Can you take a minute to pray for Jeff? He is a good friend of mine who is going through a very difficult illness. His is a faithful man of God, is a great husband and father and is one of our key leaders at church. Ask God for some miracles on Jeff's behalf. We know that God is able.
Thanks, everybody!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
sex and marriage
We are in the middle of a very relevant series at Maranatha. I am talking about marriage and our title is Fighting 4 Your Marriage. This Sunday’s topic is sex so I thought that it may be helpful to offer a few more ideas and resources here. Time is short at our services and we can’t go into everything available. I did mention these bullet points but maybe they are worth a second look.
When it comes to sex:
Face the fact that God created you as a sexual being. Sex is not sinful or dirty. Know what God says.
• Educate yourself (one sermon a year won’t cut it)
• Educate others: in the church, don’t relinquish this responsibility to our culture.
• Educate your children: if you don’t tell them, someone else will!
Understand the challenges of a culture that does not “get it”, has a warped definition of sexuality.
• Don’t buy the lies
• Don’t fall into the trap
• If you do, don’t be offended when God confronts you on it
Commit yourself to living out a God–honoring sexual life.
• Live within the Biblical boundaries
• Enjoy sex as God intended
• “be fruitful and multiply!”
Sex is a gift from God to married couples. Enjoy it! Still single? Lots of prayer, patience and cold showers!
Seriously, here are some sites you can check out:
(I am not agreeing with every point, just suggesting some resources…)
http://www.christianitytoday.com/mp/
http://www.familydynamics.net/sexandthebible.htm
http://www.marriagemissions.com/
Joe Beam, author of the book, "Becoming One: Emotionally, Spiritually, & Sexually.” Gives the following insight:
Priority One
First, pay attention to your sexual life. While it is true that every part of your life affects every other part, you must make every effort to keep your sexual life healthy. Never forget God's warning about Satan's attack that He gave you in 1 Corinthians 7. Sexually unfulfilled people can be tempted through their lack of self-control. Remove that avenue of attack from Satan's forces by keeping your mate thoroughly sexually satisfied!
Priority Two
Second, keep the bedroom special. Never argue in that room. Never discipline the children there. Never, ever, pay bills in that room. The bedroom should be for sleeping and love-making-nothing else! Don't let that room be associated with any negative thing in your mind or emotions. Make it the most special room in your house.
Teach your children to respect the privacy of that room. Train them from infancy that when that door is shut, parents are spending special time with each other that is not to be violated. If you fear that they may figure out what you're doing in there, what better way to teach them healthy attitudes about sex? They learn to associate sex--although, of course, they shouldn't see or hear anything inappropriate--with love and marriage.
Priority Three
Third, if either of you wants sexual activity that the other finds uncomfortable--or perhaps even repulsive--each should submit to the other. That means that the initiator must not manipulate, cajole, pressure, or punish the reticent mate. But it also means that the reticent mate should prayerfully and purposefully work toward doing what the initiator requests--as long as it fits the principles outlined above.
With time and patience, each mate will get what he or she desires-a loving relationship that doesn't get stale, doesn't frustrate, and does fulfill each with great satisfaction.
Friday, April 24, 2009
a week of miracles
This week, I have personally witnessed several events that I would classify as miracles. I would loosely define miracles as "things that God does that no human can do." My good friend Jeff experienced some very serious health issues which threatened his life. His life was spared and he is recovering from his crisis. Because I was able to be present with the family during some of the process, I was able to witness what the doctors said as well as watch, one by one, as God addressed Jeff's specific needs. It has been a while since I have seen this kind of faith in action. His family stood by his side and prayed. His church family prayed diligently. And word spread literally around the world and people prayed for Him. Prayer works.
Jeff has a long way to go to be fully recovered so I ask you to keep praying for him. It is an awesome thing to see God is action on behalf of His children.
Jeff has a long way to go to be fully recovered so I ask you to keep praying for him. It is an awesome thing to see God is action on behalf of His children.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
good stuff
Hundreds Go Barefoot to Raise Awareness of the Global Need for Shoes
Hundreds of people are going barefoot today as part of a nationwide effort to raise awareness about the global need for shoes.
