances and yet he decides to live in joy, cheering people on (even those who may want to hurt him), and deciding to see the positive aspect of life because of the hope he has in Jesus Christ and because he knows that Jesus Christ changed his life and is the only way for people to enter into heaven and experience real life, joy, meaning and purpose.

I've decided...

In this chapter of the book of Philippians it is clear that Paul is deciding to choose the joyful side of life and choosing to live for Jesus Christ. He decides.

I've decided...

Today. Well, at least for this morning I am deciding to live in Jesus and choose joy. I will realize that God's hope is real and joy is the place I want to dwell. I will decide to live for Jesus Christ and help others experience Jesus Christ today because He is the only way for a person to enter into heaven and only He brings true meaning, purpose and joy to life. I've decided to honor Jesus Christ and others today. I've decided to lift Christ up today in personal praise and worship. I decided God's Kingdom is my dwelling place and that makes me smile.

Eternal Life

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.
I John 5:11-13

Stop and Think

www.juststopandthink.org

Philippians 4:4-8

4-5 Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!
6-7 Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
8 Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.

Community Group - How Can I Know What God Wants Me To Do?

I am in a Community Group that is a part of Sunrise Community Church. The group I am in is really three groups that meet in one home. We are currently working through a study about knowing God's will or what God wants me to do. Reviewing some today in preparation for our Community Group these thoughts stuck out:

Why should we expect God to show - through circumstances, people, or the inner work of the Holy Spirit - what He wants us to do, if we do not fully intend to obey Him?

The will of God is found in the Word of God. The more a person grows, the more he begins to think instinctively and habitually from a divine perspective. Howard Hendricks

God is everywhere, go where the money is? Scott Burks
This one is really an ease the tension comment that a friend of mine uses when people become uptight about career decisions.

Funny and Timely

Forgiveness - HOPE

The following is from an a booklet found at http://www.christianity.co.nz/forgive5.htm
This will take some time to read and think through, but I wanted to post it in light of the comment made by Anonymous at the blog dated 3-4-08 titled Leadership Thought.
This booklet has been helpful to me and this part of the article is very good.

