National Day of Prayer

This Thursday, May 1, is the National Day of Prayer. At this critical moment in our nation’s history let us join with countless Christians from across our nation as we pray about our future. You can visit www.nationaldayofprayer.org to find out about special prayer events being held in your area. The following is the 2008 prayer for our nation.

2008 Prayer for Our Nation
By Dr. Ravi Zacharias, 2008 Honorary Chairman, National Day of Prayer Task Force

Holy Father, in a world where so many are hungry,
You have given us food in abundance;
In a world where so many are hurting,
You offer to bind up our wounds;
In a world where so many are lonely,
You offer friendship to every heart;
In a world longing for peace,
You offer hope.

Yet, we are so stubborn and resistant.
Have mercy upon us, Lord.

Our nation is at a crossroads this year;
we look to you to be our strength and shield.
Please give us the guidance to elect one who will
honor youand to respond to the wisdom from above
so that our hope may be renewed and our blessings be treasured.

In God's holy name.

Vision

“Everybody ends up somewhere in life. You can end up somewhere on purpose.” This is one of my favorite quotes from the book Visioneering. In his book, Andy Stanley provides twenty vision building blocks.

1. A vision begins with a concern.
2. A vision does not necessarily require immediate action.
3. Pray for opportunities and plan as if you expect God to answer your prayers.
4. God is using your circumstances to position and prepare you to accomplish His vision for your life.
5. What God originates, He orchestrates.
6. Walk before you talk; investigate before you initiate.
7. Communicate your vision as a solution to a problem that must be addressed immediately.
8. Cast your vision to the appropriate people at the appropriate time.
9. Don’t expect others to take greater risks or make greater sacrifices than you have.
10. Don’t confuse your plans with God’s vision.
11. Visions are refined – they don’t change; plans are revised – they rarely stay the same.
12. Respond to criticism with prayer, remembrance, and if necessary a revision of the plan.
13. Visions thrive in an environment of unity; they die in an environment of division.
14. Abandon the vision before your abandon your moral authority.
15. Don’t get distracted.
16. There is divine potential in all you envision to do.
17. The end of a God-ordained vision is God.
18. Maintaining a vision requires adherence to a set of core beliefs and behaviors.
19. Visions require constant attention.
20. Maintaining a vision requires bold leadership.

Pinewood Derby

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…
Ecclesiastes 9:10

For the past couple of weeks Matthew, our 7 year old, and I have been working on a pinewood derby car for a big race this weekend. We finally have the finished product: a bold gold race car, with blue metallic accessories, and lots and lots of decals. We had a blast planning and creating this work of art but it wasn’t without its challenges. We had to contend with dad’s lack of skill in the wood shop, a 7 year olds attention span, and countless trips back to the hobby shop to pick up things we forget (or broke) along the way. So with the fun of making a memory with my son, came some challenges along the way.

What did I learn? I’m glad you asked…

• Take extra time. You can’t rush memories. You can’t microwave real life. Some things with our families take time. Don’t rush. Pray for patience, relax, and enjoy the experience. Our families will produce a lifetime of memories. The question is will they be good ones or bad?
  
• Enjoy the challenges. Anything worth doing in life comes with challenges. Expect them, analyze them, pray about them, and with God’s help solve them.
  
• Learn about your child. I learned Matthew loves to play. Whether it was with the piles of saw dust, the spray paint, or playing tag or hide-n-seek while waiting for paint or glue to dry, my time playing with Matthew was just as important as the task at hand.

(I’m looking forward to sharing where we are and where we’re headed as a church family on Vision Weekend next Saturday and Sunday!)

Happy Easter

It truly is a happy Easter! God blessed us at the Ascension Convention (thanks to everyone for your help… you guys are awesome!) and today we get to celebrate our risen Lord and Savior!

Some may ask what is the historical evidence that Jesus actually rose from the dead? Christian apologist Josh McDowell provides six facts that prove the resurrection of Jesus Christ in history.

Fact 1 – The broken Roman seal
Fact 2 – The empty tomb
Fact 3 – The large stone removed
Fact 4 – The Roman guard goes AWOL
Fact 5 – The graveclothes
Fact 6 – The appearances of Jesus after His resurrection

I don’t have room to go into all of the powerful details of each of these facts, but if you’re serious about looking into this evidence or know someone who is, please visit http://www.leaderu.com/everystudent/easter/articles/josh2.html to get the whole story.

