What is Lordship...

Today, Pastor Cherry started a series...
What is Lordship...part1

Matthew 7:21-27

"The greatest challenge of the church today is reasserting the Lordship of Christ"

Most Americans today believe that religion is a personal matter.

Matthew 7:21
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Lordship is accepting the sovereignty of God. -- Really, do we truly know the meaning of the word...sovereignty? "Supreme authority" Accepting God's supreme authority...over every aspect of our lives. Not just the parts we want to give up, but all of it! Don't pick and choose where we want God in our lives...it means all of it!

Matthew 8:2
2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

If you don't trust me in all...you don't trust me at all!

Matthew 22:36-40
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied:
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Do we believe...Do we understand:
His holiness? That God owns everything? God is Lord of All? He is in control? That He really works all things out for those that love him???

What is the 1st Commandment... “You shall have no other gods before me."

Lordship is putting Him number 1...in EVERY AREA of our lives!

...are you pickin' up what I'm puttin' down?

Do you ever consider the Pastor’s job? His job is to teach us…the congregation…some of whom are very bright and understand clearly, and some who will tilt their head with a “huh?” look on their face. Really, there must be a lot of stress on a pastor to choose scripture and then choose metaphors; implicit comparisons, figurative language, symbols, etc., that work together to teach each and everyone in the congregation! I imagine that after the pastor has laid it out and made the point, they look out at the people in the pews and in their mind they are asking…are you pickin’ up what I’m puttin’ down?!

I believe Pastor Cherry does a fine job of teaching all of us…that being said, let’s see how well I’m trackin’!

Today’s sermon was in part a re-cap on last week, “Look to the Clouds”. (refresh your memory -- read last weeks blog first! )

(Last week) I Kings 18:41-46

(This week) I Kings 19: 1-18

**I Kings 19:11
The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. (NIV)

...If we wonder why we don’t hear the voice of God…maybe, we should focus on the problem first. The problem being us. Personal accountability to God. The solution...stay in the word, read it, share it, live it….God’s voice is clearer when we are thinking things of God! God’s voice doesn’t have to be like roaring thunder or waves crashing on the rocks, it can be just a whisper, "if" we are ready to hear it!

Come to church…let’s help each other to stay in the word!!
*Hebrews 10:24-25,
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (NIV)

Are you ready for this year, 2011, to be a great journey in your Faith…
Faith in Jesus Christ?! ...this year we want to be the people who love God!!
*Psalm 28:7-8
7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. 8 The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.

Pay attention to the sermon so if your Pastor looks out and asks, “are you pickin’ up what I’m puttin’ down?!”, You can shout out a loud AMEN!!!

Look to the Clouds!!!

What if this is the year that the Lord returns?

Mark 13:26-27
26 “At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. (NIV)

Pastor Cherry’s message today was not about looking back…but looking forward!
Not of victories or defeats gone by, but what God has in store for us in the days ahead!!

In I Kings we are reminded and encouraged of the prospects for a new year!

1 Kings 18:41-46
41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” 42 So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees. 43 “Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked. “There is nothing there,” he said. Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.” 44 The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’” 45 Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. 46 The power of the LORD came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel. (NIV)

Our challenge today…
Believe like Elijah did! Have faith like Elijah had! Hear God’s voice, know God’s heart, see God at work! Listen to the Character of God…

Isaiah says in Chapter 65 verse 24 ~ “ Before they call I will answer; While they are still speaking I will hear.”

Prepare yourself and get ready…God already knows what is going to happen!!!
Apply this verse to the challenge…

Eph 2:10-11
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. 11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands (NIV)

Like Elijah, have Faith for the clouds…they may have more significance for us than they did for Elijah…

It-Snow-Wonder!

Pastor William Bull is my Uncle Bill! http://www.thesheltertree.com/ is his blog. If you have a little time, you really should visit “The Shelter Tree”, have fun with the stories, study the scriptures, and be enlightened and uplifted by the prayers!