Organized by TOMS Shoes, a company founded by Christian businessman Blake Mycoskie, the One Day Without Shoes event has drawn participants from around the world. The Assemblies of God-affiliated Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla., is serving as a pilot school for what they hope becomes a growing annual initiative.
“The idea for One Day Without Shoes was to kind of raise awareness of what life is like without shoes, to kind of think about the people in the world who are living without shoes and what they are susceptible to as a result of that,” said Allison Dominguez, a public relations representative for TOMS Shoes, which gives away a pair of shoes for every pair sold.
Reporting that 40 percent of people worldwide lack shoes, the Los Angeles-based company has donated 200,000 shoes to needy children worldwide since 2006. In rural areas where people walk through volcanic soil, such as in Ethiopia, going barefoot can lead to podoconiosis, a disfiguring illness that causes swelling and ulcers in the feet and lower legs.
“[One Day Without Shoes] really fits who we are,” said James L. Davis, vice president of development at Southeastern, which presented Mycoskie with its Servant Leader Award last month. “We believe servant leaders are world changers, so the whole premise of giving something away and serving the community and serving the world really fit for us. It was perfect in every way.”
Southeastern hoped to have 100 percent participation today, with students filing shoeless everywhere except to the school’s dining facilities, where bare feet would violate health codes. The Southeastern students are also participating in a documentary that will be used to encourage other colleges to get involved in future One Day Without Shoes campaigns.
“They’re doing exactly what we want to do-spreading the awareness and getting everyone involved in what we’re trying to do,” Dominguez said.
Mycoskie, who won third place in The Amazing Race II in 2002, said the idea for TOMS came after he befriended the children of an Argentine village and found that they lacked shoes. He thought his tech company would help pay for the shoe venture, but a newspaper article generated so much business he decided to sell the tech company and focus exclusively on TOMS, which refers to “creating a better tomorrow.”
Nearly 200 One Day Without Shoes events are being held nationwide, with attorneys at an Ohio law firm putting aside their wingtips to go barefoot for the day. Five events are being held internationally.
In addition to going without shoes today, Southeastern students purchased TOMS’ canvas slip-ons to sponsor shoes for needy children in the U.S. and abroad. Davis said a team of students also will accompany TOMS representatives on a “shoe drop” later this year
(Source: Charisma News Online)
Christians Called to Reject Consumer Lifestyle
LONDON – A U.K.-based network of Christians geared towards living more simply is calling on believers to use the recession as an opportunity to follow a less-consumerist lifestyle.
Breathe, whose tagline is “Less Stuff, More Life,” is inviting Christians to take the “Promise of Life” pledge to live more simply over a 12-month period. Christians who take the pledge commit to “savor what we have, pray for what we need,” “tread lightly on the earth,” and “share freely our homes and our things.”
Breathe’s annual conference on April 25 will further explore how Christians can live less consumerist, more thankful and more generous lives.
“When we started Breathe four years ago, we had no idea how global events would unfold,” said Mark Powley, associate pastor at St. Paul’s Hammersmith and co-founder of Breathe.
“We’ve talked to Christians across the country and have found a growing desire and need to live more simply and to find support and practical ways out of materialism,” he added.
The Rev. Simon Downham, vicar and senior pastor of St. Paul’s Hammersmith, said there was a need for the church to develop an effective response to recent research indicating a shift in British society away from the importance of material possessions.
“There is a new vocabulary of crisis and response,” Downham said. “Climate change, credit crunch, G20, carbon offset, fiscal stimulus, quantitative easing … At the very least, our lust for consumption lays exposed for want of proper limits. At a time such as this, Breathe is more crucial than ever.”
The Breathe conference is being held in partnership with Tearfund, Stewardship, A Rocha and Formation. The keynote speaker will be 24-7 Prayer’s Pete Greig.
(Source: The Christian Post)
Hundreds of people are going barefoot today as part of a nationwide effort to raise awareness about the global need for shoes.
Organized by TOMS Shoes, a company founded by Christian businessman Blake Mycoskie, the One Day Without Shoes event has drawn participants from around the world. The Assemblies of God-affiliated Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla., is serving as a pilot school for what they hope becomes a growing annual initiative.