Why forgiveness matters
I would suggest seven reasons why forgiveness matters, most of all to the one who gives it, but also to those to whom it is offered. Five are mainly negative, two are positive.
1. Unforgiveness will hurt no one more than myself
R. V. G. Tasker said:
Probably more characters are spoiled by the nursing of grudges and the harbouring of grievances than by anything else.
"All his Holy Spirit needs is one little crack, a closed thing pushed ever so slightly open, a faint cry - I forgive"M.Hancock & K.Mains
Harbouring resentment has been linked to many physical and mental complaints. We can become locked in the straightjacket of our own resentment. It has been described as "a videotape in the mind playing its tormenting reruns, shackling us to the unremitting pain of a raging memory."
Some of the most difficult and painful traumas many people have to cope with result from hurtful experiences that happened in childhood. This may be especially difficult, both to diagnose and deal with. This is because we were so vulnerable when they happened and lacked the maturity to deal with them, and also because such things get buried deep in the subconscious. But, here again, forgiveness must at least become part of the process if healing is to occur. Maxine Hancock and Karen Mains, in their book Child Sex Abuse, write:
If we think of the illustration of the household of the mind with rooms double boarded, then we will have a good visual picture of the effect of sin on a human soul. Into those closed rooms we have shoved the guilt of our own sins, our bitterness, our hate, our vengeful spirits as well as the memory of the pain of grievous acts against us. Until we take the key of forgiveness and tentatively push it into one of those locks and (however reluctantly) open those doors, God's love is often unable to reach our most inward, wounded selves. His light cannot shine through the dusty, shuttered windows with the shades pulled and the curtains drawn tight. All his Holy Spirit needs is one little crack, a closed thing pushed ever so slightly open, a faint cry - I forgive.
"I only forgave when I saw how destructive my hate was"G.Martinez
Gracilla Martinez tells how she learned to forgive when her 15-year-old son, recently having become a Christian, was executed under Cuba's Batista regime. "Don't hate them," the boy had urged that morning as they huddled in their last embrace. "Forgive them, Mamacita. Forgive them, or they will be the victors." But she could not. "In my heart," she recalls, "I vowed revenge. I would get even with his assailants."
For 10 years, Graciella Martinez carried the burden of that hatred, fuelling it with plots and plans for retaliation. At a workshop on forgiveness, she said:
I only forgave when I saw how destructive my hate was, how it consumed my energies, crippled my friendships and disabled any good that I wanted to do. I wanted to be freed from the prison I had erected in my life. I saw, finally, the truth of my son's last words, that when we return hatred to those who hate us, we fall into playing their game according to their rules - and do them the great favour of hurting ourselves.
Edith Buxton, in her book Reluctant Missionary, says:
I wish I had learned earlier about forgiveness, both giving it and receiving it and the freedom of spirit it can bring. You cannot have a happy old age without it. My daughter once wrote these words, "When a situation has broken down in hurt and bitterness, and disagreement is so deep there seems no solution on earth - there remains forgiveness."
2. Unforgiveness will often hurt others
Too often unforgiveness will affect those around us and may well be passed on to the next generation. This can happen in families and on a larger scale in countries. The terrible toll of unforgiveness has been all too obvious in countries such as Northern Ireland, Yugoslavia and East Africa today. The innocent are often involved. As Ghandi said, if everyone were to follow the "eye for an eye" principle of justice, the whole world would go blind.
When King Alfred the Great finally conquered the Danes who had raped and pillaged England for years, he took pity on his enemies, fed them and offered peace, instead of doing what kings normally did to their conquered foes. His act led to the conversion of the Danish king, with Alfred participating in his baptism, and brought lasting peace to those islands. Historian Arthur Bryant concludes, "No greater act of statesmanship was ever performed by an English king."
It has been said that forgiveness is the only way in which the power of sin in the world can be absorbed, neutralised and brought to nothing.
3. Unforgiveness may deny healing to another
Unforgiveness may deny healing to another to whom I alone can give it. Bishop Stephen Neill expresses this thought in a perceptive way in A Genuinely Human Existence:
Forgiveness recognises the wrongdoer as a person. He has done wrong, and about this there is no pretence. But this is not the whole truth about him. He is still of infinite value as a person, since every person is unique and irreplaceable by any other. Since he has so greatly injured himself by doing wrong, he is in special need of help, and help that can be rendered only by the one to whom he has done the wrong...Forgiveness can spring only from a self-forgetfulness that is more concerned about another's wellbeing than about its own, and that longs for the renewal of fellowship even when fellowship has been flouted and destroyed by the wilful aggression of another.
