Isaiah Nolte – Nicaragua Missionary

“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” [Romans 8:5-6]

Here are some examples:

I commit to run three times a week. At the time of commitment I am excited…yet at the time of execution, ego crawls in the ring with commitment.

We commit to a relationship. The time of commitment is fun and exciting…yet after some time, ego crawls in with commitment and our ‘relationship’ becomes more about me.

You work a job. The hours have gotten longer or harder than expected. You find yourself complaining, lashing out, and hurting the integrity of the business with the language leaving your lips each day. Your ego has crawled in front of your commitment.

Commitment says life is about providing for your family, taking care of your body, honoring others above yourself and loving your neighbor as yourself.

Ego says your comfort is most important, you need to exalt yourself, you can do it tomorrow, and giving people “what they have coming”.

We can never, ever, ever, ever be the people that we were created to become or love one another the way we were created to  if we continually allow our ego to overtake our commitment. Commitment will create the action plan you need to be blessed, successful, healthy and spiritually whole. Ego may feel better in the moment but will rob you in the long run.

Let’s be people of commitment! What has God led you to be committed to?

Let’s join together as we honor commitment and slay ego in every decision every day!

-Josh

What do i do when i am rejected for my faith, what do i say?
When rejected because of your faith it’s best to say very little. Rejection is a sign of other people’s unbelief. So, what’s most needed is for you to “silently” live the Christian life with great “volume.” This means boldly living the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control). Let your “debate” for the faith be the quality of Christ-likeness in your life.

Do you think that God intentionally presents problems to us?…so we can grow, as Pastor Doug said?
Yes. But not every problem has been intentionally put in your life by God. Some problems are “self-inflicted.” Some problems are the result of other people’s decisions. And some problem are simply the result of the imperfect world we live in. Yet, regardless of the source of the problem, EVERY problem has a God-purpose: to cause us to grow!

If you have questions during the sermon, please connect with us by texting in your questions to 701-484-1463.

- Pastor Doug

Message notes can be downloaded here: 4:7NOTES

In doing so..

Jesus allowed me to survive my humanity. He chose to justify me. He chose to reign in eternity. He chose to save me.

I keep reflecting on the message from this past Sunday in church and thinking about the decision of Jesus to endure the embarrassment, harassment, humiliation and mockery that took place on the day of his crucifixion. It had to be virtually unbearable. The physical and emotional torment of watching the same faces that had shouted ‘Hosanna’ a week earlier now yelling curses at you with eyes of hatred and rage. It’s almost impossible to understand how or why he would endure.

The temptation for me would be so strong to step down off that cross…to display my God quality…to repay wrath right then. I’m so thankful that wasn’t Jesus’ response.

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

He chose to sanctify me. He chose to justify me. He chose to choose me. He chose to save me…instead of himself.

Because of that sacrifice, we now get the opportunity to dwell and prosper under His grace. His response to our sinfulness and mistakes has not changed. He is still graciously patient, enduring with us as we struggle to realize and grasp His grace.

It’s hard for us to understand this grace. We want to earn it. We want to give a cause that would create the effect of grace in our lives. Jesus didn’t work like that. The cause is our sinfulness, our inability to save ourselves, our brokenness…but His effect is undeserved, unmerited, unlimited GRACE. Not birthed from our own works but by faith…simply because He decided to do it that way.

Stop striving. Stop apologizing. Stop trying to earn your way back.

Embrace Him. Embrace His grace.

He didn’t resist then and He won’t resist today!

View/Download Message Notes Here: No Resume

In order to make our marriages all God wants them to be, we have to be committed to the covenant relationship God has called marriage to be.  We can do this by:
1.  Being intentional about our marriages.
2. Not giving way to fear.
3.  Acting according to our convictions (instead of our feelings).
4.  Having fun.

Yesterday we referenced the “Marriage Discipleship Plan” that we created to help us stay intentional about our marriage.  It helps us to look honestly at where we are in our marriage, and where we want to go.  Below is our 2012/2013 Marriage Discipleship Plan.

Flaten Family 2012/13 Marriage Discipleship Plan
-fitness
-Scott: maintain a healthy weight
-Alyssa: maintain a healthy weight
-Scott: run a tri-athalon
-Alyssa: walk a half marathon
-find and read a health related
book (7 pillars of health by Colbert)

-marriage
-quarterly get away weekend
-find and read a marriage related
book “meaning of marriage” by Tim Keller
-start “couch time” when possible
-save for celebration trip
-find and read a budgeting book (winning w money by Coleman)
-open money market/mutual fund
accounts

-family
-attend parenting small group
-develop Flaten family character list (7 character
traits)

-spiritual
-read through the bible in a year
-write a worship song together
-find a new ministry to support
financially

I share this to give you a practical place to start in your own marriage discipleship plan.  The important thing is to talk and pray with your spouse about how you want to grow in the next year, and come up with categories and goals that fit who God has called you to be as a couple.  Hopefully our list will be a springboard to help you get started on your own.

I am truly loving Evangel’s marriage series “For Life”.  Let’s commit to whatever it takes to have God-honoring, powerful marriages that reflect the love of Christ to our world!

Scott

Women will be encouraged through worship, discussion, eating together, making new friends, and Angela’s teaching. Women who have lived hesitant, cautious lives but long to break free and dance will be reminded that God wants each of us to become strong, decisive, wise, creative, passionate, and courageous. God wants you to become a woman of righteous confidence. The registration cost is ?? which includes a catered lunch on Saturday.

REGISTER HERE: Date Night

Date Night
Friday, February 15
6:00-9:00PM at the Element

Speaker: Joe Oden, from the North Texas District of the Assemblies of God

Workshops begin at 3:00PM
Catered Meal at 5:00PM
Friday Main Service at 7:00PM, late night activities after the service.
Saturday Session at 9:00AM

Register by February 18, there is a $10.00 fee for late registrations.
Adults: $34.00
Students: $17.00

Men’s Conference 2013 – Adult Ticket
Men’s Conference 2013 – Student Ticket

As a full day conference, the format is simple and resonates with men. During our morning and afternoon general sessions, we gather for worship, testimony and our keynote speaker. In the middle of the day we offer four break-out seminars from leading pastors, teachers and authors.

This year the keynote speaker is Kenny Luck, with breakout seminar speakers James Macdonald, Dan Seaborn, Vince D’Acchioli and Steve Sonderman.

The conference is a live webcast from Elmbrook Church in Brookfield, Wisconsin. The cost of the Conference is $20.00 which includes lunch. Admission is at the door.

For more information about speakers go to: www.menwithnoregrets.org.

Men, please help us make the conference a success by:
1- Praying that the event would go well, and that God would work in the lives of men attending.
2- Promote the conference within your church. (See attachments and video promo link)
3- Forward to other men / churches that may be interested.

This week Pastor Doug is beginning a new series called “Blessed, Again!”  In this series we will be encouraged to trust God with our lives, our jobs, and our finances.

First Service
Glory To God Forever (Beeching, Fee)
Fovever (Tomlin)
Holy, Holy, Holy (Barker)
The Stand (Houston)

Second and Third Services
Sing To The King (Foote, Horne)
You Are Good (Johnson)
Waiting Here For You (Tomlin, Reeves, Smith)
Worshiping You (Stockstill)

On this last Sunday in 2012, Pastor Doug is speaking a message called “Resolution”-encouraging us to live for Christ to the fullest and be fearless in our pursuit of His plans for our lives.

First Service
Let God Arise (Tomlin, Cash, Reeves)
Everlasting God (Brown)
Jesus Paid It All
Love Came Down (Johnson)

Second and Third Services
The Lord Reigns (Kuehn)
God Is With Us Now (Beach)
Waiting Here For You (Reeves, Smith, Tomlin)
10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord) (Redman)

This week we begin our Christmas series, “HE CAME”.
Luke 4: 17-19
¹⁷ The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:
¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free,
¹⁹  and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.

