Growth

Storms produce growth. - John Owen

The Symbol For Christianity

Yet.. See Verse 21

¹⁹ I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.
²⁰ I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.
²¹ Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

²² Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
²⁶ it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.

Lamentation 3:19-26

HCC Mission Weekend 2012

Christmas In July - God, the child in a manger.

I know God only through Jesus Christ. The unique grandeur of Christianity is its belief in a poor God, like a wound in the absolute. God, the child in a manger. No man could invent that; it requires revelation. - Jean Sullivan, Morning Light

Dry Bones

Ezekiel 37:1-12

Hope

Lamentation 3:19-24

 

Reading From 7-9-13

Uncommon Life - Daily Challenge, Tony Dungy and Nathan Whitaker

Talents

Use what talents you have; The woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best. - Henry Van Dyke

Mission Leads To Fellowship

As I was praying for two men who live in Ghana Africa this morning I began perusing pictures of the Ghana Trip myself and others took in early 2013. This is a great pic of fellow followers of Jesus Christ who were on God's mission in Northeastern Ghana Africa in Jan., 2013.  We had an awesome time of fellowship with one another all because of Mission.  Our Missionary God touched our lives through people who shared Christ with us (Mission) years ago. Over the years someone(s) came alongside each of us and helped us grow in our walk with God (Mission). As we grew we became involved in ministry and service through a local church (Mission). As we served in Ghana (Mission) we all got to know one another - most of us only knew the others by name upon arriving in Ghana,  grew closer to one another, discovered things about one another, helped one another, encouraged one another, laughed and cried with one another and worked alongside one another (Fellowship). The true fellowship happened because of mission. The same is in the local church. When a church begins a ministry for fellowship it will rarely if ever accomplish it's mission, but if a ministry is created for the mission of the church (Mission) it will always lead to fellowship as the people work together for a greater purpose than themselves - the Kingdom of God (Mission).

I must add these people are Difference Makers, World Changers and Kingdom Builders.  It was a pleasure to serve with them in Ghana and it is a pleasure to serve with them in the States.

The Bible In Fifty Words

God Made

Adam Bit

Noah Arked

Abraham Split

Jacob Fooled

Joseph Ruled

Bush Talked

Moses Balked

Pharaoh Plagued

People Walked

Sea Divided

Tablets Guided

Promise Landed

Saul Freaked

David Peeked

Prophets Warned

Jesus Born

God Walked

Love Talked

Anger Crucified

Hope Died

Love Rose

Spirit Flamed

Word Spread

God Remained

Vision - A Statement For The American Church

Our wealth and abundance of human resources have positioned us to accept a paradigm that provision precedes vision. This has been the foundation of building a no-risk faith. This is a tragedy when part of the adventure is the discovery that vision always precedes provision.
Erwin R. McManus, Chasing Daylight

Prayer For The Mission Of The Church

Everliving God, whose will it is that all should come to you
through your Son Jesus Christ: Inspire our witness to him,
that all may know the power of his forgiveness and the hope
of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Book of Common Prayer

Miqra - The Calling Of God

 The Hebrew word for Bible is Miqra, a noun formed from the verb "to call," qara. The Bible is not a book to carry around and read for information on God, but a voice to listen to. I like that. This word of God that we name Bible, book, is not at root a word to be read and looked at and discussed. It is a word to be listened to and obeyed, a word that gets us going. Fundamentally, it is a call: God calls us.

Practice Resurrection, Eugene Peterson

This Is The Symbol For Christianity

More Than Nets - Get Invovled

See the links below for more information.

More Than Nets Facebook

More Than Nets

 

Time With God

This is a pic of some children spending time with God early in the morning as they began their day at Centri-Kid. They were given a devotional reading that is geared towards them and the adults helped them work through the devotional reading. They spent time with God and learned how to spend time with God at the same time.  We as adults need to spend time with God on a daily or every other day basis. We need to have some system, reading, devotional book, or prayer guide that helps us spend time with God and seek to hear His calling.  Our prayer time is not just a prayer time it is time with God. Much like we spend time with friends over lunch or a cup of coffee. Much like we spend time on the phone with loved ones who live far away. Much like...
The point is we need to spend time with God.

A Call For Unity

I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. For some members of Chloe’s household have told me about your quarrels, my dear brothers and sisters. Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,” or “I follow only Christ.” Has Christ been divided into factions? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul? Of course not! I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, for now no one can say they were baptized in my name. (Oh yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas, but I don’t remember baptizing anyone else.)  For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power.
I Corinthians 1:4-17

Centri-Kid

I did not post for over a week because I was at Eagle Eyrie Conference Center near Lynchburg, VA attending Centri-Kid with Horizon Community Church and many other churches.  We had a great time. Many decisions  were made by children and adults who desire to follow Jesus Christ. I thank God that years ago someone had a vision for Eagle Eyrie. I am thankful for those who had a dream for Centri-Kid. What visions or dreams do you and I have form God? God, please help us see just how important we are to you and your Kingdom.

Receive

Today, I receive. I have already received a night's rest, a cool room, a scented breeze, a welcome from my four legged friends, a warm cup of Dunkin' Donut, the local weather, a cardinal's song, the day's dawn and a morning greeting from my wife.

I receive. I recognize that my salvation is in Christ alone - a gift of and from God only, I received. I receive this continual salvation and redemption in the power of the Holy Spirit filling me as I open up my life and receive.

Today, I will practice receptivity.

I willingly acknowledge my responsibilities throughout the day and yet seek to grasp that even my day, the tasks and my responsibilities are from God - received.

Today, I will live in the salvation received and continue to be receptive. I will pray, "God forgive me, now empower me."  I will take hold of God's redemption and live as a blessed, chosen, destined, drenched, lavished, enlightened, included receiver.

Today, receive.