3

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

“One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop.”

SCC - 5-24-09 - Message Brief

How To Win Over Temptation

12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. 13When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. James 1:12-16

1. Be Realistic - You will be tempted
2. Be Responsible - Do not blame God or someone else for tempation coming your way
3. Be Ready - Be aware - The Mechanism Of Temptation:
•Desire
•Deception
•Disobedience
•Death
4. Be Refocused - Look at God's good gifts
5. Be Reborn - Accept Jesus Christ and live in His power

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day

Grilling. Parties. Going to the beach. Having fun at the pool. Working in the yard. Having fun and enjoy a three day weekend. Memorial Day weekend is enjoyed by many in various ways. It seems to mark the beginning of the summertime fun in the area where I live. As a child, teen and even college student I do not recall thinking about Memorial Day weekend very much. I just went about my day and weekend and "did my thing". As a young adult in ministry and even more recently I have new appreciation for Memorial Day and it involves more than enjoying a three day weekend. Actually a four day weekend for many because they take off from work on Friday. Being a part of Sunday morning worship experiences where people offer prayers of thanks for freedom, where people may wear their military uniform and for 15 years living in a area with a high military presence Memorial Day is actually becoming Memorial Day to me and my family. Having watched many war movies with my son (who really likes war movies) for many years now helps me be more thoughtful and thankful for people who serve in the military and for people who have died while serving in the military. Having visited the Arlington National Cemetery with a young Coast Guard man who has relatives buried there has helped me become more thoughtful and thankful for freedom. Standing at the cemetery and gazing across the well groomed lawn dotted white with reminders of life and death I was moved to remember, to give thanks, to ask God for forgiveness for taking life for granted and to live not just be alive. This weekend for me and my family will be fun. We will celebrate my sons B-day, we will enjoy some water sports, we will enjoy good food, we will enjoy friends and "No school on Monday". I will seek to remember. I will be grateful for freedom, I will thank God for salvation, hope, freedom, meaning, purpose and I will remember His goodness, His grace, His working in my life. I will remember and live. I hope you too will take some time to remember. Be thankful, speak to your friends and children about the God given priveledge and responsibility of freedom in the U.S. and freedom as a follower of Jesus Christ. Remember.

9 Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. 10 Remember the day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, when he said to me, "Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children." 11 You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain while it blazed with fire to the very heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness. Deuteronomy 4:9-11

Rut

The only difference between a rut and a grave is their dimensions. - Ellen Glasgow

Just For Fun

Good Stuff

Go over to Rob Edwards at robedwardslive for some good blog updates from a conf. he is attending.

Truth and Secret

If it's not truth, keep it a secret. - Eddie Heath

Three Questions For Church Leaders

1. If you weren't on staff at your church, would you worship there? I think we've all served at churches that we wouldn't worship at. (I know I have). And many times we are in the process of transitioning them into a church that we'd love to attend. If you're in that position right now, this is still a great question to ask. Why wouldn't you want to worship there? And what is keeping other people away from the church that you serve?

2. If you didn't know ANYTHING about Jesus, what would you know about him after a normal weekend at your church? Think about your service yesterday. If you didn't know squat about Jesus yesterday morning; what would you know about Him or think about Him today? This is a question that we need to ask each and every week. How does your church communicate Jesus?

3. If you had a loved one who didn't know Christ, and they had one week left to live, would you take them to your church or another? In this last question, it goes one level deeper. How's your church doing at communicating the main message? Truthfully; would you take your dying unsaved mother to a service at your church or another church across town? How clear is the gospel presented in your church?

Craig Groeschel, Lifechurch

Just For A Laugh

While shopping in a grocery store, two Baptist church ladies happened to pass by the beer, wine, and liquor section. One asked the other if she would like a beer. The second good Baptist sister answered that, indeed, it would be very nice to have one, but that she would feel uncomfortable about purchasing it. The first sister replied that she would handle that without a problem. She picked up a six-pack and took it to the cashier. The cashier had a surprised look, so the good Baptist sister said, 'This is for washing our hair.' Without blinking an eye, the cashier reached under the counter and put a package of pretzel sticks in the bag with the beer. 'The curlers are on me.'

Way To Go

During the month of May speak as many encouraging words as you can to family members, friends, co-workers, neighbors and people who serve you in local stores. May is a beautiful month in America as Spring really arrives and the summer months of fun approach. Children celebrate moving from one grade to another, many weddings are celebrated in May, College Graduations are celebrated, High School graduations are celebrated or are just a few weeks from being celebrated, Mother's Day is celebrated, and nature celebrates green and numerous other colors as flowers are planted in yards. So lets make May "WAY TO GO" Month. Let's celebrate one another and lift one another up. I know all is not perfect and life is hard at times. That is exactly why we need a "WAY TO GO" month. Move away from sarcasm, and cynicism and into encouragement. So plan on speaking words of encouragement, mailing words of encouragement, emailing words of encouragement, facebooking words of encouragement, twittering words of encouragement, sending pictures out that are encouraging, and catching someone doing something right or the right thing and say, "Way to go." Here are just a few statements that you and I can use to practice "WAY TO GO".
Job well done. You look sharp. Way to go. That is awesome. You are awesome. Happy anniversary. Thanks for being my friend. I love you. Let me buy you lunch. Way to go. Excellent job. Congrats. That is a nice _________. You are one smart kid. Great catch. Great shot. You gave it your best. Let's shoot some hoop. Let's play catch. Let's get some coffee. Let ________________. Way to go. You have pretty eyes. Great report card. You are now a Junior (whatever grade) and that is sweeeeet. Way to go.