All Services
Angels We Have Heard On High (Barnes, Chadwick)
Joy To The World (Unspeakable Joy) (Cash, Gilder, Handel, Tomlin)
Away In A Manger (Hallelujah) (Trad, Chorus: Flaten)
O Come All Ye Faithful (Tomlin)

This week we begin our Christmas series, “HE CAME”.
Luke 4: 17-19
¹⁷ The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:
¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free,
¹⁹  and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.

All Services
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Wesley)
Joy To The World (Unspeakable Joy) (Cash, Gilder, Handel, Tomlin)
Jesus At The Center (Houghton)
O Holy Night (Tomlin)

This week we begin our Christmas series, “HE CAME”.
Luke 4: 17-19
¹⁷ The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:
¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free,
¹⁹  and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.

All Services
Salvation is Here (Houston)
Angels We Have Heard On High (Barnes, Chadwick)
Away In A Manger (Trad, Chorus: Flaten)
Glory In The Highest (Cash, Tomlin)

This week we hear about the great work of Convoy of Hope.

First Service
Unchanging (Tomlin)
Open the Eyes of My Heart (Baloche)
‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus (Stead, Meyer)
Always Forever (Wickham)

Second and Third Services
Rain Down (Smith)
Running (Crocker, Ligertwood)
Jesus At The Center (Houghton)
10,000 Reasons (Redman)

This week we hear about Fire Bibles.

First Service
Everyone (Packiam)
God is Great (Sampson)
How Great Thou Art (Hine)
Breathe (Barnett)

Second and Third Services
Running (Crocker, Ligertwood)
Our God (Crocker, Finochio)
This Is Life (Woodley)
Fire Fall Down (Crocker)

This week we hear from Slave Free Earth, an organization that “exists to bring freedom to all those caught up in the sex traffic world.”

First Service
Everyday (Houston)
We Are Hungry (Kilman)
Come Thou Found, Come Thou King (Miller, Robinson)
All Who Are Thirsty (Brown, Robertson)

Second and Third Services
Awesome Is The Lord Most High (Tomlin)
Our God (Tomlin)
10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord) (Redman)
For The Sake Of The World (Johnson)

This week we celebrate with those being water baptized!

First Service
Hosanna (Baloche)
King of Wonders (Baloche, Chapman, Houghton)
The Old Rugged Cross (Bennard)
Your Name (Baloche, Packiam)

Second and Third Services
The Truth and the Way (Flaten)
You Are Good (Johnson)
The Lord Reigns (Kuehn)
Glory To God Forever (Beeching, Fee)

This week Pastor Doug continues an 8 week series called “The Word”.

John 1:1
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

First Service
In The Secret (Park)
Great Is Thy Faithfulness (Chisholm)
Better is One Day (Redman)
Amazing Love (You Are My King) (Foote)

Second and Third Services
Let God Arise (Tomlin)
Your Love Never Fails (McClarney, Skinner)
Here In Your Presence (Egan)
Give Me Faith (Brock, Brown)

Have you ever said “Hello Timothy” to someone? Maybe a young person or a peer grabs your attention because when you meet them your eyes immediately move past the physical and into the potential you see in that person. All of the sudden you are drawn to them for a reason you can’t necessarily explain. I believe this is what happened to Paul. He had not even met Timothy but because of the reports and what he had heard, there was something that drew him to Timothy…to invest his very life in this young man. Before Timothy even knew what happened, one of the most influential people since Jesus had grabbed on to him and was traveling the countryside with him. Imagine the conversations: Paul what do you think about this? Tell me what was it like to be blinded by God? Timothy, what do you dream about God doing with your life? Imagine all the lessons this young Timothy learned by Paul’s obedience of adding him to his company.

Whether you’re a pastor, a business leader, a farmer or a construction worker, who can you add into your life and give time to? Who is the Timothy, waiting for their life to be changed because of your belief in them and commitment to see them prosper. Beyond our own families, we are called to raise up those around us.

How do we do it?

Take the conversation deeper. Ask the important questions. Call out the potential and greatness you see. Dream with them.

-Josh-

I think most women identify with Martha. We have all gotten caught up in doing good things and missing out on the one that that is needed most, developing our relationship with Jesus.

I find it interesting that Martha is the one who invited Jesus to her home. She made the choice to serve him and show hospitality. She had a generous heart and I am sure her motives were pure, but she got overwhelmed in all the preparations. In the middle of her busyness she realized she needed help. The person closest to her (her sister) wasn’t helping.

Something had to be done. Obviously if your sister doesn’t listen to you, you talk to a person she might listen to and that was Jesus. Martha asked Jesus to talk to her sister. Instead Jesus addresses Martha’s issues. “Martha, Martha, the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things.”

Being upset and worried about many things leads me to believe that it wasn’t just the preparations of the day that was on Martha’s mind. I think when Jesus speaks it goes straight to the heart. He never beats around the bush. She knew in her heart what was going on and I am guessing she became convicted and began to deal with her issues.

The reason I believe Martha learned some things about herself in that encounter with Jesus is this… when her brother dies she meets Jesus and says, “Lord if you would have been here my brother would not have died”. She had faith, she knew who Jesus was and the power He had. What she didn’t fully understand yet was Jesus had a different plan than hers. Jesus wanted to demonstrate his power of resurrection. Someone had to die in order for Him to demonstrate His power.

Martha learns that, “Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in Him will live even though his body dies, he will live with God in heaven.

I am reminded that my first priority is to spend time with Jesus. Let Him be the priority of my heart and mind. I must saturate myself in His presence. Another thing I am reminded of is that God’s ways are not always my ways. Sometimes there are things we don’t see or understand and we simply have to trust. It is discovered through our opportunities to trust when we do not see or understand what Jesus is doing that our faith is strengthened and we grow deeper in our relationship with Him. Those times become markers in our lives. Markers are reminders of what God had done for us and how He has demonstrated is presence and power in our lives.

Let’s remember Jesus phrase to Martha, ” but only one thing is needed”. Take time today to get the “one thing” that is most important!

Vicki

This week Pastor Doug continues an 8 week series called “The Word”.

John 1:1
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

First Service
Forever (Tomlin)
Glory To God Forever (Fee, Beeching)
New Doxology (Ken, Miller)
Overcome (Egan)

Second and Third Services
Rain Down (Smith)
I Give You Glory (Spyker)
Healer (Guglielmucci)
You Have Conquered (River Valley Church)

Today’s reading we learned about the woman who came to Jesus for healing. The Bible tells us that she had a issue of blood. She had non-stop bleeding for 12 years. To realize what kind of toll this took on her mentally, emotionally and physically we need to think about the culture and day in which she lived.

The issues of discharge, or a woman having her menstrual cycle was considered unclean (Lev. 15:25-27). When a person was considered unclean anyone or anything they touched would have been considered unclean. To be unclean meant you was polluted and untouchable. To go about your daily tasks would have been extremely difficult for her.

As a woman she was considered a second -class citizen in her day and time, then you add the issue of being “unclean” and I am sure it became overwhelming at times. She must have felt she was isolated, the feeling of being unwanted.

After such a long time of seeing medical doctors and no one having answers for her, she must have thought the worst. But, hearing about a man named Jesus who healed people must have given her hope and she began to dream of what it would be like to live without the issue of blood. If only she could get to Jesus and touch Him. She believed in her heart. She had to meet this Jesus!

She was able to find Jesus and standing in a crowd of people she went up and touched Him. Suddenly she knew she was healed! Jesus also knew at that moment that healing power had gone out from Him.

Do you ever feel unwanted, alone in your struggle? Do you ever feel like giving up, that things will never get better? Let me encourage you that Jesus is still the healer of every situation and circumstance. Don’t give up. Keep pressing into the crowd to receive your healing. Jesus cares, He see, He knows and He wants to touch you!