Brilianteer

You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17 (The Message)

On a recent flight I read the book Release Your Brilliance by Simon T. Bailey. Even though I wouldn’t call this a religious book, I enjoyed his message that we were each created by God for a purpose only we can fulfill in the world. Simon likened our lives to diamonds. Every diamond is rated on the 4 C’s: clarity, color, cut, and carat. The purpose of the book, in diamond language, is to take you from dull to dazzling in your journey of life. I believe we can all benefit from books that help us to develop our God-given potential.

One of the fascinating insights that came from the book for me was the story of the brillianteer. A brillianteer is the person early in the process that grinds and polishes the diamond preparing it for its ultimate purpose. It’s not quick and easy. This is a long strenuous process that begins to bring out the brilliance of the diamond.

When I thought about the role of the brillianteer I thought about the relationships in my life. Life happens so fast. There are so many events that affect our lives. We need to surround ourselves with the right people with whom we can share our lives. The right crowd will help in the polishing process, bringing out our brilliance, helping us become the person God has called us to be.

What intentional groups of people are your brillianteers? Are you involved in some kind of small group or an accountability group? If you are, good for you! If not, why not? We need other people in our lives. I have three rules for great groups.

• Be safe. If we are going to share the secret things of our life with others we need to feel free and safe to do so.
• Be honest. Your level of honesty in the group will determine the impact of your group.
• Be quiet. Simply put, what is said in the group stays in the group. This is what keeps things safe and honest.

Ever feel less than special?

This weekend Leslie and I were asked to speak at a banquet for Deer Ridge Ministries. Deer Ridge is a retreat ministry for pastors and their spouses. Leslie and I have been blessed by these retreats over the years and are thrilled at the chance to give back to this ministry that has meant so much to our lives, marriage, and ministry. And I must admit it feels good, out of all of the potential pastors, to be the one chosen to speak.

But I have been feeling less than special recently. I wasn’t quite sure why until I read an article in Outreach Magazine, a popular periodical for pastors. The article was about the top 25 largest and most influential churches in the nation. As I read the article I realized that over the past couple of weeks I have had the privilege of meeting and spending quality time with 3 of the pastors in the top 15. Each was kind of a chance meeting. Each were amazing men doing great things for God. In the process of meeting these great men of God, I began to feel small.

One of pastors Leslie and I got to meet and spend time with was Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback and author of the all-time best-selling book, Purpose Driven Life. See why I feel small ;-) I told a little about our meeting with him a couple of weeks ago in a previous Bible Blog. But he said something profound during our time with him. “In your life of ministry you can try to impress people or you can try to impact people.” You can try to impress people, but spend enough time with somebody and at some point you will stop being impressive. We instead need to live lives of impact; touching, healing, changing, etc. as many lives as possible.

Don’t worry, I worked through my feelings of inferiority with my accountability group ;-) I must admit, I am profoundly thankful that God has allowed me to be a part of what God is doing at Christian Life Church. And quite honestly, if God can use me, he can use anybody. Let’s stop trying to impress people with our lives and do our best impact as many lives as we can for the Gospel!

And one more thing this weekend, Happy Birthday Leslie!

Overwhelmed?

As we chase lions in our life we can sometimes get overwhelmed and discouraged. How do we avoid burnout in our already crazy busy lives? It seems like the winter weather is more unpredictable, our schedules are out of control, and we never can catch a break.

How do we recover from feeling overwhelmed? We begin by spending time with God. Read the Psalms. David knew that he needed God in his life. When David was overwhelmed the Bible tells us… David found strength in the LORD his God. 1 Sam 30:6b (NIV)

Here are some practical steps to recover from burnout, motivational speaker Snowden McFall, author of Fired Up, offers her clients, as reported by foxnews.com:

Laugh. "It's been shown to boost the immune system," says McFall. Toddlers laugh several hundred times a day, but the average adult laughs just four times, she adds.

Give back. "When you volunteer to feed people who are starving or stop off at a homeless shelter on your way home from work, it can really put things into perspective and make you think about how well-off you are. And you feel better when you help nurture other people."

Deep breathing. Taking a break and looking inward helps people both mentally and physically, McFall said. "It increases your circulation," she said. Deep breathing also increases your circulation, cuts the duration of hospital stays and leads to fewer business errors.

Exercise. "Sixty percent of Americans do not get enough exercise to keep their immune system functioning properly," McFall said.

Fasting

So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.
Daniel 9:3

I feel as though God is calling me to a season of fasting. I have been praying about different things I can remove from my life so that I can better hear the voice of God. In fasting we remove things from our lives and use that time to spend with God. Fasting removes distractions so that we can better hear His voice. Fasting will change your life and draw you close to God. I know that when I fast I feel closer to God than any other time in my life.