“The idea for One Day Without Shoes was to kind of raise awareness of what life is like without shoes, to kind of think about the people in the world who are living without shoes and what they are susceptible to as a result of that,” said Allison Dominguez, a public relations representative for TOMS Shoes, which gives away a pair of shoes for every pair sold.
Reporting that 40 percent of people worldwide lack shoes, the Los Angeles-based company has donated 200,000 shoes to needy children worldwide since 2006. In rural areas where people walk through volcanic soil, such as in Ethiopia, going barefoot can lead to podoconiosis, a disfiguring illness that causes swelling and ulcers in the feet and lower legs.
“[One Day Without Shoes] really fits who we are,” said James L. Davis, vice president of development at Southeastern, which presented Mycoskie with its Servant Leader Award last month. “We believe servant leaders are world changers, so the whole premise of giving something away and serving the community and serving the world really fit for us. It was perfect in every way.”
Southeastern hoped to have 100 percent participation today, with students filing shoeless everywhere except to the school’s dining facilities, where bare feet would violate health codes. The Southeastern students are also participating in a documentary that will be used to encourage other colleges to get involved in future One Day Without Shoes campaigns.
“They’re doing exactly what we want to do-spreading the awareness and getting everyone involved in what we’re trying to do,” Dominguez said.
Mycoskie, who won third place in The Amazing Race II in 2002, said the idea for TOMS came after he befriended the children of an Argentine village and found that they lacked shoes. He thought his tech company would help pay for the shoe venture, but a newspaper article generated so much business he decided to sell the tech company and focus exclusively on TOMS, which refers to “creating a better tomorrow.”
Nearly 200 One Day Without Shoes events are being held nationwide, with attorneys at an Ohio law firm putting aside their wingtips to go barefoot for the day. Five events are being held internationally.
In addition to going without shoes today, Southeastern students purchased TOMS’ canvas slip-ons to sponsor shoes for needy children in the U.S. and abroad. Davis said a team of students also will accompany TOMS representatives on a “shoe drop” later this year
(Source: Charisma News Online)
Christians Called to Reject Consumer Lifestyle
LONDON – A U.K.-based network of Christians geared towards living more simply is calling on believers to use the recession as an opportunity to follow a less-consumerist lifestyle.
Breathe, whose tagline is “Less Stuff, More Life,” is inviting Christians to take the “Promise of Life” pledge to live more simply over a 12-month period. Christians who take the pledge commit to “savor what we have, pray for what we need,” “tread lightly on the earth,” and “share freely our homes and our things.”
Breathe’s annual conference on April 25 will further explore how Christians can live less consumerist, more thankful and more generous lives.
“When we started Breathe four years ago, we had no idea how global events would unfold,” said Mark Powley, associate pastor at St. Paul’s Hammersmith and co-founder of Breathe.
“We’ve talked to Christians across the country and have found a growing desire and need to live more simply and to find support and practical ways out of materialism,” he added.
The Rev. Simon Downham, vicar and senior pastor of St. Paul’s Hammersmith, said there was a need for the church to develop an effective response to recent research indicating a shift in British society away from the importance of material possessions.
“There is a new vocabulary of crisis and response,” Downham said. “Climate change, credit crunch, G20, carbon offset, fiscal stimulus, quantitative easing … At the very least, our lust for consumption lays exposed for want of proper limits. At a time such as this, Breathe is more crucial than ever.”
The Breathe conference is being held in partnership with Tearfund, Stewardship, A Rocha and Formation. The keynote speaker will be 24-7 Prayer’s Pete Greig.
(Source: The Christian Post)
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
9 questions to ask about your marriage:
These questions connect with our new message series at Maranatha: Fighting 4 Your Marriage. Whether or not you are involved in the series, work your way through these...