Vicki

This week Pastor Josh continues an 8 week series called “The Word”.

John 1:1
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

First Service
Everyone (Packiam)
Blessed Assurance (Crosby)
Enough (Tomlin)

Second and Third Services
The Truth And The Way (Flaten)
Deep Cries Out (Gilbertson, Williams)
Love Came Down (Johnson)

Today we read about Elizabeth, and what strikes me most about her is her faith. Luke 1:6 gives us some insight into the lives of Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah… “Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly.” What a statement to be said about someone! They loved God and followed Him faithfully.

Elizabeth’s pain and sorrow was that she couldn’t have children. When we read about them in scripture they are “well along in years”. I am sure they had given up on the idea that they would be able to expand their family with a child. God is so amazing though… when we least expect it… He comes up with an awesome plan!

God says to Zechariah through an angel of the Lord that “your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John”. The angel goes on to say… “He will be a joy and delight to you…he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth…Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God…to make ready a people prepared for the Lord”.

Not only was Elizabeth going to be blessed with a child, but she was going to blessed with a SPECIAL child that God had clearly given an assignment of purpose. Elizabeth says… “The Lord has done this for me, In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people”.

As we continue to read we learn that Elizabeth is related to Mary who becomes the mother of Jesus. How excited these women were to meet each other as they are both expecting special God given children. At this meeting scripture says… “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the holy Spirit”.

What we can learn from Elizabeth is to be found faithful in the waiting. Whatever you are waiting for, praying for, longing for, desiring… God knows, God see’s, God understands, God has not forgotten… His timing is always right. Hold on tightly to God and allow Him to lead you where He wants you to go… be found faithful in the waiting!

Vicki

Every young girl who hears the story of Esther dreams about being a beautiful young Queen who is admired by everyone. Esther was a Hebrew orphan girl who married a Persian King, not by her own choosing, but by God’s divine plan. This is what makes the Story of Esther so admirable… we see “God moments” throughout the ten chapters of the book of Esther.

Esther is not a fairy tale, but there is a happy ending to her story… “she lived happily ever after” because she was devoted to God and wanted His will to be done through her life. It is clear that Esther gave herself to God and wanted to please Him in whatever she did. The favor of God was upon her because her heart was turned toward Him.

Nothing in this story is coincidence. From Esther finding herself in the palace to saving the Jewish Nation. I believe that God can do the same in our lives today. When we follow Him and say “yes” to Him throughout our lives God will show up and we will see “God moments” in our own story.

I also believe that we must daily pick up our cross and follow Jesus. In Esther’s story there is a denial of self and a submissive heart to do God’s plan instead of her own. This is the key to living a life… “happily ever after”.

Vicki

Unfortunately, we experienced some technical difficulties while recording this sermon and lost some of the audio in middle. We are working on finding a solution for this problem for future recordings.

As members of God’s kingdom, as Jesus’ body here on earth, and as a member of a church as an organization, what does it mean to live a life that is ‘faithful’?

In Luke 19, we read a parable about a master who gave money out to three different servants. His instructions were to ‘Put this money to work until I get back.’ Each received a piece of money. The first came back having multiplied it by 10. The next by 5. The last by 1. Each man was rewarded according to his RISK. The only person reprimanded was the one who simply preserved his money rather than taking a risk by investing it. Because he did not invest what was given to him, the little he had was taken away.

In this teaching, Jesus is trying to show those following him that the kingdom of God would not appear immediately, but it would take time and investment to see God’s kingdom unfold. Today, we make the same decisions with what we’ve been given. Will we hold tightly to the talents, time, money, and people we’ve been entrusted with or will we make an investment. The kingdom of God is revealed to us today through men and women who TAKE RISKS while INVESTING their time, money and talent into the kingdom of God. There is great reward when you invest all you have into God’s kingdom.

This makes me think of Doug’s sermon on Sunday. We see how little we have to invest. The wonderful thing, not matter how much we have to invest, is that God sees the “Let there be…” His power combined with your faith, will bring dividends in your life compared to what you can accomplish by faithfully ‘preserving’ what you’ve been given. Take the faithfulness risk today and invest. Let God created a “Let there be… ” moment in your life!

-Josh

This week Pastor Doug continues an 8 week series called “The Word”.

John 1:1
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

First Service
Everlasting God (Brown)
My Savior Lives (Egan, Packiam)
Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) (Tomlin)
Beauty of the Lord (Anderson)

Second and Third Services
Happy Day (Cantelon, Hughes)
With One Word (Barnard, Everett)
My Soul Sings (Smith)
For The Sake Of The World (Johnson, Riddle)

Check out this crazy verse from Psalms 58: 6:

“Break the teeth in their mouths, O God…”

Yikes!  Chances are, you might not have read that verse before!  Have you ever prayed a prayer like that?  If so, it may be time to seek professional help, or at least join Pastor Terry’s MMA class… :)

Before we write David off as some over-dramatic psycho, we need to realize something about some of the Psalms.  This Psalm, like others (see Psalm 37), have strong language asking God to deal harshly with those who do wrong, or oppress others.  It’s never wrong for God’s people to pray against evil in the world, or for freedom for those who are held captive.  David is crying out against injustice and oppression.

This is challenging to me.  Honestly, I don’t spend a lot of time praying that injustice would be reversed, or that the oppressed people in our world would be free.  If you’re like me, let’s ask God to open our eyes to injustice, unfairness, and oppression in our world:

Jesus, help me to get my eyes off of myself and to lift up those who need You to bring justice and freedom.
I look forward to the day that you will wipe the tears from our eyes, and bring perfect peace to the world.
Give me a love for You that spills out to others, near and far.
Amen.

Today, we find another great woman leader in the Old Testament. Abigail was guided by humility, faith, generosity, intelligence, and honesty! She had incredible wisdom that was God given. Let’s explore these characteristics that we find in her life…

HUMILITY – Abigail is married to an extremely wealthy man, Nabal, who was very prideful and arrogant. All the things Abigail was, Nabal wasn’t. When David’s men came and asked Nabal for provision, Nabal refused. David had protected Nabal’s men, and Nabal’s wealth increased on account of David’s protection. What arrogance for Him to turn David away. When Abigail heard the news, she could have hid or gotten clear out of town. She knew there would be severe consequences on account of her husband’s behavior. How embarrassing, and humiliating to be associated with such a man. I believe it took humility for Abigail to realize that she had to so something to save her household and to try to redeem the mistakes of her husband.

FAITH – Abigail had heard of what David had done, not just for her household, but how he had killed Goliath and how he had escaped King Saul’s attempts to kill him. She knew David was a man blessed by God. She had faith to believe David was God’s servant and she wanted to honor him and his request. It also took faith for her to believe that God would be with her as she approached David even though her husband had said and done something foolish.

GENEROSITY – David’s request for Nabal was to give him and his men some provision, “whatever you can find”. That seems like a simple enough request. Abigail felt that she needed to not only bring provisions to David, but go over the top with generous gifts of food as a way of maybe asking forgiveness for her husband. She provided not only the men’s needs, but some of their desires as well.

INTELLIGENCE – I Samuel 25:3 tells us that Abigail was “intelligent and beautiful”. I am guessing that David had maybe heard this about her before he ever met her. Her reputation had preceded her. Her intelligence moved her to do something immediately to resolve the situation between Nabal and David. She needed to have a plan quickly and I believe that her intelligence helped her with that plan.

HONESTY – When Abigail found David, she was honest and upfront with him about the evil in her husband’s heart. She called Nabal “wicked” and a “fool”. She didn’t cover up or try to make excuses for her husband. She was honest and said the truth about his character. People respect someone who is honest.

Abigail is a great example of a woman who stands for what what is right, a woman who is proactive, not reactive, a woman who goes the extra mile without being asked. She is definitely had strength of character I would like to imitate. How about you?