In Decision magazine a remarkable story illustrating this was told by Walter Everett, pastor of United Methodist Church in Hartford, Connecticut. Walter's son, Scott, was murdered in 1987. For the next 10 months he went through various stages of denial, anger, depression and indecision. The first time he saw his son's murderer, Mike, was in court almost a year after Scott's death. During the trial, Mike said he was truly sorry for what he had done.
Walter Everett continues the story:
Someone beside me said, "He didn't mean that; he's trying to impress the judge." I wondered.
God nudged me with the thought, "There's a way for you to let go of your anger and to start the healing process."
Three-and-a-half weeks later, on the first anniversary of Scott's death, I wrote to Mike. I told him about my anger and asked some pointed questions. Then I wrote, "Having said all that, I want to thank you for what you said in court, and as hard as these words are for me to write, I forgive you." I wrote of God's love in Christ and invited Mike to write to me if he wished.
Three weeks later Mike's letter arrived. He said that when he had read the letter he couldn't believe it. No one had ever said to him, "I forgive you." That night he knelt beside his bunk and prayed for, and received, the forgiveness of Jesus Christ.
Additional correspondence led to regular visits during which they both spoke of their growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Later, Walter spoke on Mike's behalf before the parole board and he was given an early release. In November 1994, Walter officiated at his wedding.
Tom Houston says:
Forgiveness does not come to us in a cup to consume for ourselves, but in a pipe so that it flows through us to others. That is the nature of forgiveness.
4. Unforgiveness affects my relationship with God
" Jesus condemns most strongly the proud... unforgiving spirit"
In Matthew 18, Jesus tells a story about a servant who, though he had been forgiven an infinite debt himself, acted in an unforgiving way towards a fellow servant who owed him a pittance. As a result he was ordered by the very angry king to be tortured until he should pay everything he owed. Jesus concluded the story by saying, "That is how my Father in heaven will treat you, if you don't forgive each of my followers with all your heart."
The point of the story is obvious. If we are Christians, we have been forgiven an infinite debt that we owe to God which we could never hope to pay ourselves. If we in turn do not share that forgiveness with others, God treats it very seriously. It is significant that, in Matthew's gospel particularly, what Jesus condemns most strongly is the proud, uncharitable, unforgiving, jealous spirit.
Lorne Sanny, for many years President of the Navigators, an organisation committed to building Christian leadership, says that bitterness has put more people on the shelf for God than any other thing he knows. He describes it as "a sort of self-cannibalism" that eats your insides out.
Contrast the example of Dr Joon Gon Kim, one of Korea's outstanding educators and Christian leaders. It was springtime and the rain was falling gently as the family were sharing the events of the day. Suddenly, without forewarning or provocation, an angry band of communist guerillas invaded the village, killing everyone in their path. The family of Dr Kim was not exempt. In their trail of blood, the guerillas left behind the dead bodies of Dr Kim's wife and his father; he himself was beaten and left for dead. In the cool rain of the night he revived and fled to safety in the mountains with his young daughter. They were the sole survivors.
Dr Kim is a man of God and he had learned from Scriptures to love his enemies and pray for those who persecuted him. What was he to do? The Spirit of God impressed upon him that he was to return to the village, seek out the communist chief who had led the attack, tell him that he loved him and tell him of God's love in Christ. This he did and God honoured his obedience. Dumbfounded, the communist chief knelt in prayer with Dr Kim and committed his life to Christ. Within a short time, a number of other communists were converted to Christ and Dr Kim helped build a church for these and other converts. He was later to become the pastor of one of the largest churches in South Korea.
God cannot bless us unless we keep the channels of forgiveness open.
5. Unforgiveness is readily exploited by the Evil One
One of Satan's strategies to hinder our personal growth and undermine the growth of God's kingdom is to encourage and exploit the lack of forgiveness among God's people. Paul urged the Corinthian believers to forgive one of their members who had caused hurt. He said that he himself had forgiven the offender and gave his reason: "I have done this to keep Satan from getting the better of us. We all know what goes on in his mind" (2 Corinthians 2:11).
E. M. Bounds, in his book Satan, says:
A lofty spirit, ready and compliant with the spirit of forgiveness, free from all bitterness, revenge or retaliation, has freed itself from the conditions which invite Satan and has effectually locked and barred his entrance. The readiest way to keep Satan out is to keep the spirit of forgiveness in. The devil is never deeper in hell, nor farther removed from us than when we can pray "Father forgive them; they know not what they do."