(ask yourself, not your spouse)
1. Is my marriage worth fighting for?
2. Am I 100% committed to making my marriage work?
3. Do I put my spouse before myself?
4. Do I bear any responsibility for the issues that my marriage is facing?
5. Am I willing to put in the work necessary in order to have a healthy marriage?
6. Am I willing to sacrifice in order to make my spouse happy?
7. Is God first in my marriage?
8. Can God heal my marriage?
9. Am I obedient to what God tells us about marriage?
If you answer “yes” to all of these questions, you are doing very well and your marriage is probably healthy.
If you find yourself saying “no” to any of the above, I would suggest charting a course of action:
• Reach out – to your spouse. Communicate your concern and desire for the health of your marriage.
• Work together. Stop fighting each other and start fighting as a team. Your spouse is not the enemy.
• Get help. Seek out a qualified (not a friend who only gets her advice from Oprah!) Christian professional to consult and work with. It will cost money but it is well worth the investment. Many times, financial arrangements can be made.
• Submit and commit to God. A marriage that is centered upon God and the principles He gives in His Word will survive. If you are not there yet, work on it!
Come to Fighting 4 Your Marriage. This week we talk about money. Next week we will discuss everyone’s favorite topic: Sex!
(ask yourself, not your spouse)
1. Is my marriage worth fighting for?
2. Am I 100% committed to making my marriage work?
3. Do I put my spouse before myself?
4. Do I bear any responsibility for the issues that my marriage is facing?
5. Am I willing to put in the work necessary in order to have a healthy marriage?
6. Am I willing to sacrifice in order to make my spouse happy?
7. Is God first in my marriage?
8. Can God heal my marriage?
9. Am I obedient to what God tells us about marriage?
If you answer “yes” to all of these questions, you are doing very well and your marriage is probably healthy.
If you find yourself saying “no” to any of the above, I would suggest charting a course of action:
• Reach out – to your spouse. Communicate your concern and desire for the health of your marriage.
• Work together. Stop fighting each other and start fighting as a team. Your spouse is not the enemy.
• Get help. Seek out a qualified (not a friend who only gets her advice from Oprah!) Christian professional to consult and work with. It will cost money but it is well worth the investment. Many times, financial arrangements can be made.
• Submit and commit to God. A marriage that is centered upon God and the principles He gives in His Word will survive. If you are not there yet, work on it!
Come to Fighting 4 Your Marriage. This week we talk about money. Next week we will discuss everyone’s favorite topic: Sex!
Friday, April 17, 2009
greatest strength?/greatest weakness?
I am not especially fond of talking. I know that is probably hard for people to believe who hear me ramble for 45 minutes every Sunday. I speak because God requires it of me. When in a group, smaller or larger, I would just a soon someone else do the talking. It is not important to me to be the one doing the dialogue. Even when I am at home, it is no problem for me to not be real verbal.That being said, I make a living talking. People expect me to have something to say. In fact, they tend to get a little nervous when I don’t say much. Lots of times in my life, I have heard comments like, “You sure are quiet, something wrong?” or “what are you thinking? You must have something to add to the conversation”. Truth be told, I would rather just be quiet sometimes.
That is not typical of a preacher in our culture. Lots of loud talking, that is pretty much what we are known for. I guess I am lacking some of the natural gifts that preachers are expected to posses, and I am OK with that. In fact, one of the more annoying tendencies of many preachers I know is the need to be the center of attention. I am not being critical of these guys, it seems to work for them. But I don’t need a microphone to be happy.
Someone said (James in the Bible), “Be quick to listen and slow to speak…” One of the leaders I respect most is Moses. This poor guy got stuck leading a bunch of rebellious, complaining people for 40 years through a nasty desert. And he got blamed for everything. They wanted to kill him. Talk about a tough gig! He maintained his integrity through it and had the honor of “speaking face to face with God as a man does with his friend”. But the thing is, he was a reluctant talker. He spoke when necessary but he was glad when his larger-mouthed brother did the speaking. And God seemed to be fine with the arrangement, in fact, the whole thing was His idea.
The next time you hear a leader waxing eloquent, enjoy it. When she or he drones on and on about what they think, appear interested. But if there is a leader who prefers to be the silent type, cut them some slack. Maybe they know what the infamous Run DMC said in the 1985 old-school rap: “You Talk Too Much! (You never shut up!)” They may just be tired of talking. They may have nothing to say at that particular moment. And they may be exercising some real wisdom. I think it was Abe Lincoln who said, “It is better to keep your mouth closed and appear as a fool than to open it and remove all doubt”.