Vicki

Proverbs 4:23 is a great piece of advice for us all:

“Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.”

Our hearts represent the center of who we are-the source of desire and decision.  Instead of the organ that pumps blood throughout the body, the heart, as used in the Bible, can represent the totality of our intellect, emotion, and will.

It’s interesting that after this verse comes 3 chapters (see Prov 5, 6:20-35, 7) talking about the dangers of adultery.  In our lives, so many things are pulling our hearts away from intimacy with God.  Everyday we are given an opportunity to “grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord” (2 Pet 3:18), or to do the opposite.  There’s no coasting in our relationship with Jesus-we’re either growing or dying.  If you think that’s harsh, check out 1 Pet 2:11:

“Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.”

This war is for you-your attention, your affection, your life.  If the enemy can get you to let your guard down, and compromise a little here, a little there, then he’s neutralized the threat to the kingdom of darkness that you represent.

So the encouragement today is this: take an honest look at  your life.  Are you being diligent in guarding your heart, or are you allowing compromise to stunt your growth?  Pray and ask Jesus to reveal areas of your life where compromise is present, and move forward in the victorious life that God intends for his people!

Spoken Word performed by Alicia Frohlich

Nothingness. The blackest darkness. Void and empty.
But God, was. He breathed and had plenty.
Stretched sky from palm to palm. In His hands molded Earth, like clay.
Hung the stars, as if on string. Galaxies on display.
Creator.
All from a breath, up from His lung,
Rolled off His tongue
And had meaning..
Translator.
He is, and through Him all things are
Because in the beginning was the Word
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
God has His Word, is His Word, created with His Word,
Its heard
Everywhere you go, creation singing praises.
He spoke His Word, gave His Word, kept His Word
As heard
By Elijah on the mountain top, or by Moses as the bush blazes.
But even more, He sent His Word.
His own Son, undercover from the beginning.
Jesus, who came to save this world that is so obsessed with sinning.
The Word became flesh,
Walked among us and laid silent at the thresh
Of the insults and mocking,
But little did we know He was unlocking
The door to which the Father has been knocking,
Our hearts.
First, formless. Empty. Blank canvasses,
To which He wrote upon with His Word.
He stirred
Passion inside of us.
Engraving Himself into the very wellspring of out lives,
Claiming us at our very deepest level, before all the lies
Came in disguise
And tricked us into compromise,
He had us. He has us.
Each of us but a breath, but breathed into being
All by His word; Him seeing
Us as we are, and foreseeing
Who we are yet to be.
Beautifully tattooed
That it cannot be removed or even smudged.
And we know that by it we will be judged,
But why do we fear that?
His word is not rule, religion, command, demand, obligation
As much as it’s a gracious invitation
Into transformation
And an illustration
Of God’s desperation
To be loved by those He loved first,
The ‘worst’
In the eyes of the world.
The ones whose debt He paid, though He could not be reimbursed.
Oh, weary, anxious, restless soul
Starving for the answer to make you whole,
Know
The Word of God.

Love letter repeating
New mercies each day.
The nest in which I curl up in and lay
When I cannot stand any longer.
And, there, find my rest and that His Word is stronger
Than all I could ever try to be.
So why would we hold off any longer?
When you’re hungry, you eat.
Thirsty, you drink.
Tired, you sleep.
So why would we think
Its any different with our souls?
Jesus, the Loaf of Heaven. His Word, the Bread of Life
It is He
Who will satisfy. It is He
Who is plenty.
Not the crumbs of commentaries.
He and His Word are enough.
So pick it up. Pick it apart.
It’s the only way to know His heart.
And if you don’t know His heart, then you don’t know His Word,
And without all of that then His will is blurred,
Unheard.
Ignored.
But His Word is active and sharper than a double-edged sword,
Cutting out what is not pleasing so you can be restored
Back to Him who preferred
Death on a cross over risking not spending eternity with you.
So what’s a little time with the true
Lover and Author of our lives?
The only One who satisfies,
And answers the cries
Of a hungry heart.
But then make sure to do your part
To seek His Word,
And know His Word.
Reek of His Word,
Then show His Word.
Embrace His Word,
Then trace His Word
On the frames of your doorways and gates of your city,
For what’s better than to know our God who is forgiving
And His very Word that is living?

Disciples: “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
Jesus: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

So many principles in the kingdom of God run the absolute opposite direction of “normal” or everyday thinking. Over and over again, Jesus teaches the kingdom of God and it confounds the wise, because it doesn’t seem to make sense according to what we would naturally think. This case is exactly the same. To be GREAT in the kingdom of God is to return back to the cradle of child-like faith. Think of the implications of this in your life? How would you ask for things when you were a child compared to how you’d ask today. For me, there are MANY questions that I may have stated very frankly as a child that I probably wouldn’t even utter today, either because of fear of what people would think or because I’m not sure it would produce the proper result.

How would this change if, guarded by love, we spoke to one another with the faith of a young child. Or if we prayed for one another with childlike faith, not seeking eloquent words or prayers that seem wise but rather, are soaked in faith and stated very clearly to to the Lord. The Bible even instructs us to not go on and on with empty words but says that if we ask, we will receive. So maybe prayer is less about explaining situations and needs to God and more about just stating it plainly while spending more time focused on who He is…and less on what I need Him to do. When I focus this way, it allows me to ENJOY God’s presence rather than merely use it or come to it in a religious or routine fashion.

Come like a child. Reach up to Him. Enjoy the Father. Ask him plainly, with great faith and expectation. These will become the greatest in His kingdom!

-Josh

Ruth is probably my favorite female character in the Scriptures. I have always loved hearing her story even when I was a little girl. She has incredible strength of character and chose to do what was right instead of what was easy. I believe she had a sense of duty, honor and love for her mother-in-law. I assume that her love for mother-in law, Naomi is a reflection of how she loved her husband who had passed away.

Ruth left her family and friends and all that was familiar to travel to Bethlehem to live with Naomi. She understand that it was going to cost her something… hard work… persistence… loneliness… and yet she chose to do was right. As Ruth went into the fields looking for food she found favor with Boaz, a distant relative of Naomi. By this time, Ruth had gained a reputation… Boaz said to Ruth, “I’ve been told all about what you have done…” It was good that she had been so kind to stay with Naomi and to care for her. Boaz looked at Ruth favorably because of what Ruth had done.

Ruth was also obedient. When Naomi asked to her go to Boaz and lie down at his feet after the harvest celebration… Ruth said, “I will do whatever you say…” Again we find her continuing to do the right things even though it wasn’t easy. When Boaz discovers her laying at his feet in the middle of the night, he expressed approval and even stated, “you are a woman of noble character.” Ruth had made a name for herself and it was good.

Boaz becomes the Kinsmen Redeemer that brings Ruth into his home as his wife. Ruth becomes pregnant and has a son who become the grand-father to Kind David and he is part of the genealogy of Jesus.

If we want to have noble character like Ruth we must…

1. Put others first… Ruth found favor because she thought of Naomi’s needs before her own. Mark 9:35 – He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”

2. Be obedient to God and God given authority. 2 John 1:6 – “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.”

3. Becoming more like Christ. Ephesians 5:1 – “Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children.

It seems like a tall order to walk in Ruth’s shoes, but the Holy Spirit living inside of us makes it possible!

Vicki

Proverbs is made up of short, strong statements that are easy to remember, and teach on a variety of issues including: family, youth, sexual purity, marital faithfulness, honesty, hard work, generosity, friendship, justice, righteousness, and discipline.

Most of the proverbs are credited to Solomon, David’s son.  Unfortunately, Solomon’s life also serves as a prime example of what happens when wisdom is ignored  (See 1 Kings 11:1-11).

It’s interesting that Proverbs doesn’t associate wisdom with intellegence. Proverbs 1:7 states:

“The fear of the Lord is the
beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and
discipline.”