Our culture has a popular way to fast. It’s secular, but it’s a fast none the less. It’s called rehab. We hear about so many celebrities entering rehab to break the addictions in their life. They go to a place to remove the distractions so that they can heal their lives. They are trying to break a cycle and begin a new life. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t.

When we partake in a spiritual fast we are seeking a breakthrough as well. We are not, however, doing something simply on our own; rather, we are tapping into the supernatural power of God that will change us.

Here are some things you can do if you feel God is calling you to a fast.

• Identify what you are seeking from God. Tell God specifically what you are seeking from Him alone.
• Make your commitment. Remember we grow from our commitments. What are you going to give up (food, TV, etc.) and for how long.
• Identify what you are going to add during your time of fasting. Fasting is not only about removing things from our lives it’s also about adding. For example: What are you going to do with the time that you would spend eating or watching TV? What are you going to do with the money you would save on food and eating out?
  
  Times of fasting are important seasons in our life. Pray for me and I’ll pray for you as we draw near to Him through fasting.
  

"I'd rather die than embarrass Jesus."

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7

This past week I was in Maryland with Leslie teaching at our sister college. Leslie and I were going to spend a couple of extra days at our nation’s capitol to do some sight seeing before we came home. Through a couple of random yet divine events Leslie and I were able to meet Rick Warren, author of “The Purpose Driven Life” and the “40 Days of Purpose,” and attend a private meeting he was having with select pastors from the Washington DC area. I could tell you the whole story, but you wouldn’t believe it.

When he first arrived Rick jokingly apologized about unimpressive he was up close. But nothing could be further from the truth. What an amazing guy. So real, so genuine, so deep. He shared from his heart recent truths that God had been revealing to him. One thing he said that impacted me was that he would "rather die than embarrass Jesus.” God has entrusted Rick Warren with tremendous influence in the world and he doesn’t want to become another fallen minister. Another statistic. Another reason for unbelievers to doubt the reality of a life-changing relationship with God.

How does Rick stay on track with God? How can we? We must defeat the schemes of the enemy in our lives. The devil has three attacks: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). These are the temptations: to feel good (hedonism), to have (materialism), and to simply be selfish. The devil uses these things to destroy our lives and render our testimonies useless. God has antidotes for each of these temptations. We need three things in our lives: integrity, generosity, and humility.

How do we resist the devil and become the children of God we were created to be? Fight the temptations with the integrity, humility, and generosity of the purpose driven life.

Retreats

I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.
Leviticus 26:12


This coming Friday and Saturday is our annual Women’s Retreat at Christian Life Church. I’m jealous. I’ve been told I’m not allowed to attend. ;-) I know that our children, youth, men, etc. have similar plans for retreats later this year. I love retreats. I love to see people break out of their routine, stop, and gather together to meet with God.

I believe God honors our commitment and sacrifice to attend sacred gatherings like retreats. When Israel was separated from the world during their extended time in the wilderness, that is when they drew near to God. You are taking your valuable time and setting it apart for God and His work in your life. When we honor God in that way, He shows up big in our lives.

Here are the details for this weekend. If you have any questions or need more information, please feel free to call or email Jeri Oleksy in the church office at 847-259-3090 or mail@christianlifechurch.org.

Women’s Retreat
Friday (2/8) @ 7PM
& Saturday (2/9) @ 9AM
Roberta Crane-Fitch Ministering

Women, don’t miss out on this special, set-apart time with God!

What's Your Story?

Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down two of Moab's best men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.
2 Samuel 23:20

What’s Your Story?

We are learning in these first weeks of 2008 about Benaiah and how he chased a lion. What a story! I bet every family member and friend of Beniah loved to hear him repeat the story of how he chased the lion on a snowy day.

What’s your story? The one you are proud to tell. The one everyone wants to hear again and again. What story are you writing with the life God gave you?

While we are called to be good stewards, sometimes we so carefully manage our lives that we never accomplish anything great for God. Our risk management is so precise that we end up like the servant who hid his master’s talents in Matthew 24. We arrive safely at death accomplishing little or nothing for God. Not a happy ending to the story of our life.

God has a story. He made man, so that we could live in relationship with Him. Man sinned and was separated from that relationship with God. God sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to take the punishment of our sin on the cross so that we could once again be in right relationship with God and spend eternity with Him. That’s God’s story. God wants everyone to hear His story. We are called to tell His story to a lost and dying world.

What are you risking to tell His story? What lions are you facing as you live for Him? Just like Benaiah, live life to the full, take risks, defy the odds, and tell the story! And when we survive, we have our story.

West Campus

Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Matthew 28:18-20

Last Sunday was our first “second sunday” of 2008. “second sunday” is our weekend service for a new church campus we are planting in the far western suburbs. Along with our one weekend a month service we also hold a weekly midweek get together on Thursdays at 7PM. One of our goals as a church for 2008 will be to have weekly weekend services at our west campus.