Today “The Shelter Tree” blog was titled ~ONE SIZE FITS ALL~ It is a fun story…but what really caught my attention was a scripture that was used. (Uncle Bill’s choice) Job, chapter 37, beginning with verse 6, where we read these words as recorded in the paraphrase of the Bible, The Message: He orders the snow, 'Blanket the earth!'…No one can escape the weather—it's there. And no one can escape from God. Wild animals take shelter, crawling into their dens, When blizzards roar out of the north and freezing rain crusts the land.

Well, it’s frigid and snowy outside and I find my self complaining how miserable it is. Today I stopped by the church to take care of a few chores. As I was leaving out the back door ( in a hurry as usual) I was struggling with the load in my arms and trying to get the door closed. As I walked towards my truck I looked up. On the north side of our little church, the snow was bright and sparkling, the trees were heavy with snow caps and the snow was curling off the pump house roof. A light snow was swirling around in a soft breeze. Beautiful!! It took my breath away!

It-Snow-Wonder I’m in awe at such a sight…He ordered it, God did it! I pray I can be more thankful for all the blessings, like snow, ice and cold, that God gives us!

(this picture is not from our church, but is an example of God's beautiful work!)

Things to want!!

Today is frosty! The horses have ice on their eye lashes and around their noses! -- I notice the animals don't complain...they have faith! Faith that they will be fine, Faith that I will feed them every day...Faith that I love them and care deeply for them! That's what I want...Faith!

Today, Pastor Ron Molina taught on Faith. People of Faith that he admires!....


Mary ~ had Faith that trusts ...Luke 1:26

Joseph ~ had Faith that is obedient ...Matt 1:18

Simeon ~ had Faith that waits ...Luke 2:25

Anna ~ had Faith that served ...Luke 2:36

The Shepherds ~ had Faith that believes before it sees ...Luke 2:8

The Wise Men ~ had Faith that worships ...Matt 2:1-12

I want what they have...Faith! I want to grow in my Faith till I have Faith that trusts, is obedient, waits, serves, believes before it sees and worships! I want Faith that puts God first in every aspect of my life, don't you!?!

A big thanks to Pastor Ron Molina, his wife Beth and their children for joining us today!

Kurt, Georgie, Madi and Hanna, we missed you!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

What ever God has planned for us in this new year, I pray we all welcome it with open arms and give thanks for all we are blessed with!

It's cold out, so be careful and enjoy the season! See you all sometime this year...God willing!

Stay in prayer and may grace and blessings be with you!

What If..........

Lets re-cap on today's message from Pastor Cherry.

WHAT IF..........

Acts 4:13-33

Closing the Old Year.

Year of New Beginnings.

This could be the year of Revival.

Revelations 2:1-5

What If your Prayers were answered!

Ephesians 3:20-21

WHAT IF...WHY NOT!

Plan for your New Year...remember, with God,
everything is possible!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord!

Luke 2:11

Christmas is coming!!

As we celebrate the Christmas season,
let us remember the birthday.

Matthew 1:21
And she shall bring forth a son,
and thou shalt call his name JESUS:
for He shall save His people from
their sins.

How blessed we are!! He had the birthday, but we got the gift!

Be thankful and share the reason for the season!

And...things change...

The church doesn't look like this to much, right now. And not just because it has knee deep snow on top, and all around it! It has been painted...same color, but looks fresh! The white has been re-painted, also. We have a new copper steeple...thank you Mr. Wood! And, there has been a lot of clean up of the grounds. The inside has been gone through...new paint, new curtains and drapes, remolded bathrooms, a food room for donations has been set up, the office and cry-room got a face lift and the up-stairs has been organized.

But, those aren't the changes I'm talking about. Not to long ago, we, the board, the congregation, were told we may have to close the doors of the church and call it quits. Of course, a few of us "die-hards" held on, even when we were told it was no use. But, it's GOD's church, and He decides when and if the doors close. With lots of prayers, our Lord has guided us through a very tough time. A Pastor wrote a very profound statement in an e-mail to me - "If at all possible, keep the church doors open. If just one person walks through those doors and finds Salvation, it will be worth it!." And then, he put us in touch with Pastor Cherry and his family.

Well, a year later, we still have the doors open and GOD continues to Bless us! I am always in AWE as to how GOD works in our lives! His Grace is truly amazing!! I'm excited to see where GOD takes the Church in the Wildwood a year from now!