6. Forgiveness demonstrates Christ's presence
"When you forgive someone who hurts you, you are dancing to the rhythm of the divine heartbeat"
Jesus said that people would recognise us as his disciples by the way we love one another (John 13:35). One of the ways love is expressed is in forgiveness. Someone has said that "when you forgive someone who hurts you, you are dancing to the rhythm of the divine heartbeat." It points people to God as the great Reconciler when they can see reconciliation amongst his people.
An Australian Bishop tells a delightful story about the Sawi tribe of what used to be Dutch New Guinea, now Indonesia. There had been a large movement to Christ among these people and there was a radiant new first-generation congregation. A young man went off behind a bush with one of the girls. The trouble was that she happened to belong to someone else. Adultery! They are pretty hot on these things amongst the Sawi tribesmen so the husband came to bump off the wretched youth, who, by this time, was not only very frightened, but exceedingly repentant. What did the church do? They gathered round this man, and, assured of his repentance, begged and begged and begged the irate husband to forgive. At long last he agreed that he would accept 14 sows as a peace offering. The youth hadn't got 14 sows, and so the congregation gave of their own money and bits and pieces to get 14 sows. The bishop arrived to see them being carried up the hill to this man.
7. It shows our own experience of God's forgiveness
"Nothing in this lost world bears the impress of the Son of God so surely as forgiveness"
It has been said that nothing in this lost world bears the impress of the Son of God so surely as forgiveness.
After the Second World War, still suffering physical and emotional scars from Nazi brutality, Corrie Ten Boom felt called to preach forgiveness through Europe, as they dug out of the war's emotional rubble. She had lost most of her family in concentration camps for helping in the rescue of Jews. She was sure she had overcome her own desire for vengeance against the German SS troops who had dehumanised her and her loved ones in those camps. One occasion took her to Munich. Outside a church after the Sunday Service, she found herself looking hard in the face of an old SS guard. He had watched and sneered at frightened women prisoners as they had been forced to take delousing showers in front of him. Suddenly for Corrie the memories were there again - the roomful of mocking men, the pain and shame of it. And now with the war over, the man had come up to Corrie, beaming and bowing politely. "How grateful I am for your message," he said. "To think, as you say, that he has washed my sins away." He put out his hand to her. It was too much for Corrie and she kept her hand frozen at her side. Forgiveness comes hard for anyone, and it seemed to her outrageous to expect it of her at that time, in that situation.
She goes on to tell in her book, The Hiding Place, how at that moment angry and vengeful thoughts boiled through her system and she struggled to raise her hand, but she could not. She felt nothing, no emotion. Not the slightest spark of forgiveness. So she breathed a silent prayer, "Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me your forgiveness." And Corrie was touched in that instant by the One who can forgive everyone everything, because he himself had born the cost of those actions, the cost of forgiveness, on the Cross in his own body. Corrie felt the force of her own forgiveness and the understanding of that forgiveness. In the freedom of being forgiven, she raised her arm and took the hand of the man who had done unforgettable things to her.
Corrie was later to say:
We never touch the ocean of God's love so much as when we love our enemies. It is a joy to accept forgiveness, but it is almost a greater joy to give forgiveness.
We demonstrate our own experience of that divine forgiveness by the way in which we extend it to others. What could be a greater witness to the truth of the gospel than the sight of Betty Elliot in Berlin, walking along arm in arm with two Auca Indians who had murdered her husband in the jungles of Ecuador and made her a widow. This happened at the World Congress of Evangelism in 1966. Since they didn't know anything about Western civilisation and had come straight from the jungle, she was teaching them how to use a knife and fork, how to use the toilet and all the other things necessary for coping with modern ways of living. Or similarly, Marge Saint, whose husband was killed by those same Indians, spending time with the tribe and seeing her two children, now teenagers, baptised by one of the men who had killed their father. He was now a Christian leader in his tribe.
The Communion Service is supremely the moment in our Church Services when we focus on the cost of our forgiveness. In the old Anglican Service, before the congregation receives the bread and wine, symbols of the Cross, the minister would always read these words from the Book of Common Prayer: "You that sincerely and earnestly repent of your sins, and are in love and charity with your neighbours, draw near with faith..." It is not only the acceptance of our own forgiveness that qualifies us to join in celebrating such an event, but also the extending of that forgiveness to others. So we demonstrate our membership in the family of God.

