Genesis 1:1-5, Jan. 1, 2012

Genesis 1:1-5

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters.  And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
And God saw that the light was good.  Then he separated the light from the darkness.
God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.”
And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.

In the beginning, God.  Before anything that was, anything that is, anything that will be…..God.  May we begin this New Year with passion for Christ, hope for peace, love for our neighbors, and gratitude for our God who gives us each new day.  Amen.

2 Chronicles 7:14, Aug. 13, 2011

“If my people who are called by my
name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their
wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their
land.”  This is our outline for revival.  Over the next few weeks we will be breaking it down.

“If my people…”   God is calling out to us to be revived, to experience renewal in our lives, in the life of our church, and in our communities.  How we respond is up to us.  IF.  We are not compelled to answer, we can choose to say no, we can turn our back on God’s call and stay where we are.  Only half alive, spiritually numb.  God calls out to us, offering us new life, saying IF.  This renewal is not automatic.   It demands a response.

God says, If my people.  God is not calling just anybody, God is calling those who already claim Him.  God is calling the faithful to be restored and renewed.  IF MY PEOPLE….  God is calling us.  Offering us opportunity, giving us the choice, extending His hands of love.   Our first decision is this, do we even want to keep reading, or are we happy where we are?   I choose to go on.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit, July 23, 2011

The prayer to the Holy Spirit is one of the most beloved and well-known prayers.  It is a great prayer to pray daily, either privately or as part of a family devotion.  Revival in our lives and in the life of the church begins with prayer, and this prayer, for the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, is a good way to begin those prayers.

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of
your love.
Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created.
And You shall renew the face of the earth.

O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the
faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever
enjoy His consolations.
Through Christ Our Lord.   Amen.

Expect a Miracle

Charles Spurgeon, a noted preacher in the 1800’s, wrote:  “The prayer meeting is an institution which ought to be very precious to us, and to be cherished by us as a Church, for to it we owe everything.  When our comparatively little chapel was all but empty, was it not a well-known fact that the prayer meeting was always full?  And when the Church increased, and the place was scarcely large enough, it was the prayer meeting that did it all.”

When we walk into the church on Sunday morning, we should
expect miracles.  When God’s people gather, and God’s people get to praying, miracles happen.   So, when we gather on Sunday morning, we should EXPECT miracles to happen.

We should expect  prayers to be answered.
We should expect  people will experience healing.
We should expect  relationships to be mended.
We should expect  hearts to be changed.
We should expect  our church, our community, our nation, our world, our lives to be renewed.

If when we gather, our expectation is that we will sing a few songs and hear a few stories before lunch, then that is what we will find.  If we bring our passion for God and our expectation that we will meet God in worship and miracles will happen, then that is what we will find.

Expect miracles to happen this Sunday.

Time for a Revival

2 Chronicles 7:14   Then if my people who are called by my name will
humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

Our church, our country and our world are all facing perilous times.  Declining attendance in our churches, lack of faith, competition for our attention, the continuing economic crises in this country and places around the world, the middle east implosion.  Everywhere we turn, we hear, see, and experience even in our own lives, crises.  In these unsettling, frightening times, we need God’s power and presence more than ever.

It’s time for the faithful to come together, on bended knee, to humble themselves before God and then become a force for God’s power and presence in the world.  It’s time for God’s people and God’s church to be revived.  Join us Sunday, July 24, as we begin a new stage in our spiritual journey together.

Children’s Sunday

In Matthew 19:14-15, Jesus said “Let the children come to me.  Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom  of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.”  And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.

On Sunday, July 17 we will be observing Children’s Sunday, as we celebrate children and child-like innocence in worship.   We will be singing our favorite Sunday School songs, listening to our favorite Sunday School lessons, and praying for children everywhere.

Join us as we remember God’s promise to Abraham, what happens when we build our house upon the Rock, and how the fountain flows.  Hand motions and laughter are encouraged and expected!!

Luke 17:3, May 12, 2011

Luke 17:3  So watch yourselves.  “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.” 2001 was a life changing year for everyone.  After the attacks on the twin tower and pentagon, we were … Continue reading →