A right relationship with God is the beginning of wisdom.  If we honor the word of the Lord, and do what is right in His sight, we will gain wisdom, understanding, and blessing.

Scott

This week Pastor Doug continues an 8 week series called “The Word”.

John 1:1
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

First Service
I Give You Glory (Spyker)
Blessed Be Your Name (Redman)
O How I Love Jesus (Whitfield)
Holy Is The Lord (Tomlin)

Second and Third Services
Praise Him (Finnochio, Crocker)
The Lord Reigns (Kuehn)
This Is Life (Woodley)
Lead Me To The Cross (Fraiser)

Miriam is known as spiritual leader to the Israelite women. She was incredibly courageous, even as a young girl, she watched her baby brother Moses float in a basket in the Nile River. She appeared to have no fear when Pharaoh’s daughter came to retrieve this little boy and save him from death. She approached Pharaoh’s daughter and asked, “should I go and find a Hebrew mom that can nurse the baby?” Whether she was prepped for this task by her mother Jochebed or not, it took courage and a realization that God was with her and she was doing what God would want her to do. 1 Corinthians 16:13 says, “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.” I am amazed at this young girls strength and awareness of God’s presence.

Fast forward… As the children of Israel leave Egypt, Miriam leads the people in praising God. She is a co-leader with her brother Aaron, but both Miriam and Aaron are under Moses authority. Moses was their baby brother. After awhile Aaron and Miriam became jealous. “Who does Moses think he is, why should he be given such authority?” They became jealous and prideful. They did not want to admit the ugliness that was growing in their own hearts. They tried to cover it up by blaming Moses wife for their behavior of questioning their brother Moses authority. They may have been thinking that since Moses wife was a Cushite woman, what right did she have going into the land God had promised the Hebrew children. This was only a cover up.

They thought more highly of themselves than they ought! Romans 12:3 speaks to this very attitude saying, “Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.”

God saw what was really happening in their hearts. “…The Lord doesn’t see the things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7b).

God disciplined Miriam by giving her leprosy and sending her outside the camp for seven days. What a painful wakeup call to get her heart right! “…God disciplines those he loves… ” (Hebrews 12:6)

We can learn a few things from miriam…
1. No matter what you face… Be courageous and strong
2. Don’t try and cover up your sin… God sees what is in your heart
3. Keep the proper perspective of yourself… Measure yourself by the faith God has
given you
4. Learn from God’s correction… God disciplines those he loves

Aren’t you thankful for God’s love, forgiveness and restoration? I sure am. I wouldn’t be involved in ministry if it wasn’t for these things God so generously gives to us.

Vicki

One of the things I love about reading the Psalms is that no matter what emotion is being expressed, we’re always taken back to the main thing: trust in the Lord.  One great example from this week’s reading is Ps 31.  In this Psalm David talks about sickness, slander, terror, conspiricies, and dread that is present in his life and emotions.  That’s some pretty serious stuff!  But in the last verses of this chapter, David expresses these thoughts:

“Love the Lord, all his saints!
The Lord preserves the faithful,
but the proud He pays back in full.
Be strong and take heart,
       all you who hope in the Lord.”
(Ps 31: 23-24)

No matter what the emotion, David was anchored in his trust that God was in control, despite the way things appeared.  If you’re living, you’re experiencing a multitude of emotions everyday.  Our best response is not to hide our emotion from the Lord, but to run to Him with all of our fears, pains, and longings-always remembering that He’s in control, and we can trust in Him.

So, instead of cramming your emotions this week, take them to the Lord and let His Word change the way you think and act.

Scott

Finishing strong requiresConfidence. Remember, whether it’s a race or just our daily lives, our goal is to run hard through the finish line. But, of course, that is very hard to do in a race when you’re bogged down with a stomach or leg cramp. And it’s also very hard to do in life when you’re experiencing a bad day.

In my recent marathon I was really have a great run, until mile 24 when I started to feel the signs of my right thigh starting to cramp up. I thought, “Oh no! I’m almost to the finish line on my very first marathon!” And it wasn’t very many more strides and bam!  an all-out cramp forced me to stop, bend over, and stretch it out (and offer up a quick prayer, “Jesus, help me get to the finish line!”).

Sometimes life forces us to stop when we really don’t want to stop. Forces larger than our abilities make it impossible to move forward and we can do nothing but take a break and try to “stretch out” what’s cramping up in our lives. On the physical side there are a number of things that cause our muscles to cramp up (dehydration, over exertion, etc.). But on the spiritual side there one major cause that quickly brings our lives to a complete halt: sin.

Today’s verse from Hebrews 10:22-23 is the remedy!”Let us go right into the presence of God … for our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean … ” Nothing dehydrates the soul faster than unconfessed sin in our lives. And yet, what’s ironic is that Jesus is so ready to forgive us! It’s like a marathon runner who becomes hydrated even though the bottles on his/her belt pack are full of Gatorade!

Right now let the Holy Spirit remind you that there is plenty of hydration available to keep you from cramping up spiritually. Talk to Jesus right now and let your life be “washed with pure water” (verse 22). This water that cleanses our lives of sin is like Gatorade ‘on steroids’ … propelling you toward the finish line with a heart purified of all sin!

1) Tonight, the Element students are leading their generation (like they always do!) in seeking, worshipping, and standing for God! Also meeting tonight, the kids at HighPoint will discover Abraham, Isaac, and surely a few other things! Many adults will also be meeting tonight to connect with God and one another through Real Groups!

2) Thursday night, the UG young adults are tearing the false “beautiful” off of society and figuring out why beauty is fleeting but God’s love isn’t!

3) Friday night at Underground Church, we are going to discover who God is in the New Testament through teaching, reflection, fellowship and worship. You won’t believe you just spent 6 hours in “church”!! Worth it!

4) The Word series carries on via Terry Parkman in all three services this Sunday morning!

5) We want to see you! We want to connect with you! We want to connect to God with you!

It’s a great week to go deep or to reconnect to God and other people! Grab a friend and a journal and jump start your journey with us this week!

Gotta love John. I mean seriously. How can you not love a guy who writes a Gospel, gets it published in the Bible, and calls himself “the disciple that Jesus loved” through the entire thing.

I would imagine that the other disciples routinely snuck yeast into his unleavened bread…just to get back at him.

And yet there he is, always with Jesus. In fact he was in Jesus’ inner-circle of BFF’s , along with Peter and James, and was the ONLY disciple that didn’t leave Jesus’ side the entire journey to the cross.  There’s something to this guy.

As we have been reading through the Gospel of John this past week and a half I can’t help but notice an underlying current that moves the entire Gospel as we read.

That current I speak of is “love.”

From the very first verse to where we are now I notice that John takes special effort in detailing and drawing special attention to all the times Jesus uses the word “love.” In the rebuking of the overly religious Jesus says that they LOVE appearance more than obeying God and in the His conversation with Nicodemus in John 3 He speaks of how much God LOVES the world.

However, in the midst of all these encounters in the book of John, I notice this one statement that echoes above all others when Jesus makes this declaration:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” ~Jn. 13.34-35

To “love like Jesus.” Wow, that’s a pretty tall order. But when you begin to take it from the large statement it is and break it down into your everyday motives, thoughts, and intentions, you will begin to see exactly HOW Jesus loves. You see, it’s our actions that puts a megaphone to the mouth of Christ-in-us and let’s the world know that Jesus is very real and very interested in their souls.

It shouts from the rooftops that LOVE is the mark of everyone who has had their hearts set on fire by the Son of God. It’s the defining sign that not only marks us as Believers, but shows that we are believers.

So while John may initially come off like a brown-nosing boy getting everything he wanted at his Bar Mitzvah; he, in reality, is simply saying something that he discovered and something that we need to grasp: “Jesus LOVES us!” And once we let that revelation sink into our hearts, it will change the world.