For the basic outline of this booklet I am indebted to a sermon I heard preached by Rev. Philip Saunders, Vicar of St. Andrews Anglican Church, Waverley, Melbourne, in 1983.

Leadership Thought

There is no personal leadership growth, institution growth and organization growth without healthy constructive evalution that is acted upon for the purpose of growth.

Whoever

His name is Bill. He has wild hair, wears a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans, and no shoes. This was literally his wardrobe for his entire four years of college. He is brilliant. Kind of profound and very, very bright. He became a Christian while attending college. Across the street from the campus is a well-dressed, very conservative church. They want to develop a ministry to the students but are not sure how to go about it. One day Bill decides to go there. He walks in with no shoes, jeans, his T-shirt, and wild hair. The service has already started and so Bill starts down the aisle looking for a seat. The church is completely packed and he can't find a seat. By now, people are really looking a bit uncomfortable, but no one says anything. Bill gets closer and closer and closer to the pulpit, and when he realizes there are no seats, he just squats down right on the carpet. By now the people are really uptight, and the tension in the air is thick. About this time, the minister realizes that from way at the back of the church, a deacon is slowly making his way toward Bill. Now the deacon is in his eighties, has silver-gray hair, and a three-piece suit. A godly man, very elegant, very dignified, very courtly. He walks with a cane and, as he starts walking toward this boy, everyone is saying to themselves that you can't blame him for what he's going to do. How can you expect a man of his age and of his background to understand some college kid on the floor? It takes a long time for the man to reach the boy. The church is utterly silent except for the clicking of the man's cane. All eyes are focused on him. You can't even hear anyone breathing. The minister can't even preach the sermon until the deacon does what he has to do. And now they see this elderly man drop his cane on the floor. With great difficulty, he lowers himself and sits down next to Bill and worships with him so he won't be alone. Everyone chokes up with emotion. When the minister regains control, he says, "What I'm about to preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget. "

Leadership Thoughts - 10 Qualities of Godly Leaders

1. Respected
2. Faithful to marriage
3. Even-tempered
4. Self-disciplined
5. Friendly and accessible
6. Knowledgeable about the Bible
7. Not given to drunkenness
8. Not pushy or overbearing
9. Not petty or quarrelsome
10. Not driven by money

Philip Baptizes the Ethiopian

26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it." 30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. 31"How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth." 34The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?" 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
Acts 8:26-38

Baptism

Sunrise and Lee Memorial are hosting a Baptism Celebration this coming Sunday, March 2, 2008 so I thought I would post information about Believer's Baptism.

How Do I Register for Baptism?
You may do one of the following to register for Sunrise’s next Baptism Celebration:
Call the church office at 757-673-6419.
Complete a Communication Card on a Sunday morning and express your interest in Baptism.
Sign up on the Baptism Celebration Sheet located on the Information Tables on a Sunday morning.

What is the Meaning of Baptism?
It illustrates Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.“… Christ died for our sins … he was buried … and he rose again.”(1 Corinthians 15:3–4)“For when you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and in baptism you were also raised with Christ.” (Colossians 2:12) It illustrates your new life as a Christian.“When someone becomes a Christian he becomes a brand new person inside. The old life has passed away and a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17) “By our baptism then, we were buried with him and shared his death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead … so that we may live a new life!” (Romans 6:4). Yet baptism doesn’t make you a Christian. Only your faith in Christ does that. Baptism is like a wedding ring; it’s the outward sign of the commitment you have made in your heart. (see Ephesians 2:8–9)

Who Should Be Baptized?
The Bible says that every person who believes in Christ should be baptized. A believer is someone who has realized that their sin has separated them from God. They have given up all personal efforts to reach God through good works or religious activity. They have concluded that Jesus Christ’s death on the cross for their sins is the only thing that can bridge the gap between themselves and God. A believer is someone who has decided to trust Christ alone for salvation. If you have come to that point in your spiritual journey, then you should be baptized.(see Acts 2:41; 8:12-13)