We have a great core of people already living out west. They are all working hard and sacrificing to make this effort a success. Even though most of our church family lives near our Mount Prospect campus and will never venture out west, I would like everyone to pray for the west campus. This area of Chicagoland is one of the fastest growing communities in the United States. There are many lives in this growing area that we will be able to touch with a strong church campus.

Pray for…

• Children’s Ministry – Many people moving out west are young families with small children. Children’s ministry will be a key ingredient for growth.
• Worship Team – Worship, like children’s ministry, is a core value of Christian Life. Pray that God provides the musicians and singers that will usher us into the presence of God.
• Teaching – The Word is what changes our lives. As in each of these prayer points, our present pastors and staff are working for both campuses. Pray that we develop a capable and anointed teaching team for both campuses.

Thank you for your prayers! You can visit our west campus web site at www.clcwest.org.

The Lion Chasers Manifesto

Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down two of Moab's best men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.
2 Samuel 23:20


We are learning in these first weeks of 2008 about Benaiah and how he chased a lion. We are examining our lives and asking ourselves what lion is God calling you to chase? Here s the Lion Chasers Manifesto from Mark Batterson’s book In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day.


The lion chasers manifesto.

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Grab life by the mane. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Consider the lilies. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don’t let what’s wrong with you keep you from worshipping what’s right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze a new trail. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don’t try to be who you’re not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away.

Chase the lion!

It’s 2008!

It’s 2008! I love a new year. It’s like God gives us a fresh start. The Bible says in Lamentations 3:22-23 that God’s mercies are new every morning. Every day is a new day with God and every year is a new year with Him. Let’s make 2008 the best year ever!

Here are some of my favorite promises from God’s Word. Read them over and over. They’re for you.

Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame. Isa 54:4

For the mountains shall depart And the hills be removed, But My kindness shall not depart from you, Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed," Says the LORD, who has mercy on you. Isa 54:10

No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me," Says the LORD. Isa 54:17

Oh, how great is Your goodness, Which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men! You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence From the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Ps 31:19-20

You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Ps 32:7-8

I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed. Ps 34:4-5

You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, shall revive me again, and bring me up again from the depths of the earth. You shall increase my greatness, And comfort me on every side. Ps 71:20-21

A New Year's Confession…

I belong to God

I am God's child (John 1:12)
I am Christ's friend (John 15:15 )
I am united with the Lord(1 Cor. 6:17)
I am bought with a price(1 Cor. 6:19-20)
I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)
I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16).
I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).
I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2Cor 6:1).
I am God's workmanship(Eph. 2:10)
I have been redeemed and forgiven (Col. 1:14).
I have been adopted as God's child (Eph 1:5)
I am a personal witness of Christ (Acts 1:8)
I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt.5:13-14)
I am a member of the body of Christ(1 Cor 12:27)
I am free forever from condemnation (Rom. 8: 1-2)
I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil.3:20)
I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31-34)
I am a minister of reconciliation for God(2 Cor.5:17-21)
I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)
I cannot be separated from the love of God(Rom.8:35-39)
I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 C or.1:21-22)
I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8: 28)
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16)
I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12)
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)
I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)
I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected (Phil 1: 5)

Jesus' Name @ Christmas

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6


For the first part of 2007 I preached on the names of God: Elohim, Adonai, and Yahweh to name just a few. In bible times names revealed the character of an individual. The same is true with God. His names revealed His character along with His relationship with His people.

The same is true of the names of Jesus. Jesus means “the Lord who saves.” Along with the name Jesus the Son of God was given names by the prophets of old that reveals His character and what should be our relationship to Him. He is called…

Wonderful Counselor. Jesus loves us. He understands us. There is nothing impossible for Him. He can be there and provide help for every decision and situation in life.

Mighty God. Jesus is a powerful help in every temptation and struggle in life. Jesus will give you the victory!

Everlasting Father. Jesus is our forever provider. He will never leave you, never forsake you, and always take care of you.

Prince of Peace. Jesus brings the peace and wholeness to our broken lives.

Jesus is these names and so much more. This Christmas season take a moment to evaluate your relationship with God. Is Jesus your Wonderful Counselor? Your Mighty God? Your Everlasting Father? Your Prince of Peace? He wants to be. He can be. Take time this Christmas to invite Jesus to come into your life and be all He desires to be!