1) God is willing!
When Jesus healed the leper, the leper’s question wasn’t, “Is Jesus able?” He KNEW Jesus was able. And he was about about to find out that Jesus is willing. Sometimes we run these same questions through our minds. Is Jesus really able? And even if he is, would he heal me? The answer is YES! I believe it is Jesus’ will to heal! Remember, when Jesus said “yes” to the leper, he was reaching to society’s lowest notch of humanity.

2) God demonstrates authority to those who understand authority.
The centurion knew that Jesus didn’t have to GO to his servant to heal him. He knew Jesus just needed to say the word and the servant would be healed. Because this man had faith enough to understand Jesus’ ability to distribute his authority, Jesus accepted his faith and healed his servant. Another thing worth noting is that this centurion demonstrated his compassionate heart before Jesus. The greatest microphone we can use to amplify our voices in the ear of God is compassion. If we develop a true, deep-seated compassion for people, the power of God is going to touch thousands of lives through us.

3) Don’t be offended at Jesus.
John the Baptist is in prison and he doesn’t understand. I don’t know if things didn’t look the way he expected or if he thought Jesus would live life differently but something isn’t right. Jesus’ response to a discouraged and questioning John is, “Don’t be offended.” I think he’s saying, “Don’t be offended if I don’t move, heal, or speak the way you expect me to.” We know it is Jesus’ will to heal and to speak. The fact of the matter is that sometimes he doesn’t. We can’t always explain why not. BUT we have to trust, and we have to choose not to hold an offense against God. Being offended at God is one of the greatest reasons we don’t hear from God or see him move in his full power.

He is willing! He has authority over all! Don’t put him in a box of your expectations! Let him be God and work it out for His glory!

-Josh

To be honest, I have always struggled to have a liking for Potiphar’s Wife. I think of her as wicked, conniving, and uncompromisingly selfish. She could not accept “no” as a reasonable answer. She had to have what she wanted and couldn’t accept an off limit boundary. This makes me wonder… did she get everything she wanted as a child… how about with Potiphar… did he give in to her every desire. What made her so uncompromising in her thinking?

Joseph was a man of integrity, how could he do such a wicked thing as sleep with his Master’s wife? He refused her approaches, which probably made her angry. She was persistent, and uncompromising. Yet… Joseph remained strong. The only way he could have remained strong is through the Power of God working on his behalf. He walked with God, he stayed connected and wanted to honor Him with his life.

The word wicked comes to mind when I think of what she did, that someone would lie in order to harm an innocent man. She had power and her husband chose to believe her made up story that Joseph threw himself her way and she refused.

Had she seduced other men? Did she always desire what she wasn’t supposed to have? There is power in getting your own way and it can create a hunger to prove to yourself and others that you are in control of your own destiny. I am thinking that Joseph might have been the only one who refused her. Maybe that had never happened before and it then it became a game to her to win him over. We don’t really know the full story.

We do know that she didn’t win him over. In the end she didn’t get her own way. It is a reminder to me that boundaries are healthy. Boundaries are good for me… they bring humility… appreciation… security… and health. Pay attention to the warning… if we don’t set healthy boundaries or adhere to the healthy boundaries God and others have set for us, we could end up with some of the same characteristics as Potiphar’s wife.

I want to be ok when I hear God say “no” or “not now”. God is always teaching me something in those times and I want to pay attention to the lesson He provides. Jesus calls us to deny self and take up our cross to follow Him daily!
Vicki

Today in my 40 Day Bible Reading Plan our focus shifts to Confidence. Remember, the theme of my Bible reading plan relates to what it takes to pursue athletic (or fitness) goals. Whether it’s striving to run faster or score more point or lose weight, there are certain strong qualities in those who succeed in reaching physical goals.

What role does Confidence play in sports and fitness? But more importantly, what role does Confidence play in our Christian lives? From my own experience–both in sports and in living the Christian life–Confidence has always been a huge motivational factor. It’s amazing what can be accomplished when Confidence runs high. And at an even more fundamental level, it’s Confidence that inspires us to dare to try things that we might think are impossible for us.

This is why I love the verse for today from Luke 18:27:”Jesus replied, ‘What is impossible for people is possible for God.’”

Essentially this verse simply reminds us of what’s OBVIOUS! Of course, God can do anything He wants. But here’s the question: Do you have the Confidence to believe that with God’s help, you can do things beyond your own abilities? Theoretically, we all answer yes, because we all know that God can do the impossible, even through us. The challenge though is whether or not we are willing to put ourselves in position for God to do “the impossible” through us. This is where Confidence is so important because to put yourself in position for “the impossible” to happen, you are going to have to “exercise.”

If it’s a seemingly “impossible” physical or athletic goal (like qualifying for the Boston Marathon by running a 3:25 marathon), we can dream, pray, confess it all day long. But if we’re not putting in the necessary “exercise” to move toward it then the “impossible” will remain “impossible.” But on the other hand, if I choose to “exercise” using a training plan that moves me toward the goal, then what is “impossible” for me today just might become “possible” down the road (which might even include some miraculous assistance from Jesus!).

Of course, this isn’t ultimately about the physical, but the physical sure has a lot of applications to the spiritual. Today, have Confidence that the Holy Spirit lives inside of you and makes you more capable than what you would be if you weren’t a Christian. Have Confidence that the Word of God makes you wiser and more Christ-like in situations where left to yourself you’d certainly do and say things you’d later regret. Today, live with the Confidence that those things that were “impossible” before you knew Christ, TODAY THOSE THINGS ARE MORE THAN JUST POSSIBLE … THEY ARE YOUR DESTINY. So … “go for it” with Confidence!

PS. After reading this blog, please post a comment! Your comment (long or short) gives us an idea of how helpful our blogs are to the Evangel community!

This week Pastor Doug continues an 8 week series called “The Word”.

John 1:1
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

First Service
In The Secret (Park)
Holy, Holy, Holy (Barker)
Amazed (Anderson)
Here I Am To Worship (Hughes)

Second and Third Services
My Savior Lives (Egan, Packiam)
Sing To The King (Horne, Foote)
For The Sake Of The World (Johnson)
One Thing Remains (Johnson)

Ok, so I ran my first marathon about 5 days ago. I just now starting to get my body moving again! But in all seriousness, I must say that nearly all 26.2 miles were a joy to run. I say “nearly” because the last 2 miles were brutal! I would like to say that I ran the entire time, but that would be false. I stopped at one water station at about mile 15 (I was tired of pouring more Gatorade down my shirt than down my throat), and I stopped at about mile 25.5 to stretch out a leg cramp that came out of nowhere. Other than that, I ran for an entire 4 hours, 3 minutes, and 45 seconds. When I crossed the finish line I crawled to the refreshment and message tent (yes, the message was awesome!)

Now, in my 40-Day Bible Reading Plan we read from 1 Corinthians 9:24 where Paul writes, “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So, run to win!” I love this verse because it speaks the language of every athlete. Athletes compete for a number of reasons, but the bottom line is the goal of winning. Now, the Christian life isn’t a competition between people, so this verse isn’t about winning and losing in that sense. However, the Christian life requires the same kind of effort that goes into striving to be first across the finish line. I was far from first place last Saturday, but that wasn’t the point. I trained for the marathon, not with the goal of winning, but with the goal of finishing … and finishing strong. And because that’s exactly what happened, I experienced the same kind of championship feeling as though I had actually won the race.

Since Saturday I have been reflecting on how diligent preparation prior to the race, and diligent execution during the race can be applied to our daily lives for Jesus. Here’s the big idea that comes to mind: every day when I open God’s Word and read it, it’s like putting on my running shoes and going out train. It’s not always convenient; the weather often isn’t inviting; and some days I just don’t want to work out. But because of a goal (to finish and finish strong), I was diligent. Every time you are diligent to spend time with God in His Word and in prayer, God promises that it will pay off. The pay off might not be immediate, but in time it will prove to be the difference maker in your life.