Why Should I Be Baptized?
First and foremost, it is to follow the example set by Jesus. “At that time Jesus came from Nazareth and was baptized by John in the river.” (Mark 1:9). In addition, Christ commanded it. “Jesus said, ‘Go then, to all people everywhere and make them my disciples, baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and then teach them to obey everything that I have commanded you.’” (Matthew 28:19-20) It demonstrates that you are a believer, a follower of Christ. “We know that we have come to know Him, if we obey His commands,” (1 John 2:3)

When Should I Be Baptized?
As soon as you can after you become a believer“Those who believed were baptized that day.”(Acts 2:41)“Then Philip began with the Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water, and the man said, ‘Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized right now?’ Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’ The man answered, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’ So they went down into the water and Philip baptized him.”(Acts 8:35-38)
Yet it doesn’t have to occur the moment you believe. The Bible teaches that there is no reason to delay your baptism. After becoming a believer, you should participate in the next available opportunity the church provides for baptism. If you wait until you feel you are a “good enough” believer, you will never feel ready for baptism.

Why is Immersion Baptism Important?
It is the method used in Jesus’ baptism.“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water.” (Matthew 3:16) Every baptism mentioned in the Bible is by immersion.“Then both Philip and the man went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water …” (Acts 8:38–39). The word “baptize” means “to dip under water.” Immersion best symbolizes Christ’s burial and resurrection. (see Romans 6:1-11) The founders of the major denominations emphasized immersion. Martin Luther, founder of the Lutheran denomination, said: “I would have those who are to be baptized to be entirely immersed, as the word imports and the mystery signifies.”John Calvin, founder of the Presbyterian denomination, said: “The word ‘baptize’ signifies to immerse. It is certain that immersion was the practice of the ancient church.” John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist and Wesleyan denominations, said: “‘Buries with Him’ alludes to baptizing by immersion according to the custom of the first church.”

What If I Was Baptized as an Infant?
In the Bible, we see parents bringing their children to Jesus. He held them and prayed for them and told us to welcome them. But he did not baptize them, and he did not tell anyone else to baptize them.So if baptism signifies salvation (as the Bible teaches), only people who have intentionally received salvation should experience baptism. Thus, the Bible would indicate that baptism is for people who have made a decision to follow Christ.If you have not experienced a believer’s baptism, even though you have experienced baptism as an infant, the full meaning and significance of baptism has yet to take place in your life. We strongly encourage you to be baptized as an adult believer in Christ.Some churches practice a “baptism of confirmation” for children. This is a time when parents pledge their commitment to raise their child according to Christian values and beliefs. While a very meaningful event, this is not Christian baptism; it is not mentioned in the Bible.Adult baptism doesn’t belittle your childhood baptism; it is a fulfillment of your parents’ hopes when they had you baptized.

Is There a Follow-Up to Baptism?
Baptism is a biblical mandate for followers. And as Christ followers, it is important to learn the “foundations” of the Christian faith, to connect with other Christ followers and to use our spiritual gifts to serve the church and impact the world. We want you to be a part of worship on the weekends, become an active part of a Community Group and begin serving in order to help others expereince God's love found in Jesus Christ.

Leadership Thoughts

The little things don't mean a lot they mean everything.
Harvey McKay

Feedback is the breakfast of champions.
Ken Blanchard

Planning honors God.