Advent

As we begin the Christmas Advent season the following are some helpful hints from Jerry Lankford at Biblical Wellness Ministries to help you survive the busiest time of the year…

• Remember what all the fuss is about. This is the time to give thanks for all that God has done and to celebrate the birth of our Savior. Let's keep that in focus. It's not about cooking the perfect dinner, throwing the perfect party or buying the perfect gift.
  
• Don't overdo it. Plan your activities and then stick to the plan. Don't allow yourself to get caught up in all the hustle and bustle unless you enjoy it and it charges your batteries.
  
• Plan time to rest and reflect. Take some time with a journal to write about your feelings and thoughts. Read a good book. Be alone with God.
  
• Remember and honor those that you miss. One of the toughest things about these special times is being reminded of who isn't with us. Loss is always painful, but it can be worse when we try to ignore it and don't acknowledge it. Instead, take some time to remember those who will be missing. Spend some time looking through the picture album and reminiscing about them. Then remember that they are with you in spirit and that they would want you to be happy and blessed.
  
• Build your own traditions. The things we learn from our families are wonderful, but remember to build your own traditions. Make them your own and enjoy them. Don't feel like you have to do it a particular way because grandma did it that way. Remember the story about the lady that always cut the end off her pot roast because her mother did it that way? It turns out that her mother's pan was too small and she had to cut off the end.
  
• The greatest gift is time spent with our loved ones. Make sure you get plenty of time with family and worry less about all the extra stuff. After all, it's just stuff. Love is the real thing.

Thanksgiving

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

I love thanksgiving! It is one of my favorite holidays. I don’t know if it’s the time with family, or the food, or the positive mindset of thanksgiving. It is probably the combination of these that make it such a special day.

In my reflections this Thanksgiving I thought about how thankful I am for our church. I love what God is doing at Christian Life! We gather together and God shows up. It’s awesome!

I am profoundly thankful for a church family. What a wonderful group of people that share the good and the difficult parts of life together. People that gather to travel together on their spiritual journey. You guys are the best!

I want to encourage you this week and let you know God loves you and so do I. You are important to God and to our church family. If you ever get discouraged remember the adage “God don’t make no junk.” He created you just the way you are, for this moment in history, to do and be who he called you to be. Take time to thank God for making you you. Meditate on these passages:

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made ... All the days ordained for me were written in your book. (Psalm 139:14, 16)

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Romans 8:33-34)

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. (Psalm 118:29)

If anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

What do you think?

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9

I’m having trouble with something so I thought I would use this week’s blog to ask you what you think.

In our Draw Near To God series we spent a couple of week’s worth of sermons on the subject of pornography. I feel that we talked fairly openly about the subject and how it affects up to 49% of Christian families. I can’t tell you how many people came up to me or emailed me to thank me for taking the time to talk about such a sensitive subject. Trust me, it wasn’t easy and I always enjoy positive feedback.

But here is what is troubling me. A lot of people were happy we tackled the subject but very few responded for help. I have to admit I wasn’t expecting a lot of thank you's, I was expecting a lot of people looking for help. Maybe people in our church don’t struggle with pornography? Maybe we defy the odds? Or maybe we aren’t being completely honest.

I know this is a sensitive and private subject. The devil would love to keep it that way. Maybe you are trying to deal with this on your own? But as we learned in our video, this is something you can’t overcome on your own. You need the power of God and the accountability of a friend or small group.

We are looking to begin some anonymous support groups at the beginning of the New Year to help those that struggle with and those who are victims of pornography. But will anybody come? I hope they do.

I want to hear what you think concerning this matter. What do you have to say? Please free to post your comments

Home With The Lord

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:6-8


This past week our church family lost a dear brother, Jeff Taylor. Our heart and prayers are with Debbie, his wife of 25 years, along with Jeff’s mom and dad and the entire family. Jeff’s life and passing is a reminder that this is not all there is, that this is not our forever home, and someday we will step into eternity for an appointment with God.

Even through his illness, Jeff had a passion for the Lord and His work. You could sense his heart to know God. You could sense his desire to serve God with his life. Now Jeff is healthy, whole, and strong in the presence of God. It is safe to say that Jeff’s desires are satisfied as he experiences God face to face.

As we talked about last week the spiritual things in life are the most important because they last for eternity. In the busyness of life we can forget or ignore the spiritual. Someday each of us will stand before God to give an account. Will you be one who chooses to draw near to God in this life so that you can enjoy Him forever?

We were created for a relationship with God. We were created for an eternity with Him. God “has planted eternity in the human heart.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NLT) Nothing this temporary life can offer will satisfy. Are you drawing near to God? Remember you get for eternity what you desire in this life.

While we grieve the loss of our friend Jeff we don’t grieve without hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13) like the world because we know someday we will be worshipping with him again, this time around the Throne!