Christmas Eve Service

Today I am announcing our Christmas Eve Service. The celebration starts at 5:30 p.m. at church. The service will not be long, we want you to be able to enjoy time with family as well as celebrate the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. As we put together more details I will post them.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I love Thanksgiving. I love that it may be snowing, or it may be warm enough for football in the yard. I love that it is a holiday that falls in hunting season! Mostly, I love how it prepares us for Christmas.

Imagine if the two holidays were switched. What if we went through all the negative materialistic elements of modern Christmas celebrations and then did Thanksgiving? I think Thanksgiving would be completely spoiled! I think there is a real blessing that Thanksgiving is before Christmas.
I think it is great that about four weeks before Christmas and at least one day before the Christmas shopping insanity of our culture begins, we stop to give thanks. Thanking God, not for all the gifts and parties and food, but for the things that God has given us throughout the year.

Let's be careful not to let Christmas overpower Thanksgiving. The big box stores are all in Christmas mode and have forgotten Thanksgiving. They go straight from the ghouls, ghosts, and goblins of Halloween, to Santa and Elves. They can do without Christ in Christmas and they do without Thanksgiving completely. Don't miss Thanksgiving and don't forget to give God and special people in your life thanks. I want to be different, so I say with excitement and hope, "Happy Thanksgiving!"

Who's On First

Sunday the message was about stress and worry, mostly about stress. I believe that the antidote to stress can be summed up with one prescription. Seek FIRST his kingdom and his righteousness (Matt. 6:33 emphasis mine).

When you are stressed out on the interstate in gridlock traffic, are you seeking him, or allowing yourself to be stressed? When you think about your house and your bills, are you seeking him and thanking him for provision, or are you worried about what you don't have?

When I strive, covet, and worry about the stuff of my life, it takes over my thinking, meditation and prayer time. When those things use up my prayer time, I am wasting time that could be spent seeking God through Jesus Christ! When those things take up my day, I am wasting time that could be spent working for God and my own progress, witnessing to a friend, or simply enjoying God's presence in my daily routine.

If you are stressed, my question to you is, "What are you seeking most in life?" Test yourself on this! Don't just give yourself a Sunday morning answer and a pat on the back! Look over your schedule. Did you spend more time on Facebook or shopping this week than you did seeking the Lord? Are you using up your entire day with work, entertainment and social stuff and running out of time for God?

Maybe we are so stressed today because we are running after the wrong things first.

The Glory of the Lord

In the first service Sunday, the presence of God's Holy Spirit was amazing. It has been two days and I still keep thinking about it. Some people think that if a church has lights and a hard rock worship style that the glory of the Lord must not be present. Many assume that a lighting system forces us to be so choreographed that we can not follow the moving of the Spirit. Well, it is just not true. We have an awesome time of worship and we allow the Spirit of God to move!

What I am praying for more and more, is that we experience the glory of the Lord. To quote our evangelist at Fire Fall, there are levels in the presence of God that we have not entered into yet. The key word is YET!

Back From the Woods

I am back from deer hunting. I did not get a deer. First season for me to strike out in about twelve years. However, the best thing is that Ben, my son, got his first deer while hunting together last Saturday on his 9th birthday. It was really great!

I may have some other opportunites to hunt later this year, so I am not done yet.

Deer Hunting

Most of you know that I go deer hunting each year to get away, gather meat, and take vacation. This year I will be gone from the 12th to the 19th. Last week, I took Ben on the youth hunt. We had no luck. But, we will have more chances next week.

While you pray for your pastor, pray for rest, rejuvination, and hunting success quick so that I can relax.

40

Today I turn 40.

Worship Night!

That was the best yet!

We have improved on worship night! First we made worship night longer. Second, we added an extra way for people to participate. Last and most importantly, I think we are listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit better. We may not be perfect, but we are better! We had some great worship, great celebration, great prayer for needs, and great quiet moments as well.

I am very excited about 2012. I am looking forward to getting two worship nights on the calendar next year. I am also excited about how God may help us improve our ability to hear his voice.

Fire Fall

Fire Fall started Sunday. I can't say enough about the quality of ministry from the Wall sisters and Aaron Snell. Their story of overcoming grief and loss was right on time for many people at church. One woman in our church bought their book and had read the entire book by 6:30 when worship night started. If you have been through a great loss in life remember a few things that were highlighted to us yesterday.

1. God is for you, not against you.
2. God is the best and most important companion you need.
3. God is your father forever.
4. God gives beauty for ashes, joy for tears.

Be Blessed.