Maybe you’ve heard the phrase, “practice makes perfect.” I think it’s more like, “perfect practice makes perfect.” In other words, its our diligence in the “practice sessions of life” (like Bible reading and prayer) that eventually rewards us with a kind of satisfaction that does way beyond doing things perfectly, or even winning a gold medal. Perfect practice (diligence in God’s Word every day) is what spiritual champions are made of.

We’re a few days into “The Word” 40 day reading plans. I hope that you’re being encouraged and built up through your time in God’s Word.

If you’re reading through the Psalms and Proverbs plan with me, you’ve read the first few chapters of the book of Psalms. (View more reading plans here).  I love the Psalms because it shows me that God wants to be involved in every part of my life.  Not just the shiny, happy, sanctified parts; but even the dark, dreary, emotional parts.  David, along with the other writers of the Psalms, shows us that God wants to walk with us through all seasons and experiences of life.  I can trust that God is with me when:

“I am worn out from groaning;
all night long I flood my bed with weeping
and drench my couch with tears.” (Psalm 6:6)

He’s also there when I’m glad and singing praise because of how good God is to me (see Psalm 9:1-2).

So, no matter what situation you’re facing today, be assured of God’s love and care for you (Psalm 3:3-8).  Know also that even though you may feel forgotten (See Psalm 13), God will never forsake those who seek Him (see Psalm 9:10).

What great promises!  Have a great rest of your week!
Scott

I don’t know about you, but there are two things in life I really don’t prefer. One is fasting, the second is being tempted by the devil. Yet, when we look at the events pre and post-wilderness, it’s clear to see that this phase Jesus walked through was essential.

I think both you and I can point to seasons or situations in our lives that have had a wilderness feeling to them. You feel surrounded, you can’t see beyond the place where you are, you’re uncomfortable, and there is no telling when you’re going to come out the other side. This little journey through the wilderness defined a few things. The commitment, identity, and submission of Christ were all tested. In every occasion, he used the Word of God to battle the temptation. He didn’t engage the devil in conversation but instead, calling upon the Word of God, he pronounced victory and truth over his situation.

There is a quote I heard once that I live by today: “Don’t buckle on the precipice of God’s breakthrough in your life.”

I don’t know if you understand what a precipice is but it is defined as “a very steep rock face or cliff, typically a tall one”. Today we see countries teeter on the “precipice” of political upheaval and revolution. It is a dangerous place to be, but when faced and conquered, it can be the entrance point to freedom, liberty, and both personal and social change.

Jesus faced the precipice, withstood the test, and led the greatest philosophical and spiritual revolution ever seen. Remember, as well, he WAS fully God, but he was also fully man, identifying with every one of our struggles, temptations and wilderness journeys.

Then he went and changed the world.

Have you ever felt forgotten or felt that other people were better than you. Have you ever gotten caught in the comparison trap? This is what is happened between Hagar and Sarah.

Hagar was an Egyptian slave to Sarah who was taken from her homeland to a foreign land. We aren’t told how Sarah acquired Hagar. One possibility… she could have been a gift from Pharaoh when Abraham and Sarah were traveling through Egypt. Pharaoh gave Abraham and Sarah gifts as a way to move them on, after he found them to be deceitful because Abraham claimed Sarah was his sister instead of his wife.

Sarah used Hagar in a plot to have children for her since Sarah was barren. Hagar resented this as soon as she became pregnant. When you wake up and discover you have been given to a man to be his wife, simply to bare children, well, I would have been a little resentment as well.

Abraham loved Sarah and it was apparent to everyone, even the people they tried to deceive sniffed it out. For Hagar, it was hurtful to be an object of someone else’s pleasure. Here is where the tension between these two women began.

Hagar gives birth to Ishmael. The resentment that Hagar had in her heart must have transferred to her sons heart. That is usually how it works… children are very intuitive and pick up on their parents attitude and make it their own. Later on when Sarah does finally have a child, Isaac, Ishmael must have had some of the same feelings that Hagar had towards Sarah. As Abraham and Sarah had a celebration for the weaning of Isaac, Ishmael mocked Isaac. This was more than Sarah could take and she asked Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away for good.

Forgotten, defenseless, abandoned are all words we could use in human terms to describe what Hagar was feeling, yet, she was was not any of those things in the Spirit realm. Even though she wasn’t an Israelite, God had not forgotten her, God had not abandoned her, and He became her defender!

God heard her cry for help, he even promised that her son would be the father of a great nation. There are many promises we can hold onto in Scripture that help us when we feel the same way Hagar felt. One of those is Psalm 138:7 which says… “Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me.”

Hagar met God’s saving hand more than once and she learned she could trust Him. She held on to the One who reached out to her. No matter what circumstances you are going through, I want to encourage you to hold on to the One who is reaching out to you. He love you! He knows who you are, He will never leave you, and He is your strong tower!

Have a great Wednesday!
Vicki

Reading Plans

This week Pastor Doug begins an 8 week series called “The Word”.

John 1:1
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

First Service
Beautiful One (Hughes)
We Are Hungry (Kilman)
The Blood Will Never Lose It’s Power (Crouch)
All In All (Jernigan)

Second and Third Services
One Way (Houston)
No One Else (Asbury)
Here I Am To Worship (Hughes)
Let It Rain (Farrin)

This past weekend my son Kyle and I were in Madison as spectators of Ironman Wisconsin, the epic swim, bike, and run race that covers 140.6 miles. I was there for the purpose investigating one thing: could I one day attempt such a feat?

Like all similar endurance races and events, the question that drives every participant is: How can I ever discover my limits unless I test myself to my limits? Sure, many people participate in Ironman events to compete; while most others participate simply to see if they can survive.

Now, having witnessed an Ironman event in person, I came away with a few observations:

#1. It Starts With a Goal.

And for me, it’s to one day cross the finish line and hear the Mike Reilly announce, “Doug Graham, you are an Ironman!”

#2. Make Sure You Have Enough Fuel.

This is very important when a race like this takes the majority of an entire day to complete–even up to 17 hours!

#3. Have Someone Alongside You Going The Distance With You.

At the finish line we observed three married couples cross the finish line, hand-in-hand. In fact, one couple was legally married at mile 24 in the marathon! We also were inspired by a blind athlete who was guided the entire 140.6 miles by his personal escort.

#4. Tap Into The Power of Appreciation

Kyle and I were volunteers at the special needs tent on the marathon route where half-way through the marathon athletes could access personal items that would help them get to the finish line. Typical items in many special needs bags included dry socks, ibuprofen, vitamins, even comfort foods and snacks (Twizzlers!). While helping one particular athlete (a young female college student), I noticed that among her personal items in her bag there was a sealed envelop with a card. I knew exactly what that was–it was an encouraging note from a loved one telling her how proud everyone was of her goal to finish the Ironman. The last thing I gave her from the bag was the card and as I handed it to her she looked at me and said, “Oh, that’s not for me. It’s for YOU!” What?!?! Now, I was confused. As she sped off to finish the race I opened the card and it read ….

Don’t ever underestimate the power of appreciation!

#5. Make Sure You Have Fun!

One of the final athletes to finish the race was a gentleman in his 70′s. On the final stretch to the finish line most athletes find it within their gas tank to run through the finish line. This man did not. And, Ironman announcer Mike Reilly uncharacteristically did not encourage this man to “finish strong.” Instead, as the man confidently power walked to the finish line O’Reilly announced his name and his accomplishment … he was finishing his 155th Ironman! Now, if you’re going to swim, bike, and run 21, 793 miles, you’re either crazy OR you’re having a lot of FUN doing it!

#6. Why?

Everyone who has never done an Ironman (or even other shorter triathlon events) are often asked by others, “Why do you do it?” I’ve not yet done a full Ironman, but one day I will. You ask Why? It’s because I believe it’s important to …

Chase Your Dreams!