Financial Resource - Good Book - Easy Read - Very Practical

http://www.crown.org/

Leadership Thought

The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it (life).
William James

A Letter from Jesus

Dear Friend,

How are you?
I just had to send a note to tell you how much I care about you.
I saw you yesterday as you were talking with your friends.
I waited all day hoping you would want to talk with me too.
I gave you a sunset to close your day and a cool breeze to rest you –
and I waited.
You never came. It hurt me but still I love you, because I am your friend.
I saw you sleeping last night and longed to touch your brow,
so I spilled moonlight upon your face.
Again, I waited, wanting to rush down so we could talk.
I have so many gifts for you!
You awoke and rushed off to work.
My tears were in the rain. If you would only listen to me!
I LOVE YOU! I try to tell you in blue skies and in the quiet green grass.
I whisper it in leaves on the trees and breathe it in colors of flowers,
shout it to you in mountain streams, give the birds love songs to sing.
I clothe you with warm sunshine and perfume the air with nature scents.
My love for you is deeper than the ocean,
and bigger than the biggest need in your heart!
Ask me! Talk with me! Please don’t forget me.
I have so much to share with you!
I won’t hassle you any further. It is YOUR decision.
I have chosen you and I will wait because I love you.

Your Friend,
Jesus

For SCC - 2-17-08 Loved

On Sunday, 2-24-08, we continued our 3:16 series and the topic was Loved. "For God so loved..."

Love is a relationship word. God desires a relationship with us.

I shared the following quote:

"So long as we imagine it is we who have to look for God, we must often loose heart. But it is the other way about - He is looking for us." Simon Tugwell

The following verses were shared to help us understand God's love for us:

God is love. Part of I John 4:16

9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. I John 4:9-10

1How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

I John 3:1

8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.

Psalms 136:1-3

3-6How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son. Ephesians 1:3-6

The above verses and passages are just a few of the passages and verses that tell us of God's love for us. God desries a relationship with us. God's love is about a rlationship that provides hope and life for us. We looked at the follwoing three ways God provides for us because of his love for us. There are many other ways God expresses His love for us, but these three will give us a good idea of the hope and life god desires to give us and are very practical and can be fleshed out during the weekdays.

1. When I am discouraged, God is my strength.

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Isaiah 40:29

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

2. When I am worried, God is my confidence.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD. Psalm 31:24

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29"11

3. When I need guidance, God is my conuselor.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:21

For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end. Psalm 48:14

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Psalm 32:8

God desires to be a part of our lives. His love for us is real and provides hope for us. Practice these four secrets in ordert begin to experience God's love and presence in your daily life.

1. Invite Jesus into your life.

2. Be still and quite. Take some time each day to be still and quiet and listen to God.

3. Talk to God about everything.

4. Develop the habit of thanks and praise.

God loves you. He desires have a real relationship with you. Christianity is about a relationship with God. This week God is looking for you.

"So long as we imagine that it is we who have to look for God, we must often loose heart. But it is the other way about - He is looking for us." Simon Tugwell

Leadership Thought

IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING, YOU’RE GOING TO END UP SOMEWHERE ELSE.

Happy Valentine's Day

7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

I John 4:7-12

ADPD

Do you suffer from ADPD? Attention Deficit Prayer Disorder. ADPD is the inability to focus while you are speaking to and listening to God. The speaking to and listening to God, AKA prayer, is vital to living in the power and presence of God, but the vast majority of followers of Christ I know and visit with spend less than 10 minutes a day in prayer. Ouch. There are numerous reasons for this lack of time with the Creator, Savior, and Life Giver, but one that seems very real is ADPD. The mind wanders, the to do list grows, roof brain chatter beckons, silence leads to nodding off, restless leg syndrome kicks in (even as I write), and on and on and on the list goes. To my knowledge their is no drug or pill that can help with ADPD. I sometimes wish someone would discover focustor or prayerdellin so that I could pop the pill and focus as I seek to speak to God and hear from God in my daily life. but not so. So, here are a few suggestions for myself and for others who suffer form ADPD.

1. Know that God does desire to hear form you and speak to you.
2. Plan the time.
3. Pray with some order. Start by thanking God. Then admit your shortcomings and concerns.
Ask for God's guidance. Be willing to change. Offer request.
4. It is okay to move around while praying.
5. Have your to do list in front of you and pray over it.
6. Call a friend on the phone and pray together on the phone.
7. Memorize one verse about prayer and as you start to wander go back to that verse when you
start to wander. This may help you focus. For instance: Call to Me (God), and I will answer
you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3

These are some helpful hints to help with ADPD. May your time with God increase as you work through ADPD.