I think I’ll go on a mission to reduce my spoken words and see what happens. Besides, nobody likes a bigmouth!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
new series
We are excited about our new series starting this Sunday at Maranatha. Fighting 4 Your Marriage is a three week teaching about how to survive the stress on our relationships. Notice the three topics: Money. Sex. Security. Should be good. If not good, at least interesting. If not interesting, at least it may raise some eyebrows.Seriously, join us if you can. And bring a married couple that could use the help. Be looking for some interactive elements on this blog that connect with the series.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Ephesians 5:17 "Understand what God's will is." What does God want from you and for you? How long has it been since you pondered that idea? It seems to me that that we dismiss this question for times when big decisions need to be made, if we even consider it then. So what might we be missing? The first part of the verse say, "don't be foolish." I suppose we have a choice, foolishness or living within God's will.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Ephesians 5:10 "Find out what pleases the Lord." This verse embodies the essence of the life of the Christ follower. This thought should direct all of our actions and decisions. This idea should provide all the incentive and motivation we should ever need. "Find out": it may take a while to discover, it is a process. But we must pursue it.
"what pleases the Lord": What is it that brings joy to the heart of God? In a general sense, I believe it is our submissive heart that brings Him joy. Specifically, well, that is an individual as we are.
I encourage you, find out what Jesus wants for your life. Know what makes Him happy. And get on with it!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
happy Resurrection
We enjoyed a very good Easter weekend at Maranatha. It is difficult to determine success in ministry, I believe that it is only in the long run that we will be able to measure whether or not things worked. In the short view, we had a successful season. If numbers mean anything (and they do because they represent souls), we succeeded. Lots of people worked very hard in order to see the plans fulfilled. Our staff did a stellar job. The volunteers, and there were lots of them, worked diligently. We are grateful.
This stretch of ministry can be exhausting on a church. I think we did well. I believe that we gave our best. And I believe that we were faithful to preach and display the Gospel.
Jesus is alive! He lives in us. And we have plans to make Him known to as many people as possible in as many ways as possible.
Thanks, Maranatha, for making Easter 2009 awesome. Thanks, God for making Easter possible.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
in between
It is early Saturday morning and I can't sleep. We had our Good Friday service last night, Clayton Watson did a phenomenal job bringing the Word. And although Clayton reminded us that Jesus didn't stay on the cross or in the grave, as we observe Holy Week, Jesus is now "in between". That is on my mind this morning.
Tomorrow will be lots of fun for the kids at our Eggstravaganza (massive egg hunt), as it should be. I think the kids know how to keep things in perspective.
And in 48 hours, some of us will be on the beach, getting set up for the Sunrise Service.
By noon on Sunday, the worship will be over and life will go back to normal for most of us.
I hope I recall the feeling of this "in between" morning. What Jesus did for us on the cross and in the tomb can't be overlooked or overstated.
Profound.
Tomorrow will be lots of fun for the kids at our Eggstravaganza (massive egg hunt), as it should be. I think the kids know how to keep things in perspective.
And in 48 hours, some of us will be on the beach, getting set up for the Sunrise Service.
By noon on Sunday, the worship will be over and life will go back to normal for most of us.
I hope I recall the feeling of this "in between" morning. What Jesus did for us on the cross and in the tomb can't be overlooked or overstated.
Profound.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
a strange subculture
This week, I finally got active on Facebook. I signed up a couple of years ago but wasn't interested in taking the time to jump in. Since the church is now using it to communicate, I figured that it was time. It is a little more than I bargained for. It appears to me that there are lots of people with lots of time on their hands. And my question is: how do you handle friend requests from people with whom you do not want to be friends? Seems rude to ignore them. Seems dumb to accept!
On a much more logical note, we are getting all set for our Good Friday events tomorrow. Journey to the Cross is from 5-7 and then our worship service will begin. We are really excited to welcome Clayton and Linette Watson from The Sanctuary Church in DeLand Florida as our guests. Clayton will speak and I am sure that he will do an awesome job. He is a good friend and I really hope that lots of people come out to hear him minister.
