We've All Got A Job

Just had a thought that I know a lot of people wonder about. A lot of people get stuck in the wrong thinking that they can't be used by God because they are not in full-time ministry or working in the church in some way. 1 Corinthians 12:27 says, "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." If you read that chapter you see the point. We are all created differently and with various skills and abilities and gifts to be used for God. The truth is those who volunteer are so valuable to the growth of the church (locally and world-wide) that if more people got this down, then our church group and all church groups would be so much more effective. My challenge to everyone is start to search out how you specifically can be more used in church. How can you use your abilities that were given to you by God? That's the fun part. When you start to follow and use your gifts and passions that God put in your life for Him, then it gets exciting. The possibilite are endless when God is behind us!

Reminder

I think it's easy for us to just go through the motions of life and forget what God has planned for us. Look at what we do. We get up every day and probably go through the same basic routine that we do every day. You get up and get ready by showering, cleaning up, eating, brushing your teeth, and so on, until we get in our cars and head off to work. Maybe you stay at home and have a routine there. It's still the same. I beleive we waste a lot of time by just going through the motions and fogetting about our future. If you are a Christian then your home is in Heaven. You get to be with your Creator. The King of all Kings. He's made His followers royalty. Right now you and I are in the world that He created, but it's been messed up. WE're going to be with Him in perfection. Does that sink in with you? I would encourage you to, as you go through your life and do the things you need to, never forget what God has done for you. Never forget what your future is going to be all about. Keep that with you as you go and see how much that changes your day. See how that affects how you interact with others.

Radical

No i haven't been watching ninja turtles (isn't that what they said?). I highly recommend a book called "Radical" by David Platt. Just thought i'd comment on it. Haven't gotten through the whole thing yet so hopefully there's nothing in there that is completely way off later on--haha! It just makes me think of how followers of Christ should really be. We don't just take on the name of being a Christian and add it to our name like we add some kind of meaningless talent to our resume. There should be a huge radical shift in our thinking and actions. Jesus hasn't called us to live the same way. He didn't say, "just be a little nicer and make the world a little better." He called us to die to ourselves and take up our cross and follow Him. That's pretty deep. But what is more imporatant than living for Him and doing His work? What ways can you start to step out there a little further into being radically devoted to Jesus at whatever the cost?

The Future

The Future... That sounds so mysterious and Jetsony (from the Jetsons). I just want you New Beginnings people and all who will to start praying for the next steps for us to take. Pray for us to reach out more and connect with more people. We have the most important message ever. It's the message of Jesus and his saving power. Let's get that out to as many as we can. So that's why we need to always push ourselves for growth. The more we grow, the more we get the message out. By the way, how many of you have taken on the challenge to give out invite cards? Let's push each other!

Start where you are

Wow i've been off of blog too long. i always think of things to say and put a new post on, but i never get around to doing it. it's probably just me procrastin.... well you know. it got me thinking about how so many people approch their life with Christ. they get into a rut and they aren't as close to Him as they know they should be. they want to make a change, but they feel like they are too far to start changing now. that's the thing. we don't have to it all figured out before we come to Him. if you continue to think that way, then you'll never get your life straight. my advice to you is just start right now where you are by taking a simple step. start praying to God if you haven't been. just talk to Him. start reading your Bible. pick it up start reading a little bit each day and make a commitment to always do that. take something out of your life right now that doesn't need to be there. go to church sunday and just worship God. that's a small list of things that maybe you're dealing with. take a small step, but keep taking them. be consistent and intentional about it and see how God will work in your life. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

Eternity in your hearts

I was thinking about a passage in Ecclesiastes. In 3:11 it says, "He has also set eternity in the hearts of men." C.S. Lewis made a similar statement that goes with this verse. He said, "If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." I like that! I love to think about what God's word says about me now that I am saved. It speaks of me being saved, forgiven, and a new creation. If you are a Christian, do you let those words sink in? God made you to where you will only be satisfied when you come to Him. Don't think that God was trying to be arrogant and needy. He knows who He is and that total perfection and greatness and all joy and love originate with Him. He just wants to share it all with you. When we realize this emptiness inside of us can't be filled with all the stuff in the world. Then we find true peace. Then we find what Paul talked about in contentment. So live this life totally sold out to God. He'll show you what He has planned for you. And don't hold anything back. No regrets. Do that so that when you come to the end of your life you can say with truth and total joy and peace like Paul did, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day." And then you go to eternity with God!

No greater job

I find myself trying to always speak to people about how the greatest job or mission that a Christian can have is to tell others about Jesus. It really is. It's the coolest thing that you can be a part of. Now the problem I see in churches is not that we don't talk about reaching others (well some churches don't), but that we don't know how to do it. I believe that we think about it too much. This has been a crazy time at our church. There are many people who are dealing with cancer and other sicknesses and diseases and death. And so I think everyone knows that life is unpredictable and we're not guaranteed of a certain amount of time, but it becomes more real when things happen to us or around us. So at times like these we need to trust in God and pray all the time. But we also need to think about our mission. Tell the world about Jesus. Do you believe in what the Bible says?