National Day Of Prayer

I participated in the National Day of Prayer yesterday by praying throughout the day, viewing the Washington DC gathering via webcast and by attending a gathering in Downtown Portsmouth, VA. At the Sunrise Financial Ministry Team meeting the NDP was spoken about briefly by those attending. Prayer... America's Hope was the theme for this years NDP. I hope and pray that we who are followers of Jesus Christ will continue to pray fervently as many did yesterday. My we commune with God in times of quiet and solitude and converse with God about life, holiness, grace, truth, family, friends, revival, the Kingdom of Heaven and life here on earth. May we seek to be in tune with God throughout the day. May offer ourselves to Him in our daily routine so that routine is no more because we begin to understand that God is not routine. He is powerful, wonderful, real, mighty, and routinely unroutine. May we draw near to God. May we humble ourselves. May we pray as a group of ladies did in Southern California, "God, make up there come down here." (See John Ortbergs book, God Is Closer Than You Think). As an American, I am blessed to live in a country that recognizes prayer as an important part of it's fabric. I am grateful for the NDP and and the gatherings that took place throughout the country. However, may we continue in prayer. May we flesh out our prayer for peace, prosperity, helping the poor, being kind, and recognizing God as God and not we as God. May we walk the talk. May the rhetoric have results as I move beyond myself and as you move beyond yourself and into the glorious Kingdom of "God, make up there come down here."

Some History

1775 - The first Continental Congress called for a National Day of Prayer

1863 - Abraham Lincoln called for such a day.

1952 - Congress established NDP as an annual event by a joint resolution, signed into law by President Truman (82-324)

1988 - The law was amended and signed by President Reagan, designating the NDP as the first Thursday in May (100-307).
Fun Facts
1) The President of the United States has called for a National Day of Prayer every year since 1975.
2) There have been 134 national calls to prayer, humiliation, fasting and thanksgiving by the President of the United States (1789-2008).
3) There have been 56 Presidential Proclamations for a "National Day of Prayer" (1952-2008).
4) Gerald Ford (1976) and George H. Bush (1989-91) are the only U.S. Presidents to sign two National Day of Prayer Proclamations in the same year.

Faith And Action

2:14-18a - Now what use is it, my brothers, for a man to say he "has faith" if his actions do not correspond with it? Could that sort of faith save anyone's soul? If a fellow man or woman has no clothes to wear and nothing to eat, and one of you say, "Good luck to you I hope you'll keep warm and find enough to eat", and yet give them nothing to meet their physical needs, what on earth is the good of that? Yet that is exactly what a bare faith without a corresponding life is like - useless and dead. If we only "have faith" a man could easily challenge us by saying, "you say that you have faith and I have merely good actions. Well, all you can do is to show me a faith without corresponding actions, but I can show you by my actions that I have faith as well."
2:18b-23 - To the man who thinks that faith by itself is enough I feel inclined to say, "So you believe that there is one God? That's fine. So do all the devils in hell and shudder in terror!" For, my dear short-sighted man, can't you see far enough to realise that faith without the right actions is dead and useless? Think of Abraham, our ancestor. Wasn't it his action which really justified him in God's sight when his faith led him to offer his son Isaac on the altar? Can't you see that his faith and his actions were, so to speak, partners - that his faith was implemented by his deed? That is what the scripture means when it says: 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. And he was called the friend of God.'
2:24-25 - A man is justified before God by what he does as well as by what he believes. Rahab who was a prostitute and a foreigner has been quoted as an example of faith, yet surely it was her action that pleased God, when she welcomed Joshua's reconnoitring party and got them safely back by a different route.
2:26 - Yes, faith without action is as dead as a body without a soul.

James 2:14-26 Phillips Translation

Fun Time Greeting And Sharing

On Sunday morning, 5-3-09, Sunrise's Service was "The Family That Plays Together Stays Together". I was able to ride around on a 4-Wheeler as I greeted people on the parking lot. Man, what fun. People loved it. Smiles, smiles and more smiles as people pulled onto the parking lot for the service. This is the way to greet. I may have to hit up our leaders for a golf cart or a Sunrise ATV.

During the service we had all types of visuals in order to help relay the message and lead people to live the message. The Jeep was super dee duper cool. People were surprised and woke up when they saw the Jeep in the Auditorium. This is great fun. Many people helped and went the extra mile on Saturday and Sunday so that people would hear and see the message of hope found in Jesus Christ and God's Living Word.

An Article About Trust

Bank On Him

Wait

Don't be impatient. Wait for the Lord, and he will come and save you! Be brave, stouthearted and courageous. Yes, wait and He will help you. Psalm 27:14 TLB

WAY TO GO Sawyers

Your story of racing made a difference in people's lives and in the Kingdom of God. Thanks for your time and for making a difference. It is a pleasure to serve Jesus Christ with you. WAY TO GO.

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP

WAY TO GO to Rob Everitt, Wally Allen, Norman and Janet Tucker and Ozzy Perez. Your go for it attitudes, time and service made a difference in people's lives and in the Kingdom of God.

We Shine - Steve Fee

SCC'S band rocked this song for the 5 minute countdown this past Sunday. WAY TO GO GLARE. You guys brought glory to God and encouraged people to worship with their lives.

No Swine Flu Here