Easter is here. It will be one of the best weekends of the year. For more info, check us out on our web site.
On a much more logical note, we are getting all set for our Good Friday events tomorrow. Journey to the Cross is from 5-7 and then our worship service will begin. We are really excited to welcome Clayton and Linette Watson from The Sanctuary Church in DeLand Florida as our guests. Clayton will speak and I am sure that he will do an awesome job. He is a good friend and I really hope that lots of people come out to hear him minister.
Easter is here. It will be one of the best weekends of the year. For more info, check us out on our web site.
Monday, April 6, 2009
issues
I've been away for a while, traveling and also trying to resolve some fairly serious computer issues. This post is coming via Letha's computer so if there is a decidedly feminine feel to this, please forgive...
There has been lots of personal and professional activity of late.
We finished Quest, to the relief of many. Even with only approximately 20% participation, I think we accomplished some significant things. I KNOW that we were obedient to what God told us to do. That is a victory.
Letha and I were in Minnesota from Thursday to Saturday for my niece Kelly's wedding. She married Kyle Berkness, a great guy we have know almost his whole life. I was honored to be able to conduct the ceremony. I love those guys and hope and pray for the very best for them.
Get this: while we were in MN, my nephew, Rich (named after me) was at Kyle's bachelor's party (playing paintball). He slipped and fell, landing on his head. He suffered a compression fracture in his upper back, tore ligaments in his neck and chipped a bone on his vertebrae. He spent a couple of nights in the hospital and is wearing a halo for 8-12 weeks. This contraption is screwed into his head in four places. He is very blessed that he was not injured more seriously. He is still in lots of pain, please pray for a speedy recovery for him. I have a feeling that God is going to be showing him some valuable things over the next couple of months.
This is Easter week, so our schedule is very full. We are working our tails off and praying a lot, trying to insure successful ministry this weekend. The measuring stick? Changed lives! A bit illusive and sometimes abstract but it is our goal, nonetheless.
If you are a part of the Maranatha family, I am asking you to step up. Do your part. Make sure that you reach out to people in your life. Share the power of the Resurrection. Live the abundant life that Jesus provides with His victory over death. Invite someone to a church service. Serve. I think we will see some great results.
In the mean time, I am considering buying a Mac but I am afraid that I would get a superiority complex over the lowly PC users. It would boost my cool factor, though.
grace and peace!
There has been lots of personal and professional activity of late.
We finished Quest, to the relief of many. Even with only approximately 20% participation, I think we accomplished some significant things. I KNOW that we were obedient to what God told us to do. That is a victory.
Letha and I were in Minnesota from Thursday to Saturday for my niece Kelly's wedding. She married Kyle Berkness, a great guy we have know almost his whole life. I was honored to be able to conduct the ceremony. I love those guys and hope and pray for the very best for them.
Get this: while we were in MN, my nephew, Rich (named after me) was at Kyle's bachelor's party (playing paintball). He slipped and fell, landing on his head. He suffered a compression fracture in his upper back, tore ligaments in his neck and chipped a bone on his vertebrae. He spent a couple of nights in the hospital and is wearing a halo for 8-12 weeks. This contraption is screwed into his head in four places. He is very blessed that he was not injured more seriously. He is still in lots of pain, please pray for a speedy recovery for him. I have a feeling that God is going to be showing him some valuable things over the next couple of months.
This is Easter week, so our schedule is very full. We are working our tails off and praying a lot, trying to insure successful ministry this weekend. The measuring stick? Changed lives! A bit illusive and sometimes abstract but it is our goal, nonetheless.
If you are a part of the Maranatha family, I am asking you to step up. Do your part. Make sure that you reach out to people in your life. Share the power of the Resurrection. Live the abundant life that Jesus provides with His victory over death. Invite someone to a church service. Serve. I think we will see some great results.
In the mean time, I am considering buying a Mac but I am afraid that I would get a superiority complex over the lowly PC users. It would boost my cool factor, though.
grace and peace!
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