Some of Psalm 136

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.
4 to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever.
5 who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever.
6 who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever.
7 who made the great lights— His love endures forever.
8 the sun to govern the day, His love endures forever.
9 the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever.

Angelia Sanders to Kenya

Since December 2, 2007 Kenya has been undergoing a lot of political instability due to rigged elections in the country. So far, almost 1,000 people have lost their lives and close to 300,000 have been displaced from their homes due to violence and instability. As of now it does not look like things will get better before it gets even worse.

Angelia Sanders will be going to Kenya from February 20th to March 16th to work with those who are HIV+ and living in the make-shift shelters. She lived in Kenya from 2002-2006 and considers it her true home. As she leaves for Kenya, she asks for your support:

She will be taking over a trunk that she would like to fill with colored pencils and crayons. These need to be NEW and SHARPENED please.

Also if you would please consider donating $10, with this small contribution from each member of Sunrise she will be able to do a lot for those in the camps. She is covering her own expenses and so everything you give her will be going to the people she will be working with.

Please place crayons and pencils on the stage Sunday February 17th.
If you are donating with a check please make checks payable to Africa Conservancy.

Finally, above all else, please keep Angelia’s safety and the people of Kenya in your prayers.

Thank you in advance for any support you can offer,
Sunrise Community Church

Some Names of God

Leadership Thought

Dwell on the positive. Do not ignore the negative, but dwell on the positive.

Philippians 2:1-11

1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! 9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:1-11

Look again at verses 3 and 4 and give some personal thought to humility, the interest of others, and considering others better than yourself. Thank God for the opportunity to live and make a difference in the lives of others.

NOW

"Men have succeeded in accumilating a greater mass of objects, but the joy in the world has grown less." Fyodor Dostoyevsky

NOW - Right Now. Take a minute and enjoy. Take a minute and give thanks. Take a minute and smile. Take a minute and ....

Just stop and breath and experience a beginning of joy.

John 3:16 Animation

http://www.gieson.com/Library/projects/animations/walk/index.html

This will take a few minutes for you to view.

For SCC - 2-3-08 Witnessing: Once upon a time...

This past Sunday we ended our series called New Year, New You: Life Changing Resolutions. Steve Gabriele and I shared from Acts 9 and we encouraged you to tell your story, the story of someone else or the story of what is going on in Sunrise. This is one way for you and I to witness to to others so that they might hear about how much God cares for them.

Steve and I started the message by telling some stories and starting the stories with Once upon a time...

We then shared that one way to witness is to tell your story, the story of someone else and the story of what is going on in the church.

Stories are important. Stories are our life. We all have stories from childhood, the teen years, college days and on and on and on... Acts 9 is a chapter in the Bbile that could be called the Buzz Factor because of what happens and how the news of what happened spread through relationships, networks, and households due the the Buzz that was created from stories being told.

Acts 9 - The Buzz Chapter
Acts 9: 19-22 Saul/Paul tells some of his story and speaks about Jesus Christ
Acts 9: 26-28 Barnabas tells some of Pauls story and speaks about Jesus Christ
Acts 9: 36-43, focus on 42 Word spreads of Jesus Christ after a miracle happens in a local church

Three tips for telling your story, the story of someone else or the story of what is happening in the church:
1. What you know
2. What you have
3. Because of God

The benefits of witnessing - telling your story:
You learn and grow
You become acountable
It energizes your spiritual life
Others come to know Jesus Christ

This week think about your story and tell it to someone. Once upon a time....

Leadership Thought

"Leaders do not worry about failure, instead they plan for success."

Rick Warren

John 3: 1-21

1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." 3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." 4"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" 5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." 9"How can this be?" Nicodemus asked. 10"You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things? 11I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."