This week Pastor Terry concludes the “Go, Go, Go” series with a message inspiring us to work together for God’s glory.

Phil 3: 12-14

‘Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

First Service
Awesome is the Lord Most High (Tomlin)
You Are Holy (Prince of Peace) (Imboden, Rhoton)
‘Tis So Sweet To Trust in Jesus (Stead, Meyer)
Mighty To Save (Morgan, Fielding)

Second and Third Services
O Praise Him (Crowder)
All Because of Jesus (Fee)
Worth It All (Cantelon)
Nothing But The Blood (Redman)

I’ve divided my life goals into 5 categories.  At first glance, some of these goals might seem a bit self serving.  But this life goals list has been made and updated (continually) in the context of prayer.  For example, “own a family lake home” sounds like a selfish goal, but it’s also a way to diversify our portfolio, and to bless people who need refreshing-to use it as a ministry to others.  Likewise, “Travel Goals” are a way to experience God’s creation, take time away, and gain an increased understanding of our great God.

BTW-much of my life goals have been influenced by Mark Batterson’s writings on setting life goals.  See his post “10 Steps to Setting Life Goals” (also talked about more extensively in his book ” The Circle Maker“).

Ok, here’s the list:

 My Life Goals List

Hebrews 11:1
“Faith is being sure of what we hoped for.”

Proverbs 29:18
“Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

“The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it;
but that it’s too low and we reach it.”
Michaelangelo

“Play offense with your life.”
Ted Leonsis

Family Goals
Celebrate my 50th wedding anniversary
Celebrate an anniversary in Italy
Celebrate an anniversary in the Bahamas
Go on a family vacation to Hawaii
Have a healthy son(s)
Have a healthy daughter(s)
Pay for each of our kids college education
Take the family on an RV vacation across the country
Take the family/parents on an all expense paid cruise
Own a family lake home
See my children become baptized in the Holy Spirit
See my children marry Spirit-filled believing spouses

Travel Goals
Visit Australia
Visit Israel
Visit the Parthenon in Greece with Alyssa
Visit London, England
Missions trip to China
Missions trip to India
Take a family camping vacation in Colorado
Go to the top of the Eiffel Tower with Alyssa
Visit all 50 states
Camp in Yellowstone National Park

Physical Goals
Run a triathalon
Run a triathalon with one of my kids
Run a 10k with one of my kids
Run a marathon with one of my kids
Run a marathon at age 30
Run a marathon at age 40
Run a marathon at age 50

Experience Goals
Take a hot air balloon ride
Learn to surf
Take a month long vacation
Learn to play the violin/viola/cello
Earn a master’s degree
Become an ordained minister
Write and publish a book
Learn to snowboard
Play piano with a community jazz band/combo
See a New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra concert
Go parasailing with Alyssa
Build an acoustic guitar from scratch
Learn to play the mandolin

Influence Goals
Pay 100% down for our dream home
Become financially independent by age 55
Save one million dollars
Give one million dollars
Support a native missionary on every continent
Lead worship on a national tour
Release a worship recording on a major record label
Speak at a worship conference
Take a yearly missions trip
Help start a church
So, there you have it.  The list is a continual work-in-progress, with things being added/deleted each year.

If you want to listen to all of the messages in the “Go, Go, Go” series, check them out at the Evangel site.

One other quick though: I had a conversation with someone today about what to do between “now” and “then”. You have the purpose and maybe a calling that you are waiting for God to fulfill in your life but you haven’t been released or enabled to completely give your life to it for some reason. There is a HUGELY important step between the moment God gives you a calling and the day He releases you into it. That step is called PREPARATION. So what do you do now, until then? You pray through it, you research it, you dream about it, you write actions steps towards it and most importantly, you BE FAITHFUL to where you’ve been planted. He’ll pick you up and move you when the time is right! Love ya church!

This week Pastor Josh continues the “Go, Go, Go” series with a message inspiring us to be intentional with our lives.

Phil 3: 12-14

‘Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

First Service
Sing To The King (Foote, Horne)
Glory To God Forever (Beeching, Fee)
My Tribute (Crouch)
The Stand (Houston)

Second and Third Services
Take It All (Sampson, Crocker, Ligertwood)
Everyone (Packiam)
Forever Reign (Ingram, Morgan)
Here In Your Presence (Egan)

Available for iPhones, iPads, and Android devices.

http://www.goevangel.org/forms/

In reflecting on my message and the responses I’ve received, I think the key behind “going for it” by declaring your personal life mission and living it out is all about PASSION! Passion is infectious. And because life has a way of draining all the energy in your life, it is absolutely critical to keep re-fueling your passion tank. But how? By creating a personal life mission statement that keeps you reminded of what’s really important to you.

If you happen to take up my challenge of writing a personal life mission statement, I’d love for you to send me a copy (doug@goevangel.org) because I know that your passion for life will inspire me in the pursuit of my personal life mission!

If you missed my message last Sunday, here’s my personal life mission statement:
To live a life honoring to God, my family, and my fellow man …
… stewarding my talents, resources, and opportunities to their fullest potential …
… so that when I my life is over it will be said of me,
I made a mark, I left something behind, I touched others, and I gave more than I received.

Can’t wait for Pastor Josh’s message this Sunday, “Go Big,” and Pastor Terry’s the following week, “Let’s Go Together.”

Every time the Olympics comes on TV my life automatically gets put on hold as I fire up my coffee machine to perpetually brew non-stop for the next 17 days as I do everything I can to catch every minute of the Olympics…except for synchronized swimming and badminton. When those two events are on, I sleep, but I digress.

My obsession left me wondering why I was so glued to the TV screen, and for that matter, why millions of people from around the world were doing the same.

The answer?

I think that one of the most important reasons millions of people put their lives on hold to watch the Olympics is because it’s one of the last great places where people refuse to settle.  As I look around our culture today, every area of life is filled with mediocrity. We settle for a lot of reasons—the need to be liked, laziness, insecurity and sometimes, oddly enough, pride and arrogance. But whatever the reason, I honestly believe it’s tearing apart the fabric of our society and keeping us from moving mountains that stand in our way:

Mountains of fear, addiction, depression, worry, grief, and every other vice we can imagine.

To allow a mountain to exist in our lives, uncontested, for a prolonged periods of time runs counter to what God has created us to be: A people who find our worth, not in our struggles, but in the victories that God has in store.

Know that God will never allow struggle, pain, or defeat to enter into the sentence of your life without putting victory at the end.

It’s with this knowledge that the word “settle” should be exiled from your vocabulary and the word “consistency” must take its place. Why? Because consistency is refusing to settle, to lay-back, or to roll over and die when a mountain comes your way. It’s showing up to that mountain with the declaration that you will outlast that mountain and see it fall before you do.

The Bible acknowledges this as the apostle Paul encourages his protégé, Timothy, in this way,

“Be ready in season and out of season…Keep your head in all situations, don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord, reach out to the world, do work on everything God’s given you to do. As for me, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. I have outlasted…”
~2 Timothy 4. 2-8~

Consistency is realizing that hard times are no excuse for showing up to your mountains part-time.

So I say to you (as I believe Paul would say were he alive today), “Man up (or woman

up). Make a stand. Push the boundaries, take a risk, and be willing to never give up. Your soul was created to move mountains. It’s in your blood, it’s part of your spiritual heritage. Dwelling on your past only distracts you from your future.

And above all, as Jesus said it best “Do not fear.”

Fear will always tell you what you’re not, what you don’t have, what you can’t do, and what you’ll never be.

God says different about you…who will you believe?

“I assure you, that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘MOVE,’ and it will uproot itself and be cast into the sea.”~Jesus

Pastor Terry

First Service
God is Great (Sampson)
Jesus Paid It All
Open The Eyes of My Heart (Baloche)
You Are God Alone (Foote)

Second and Third Services
Deep Cries Out (Matthews)
God is With Us Now (Beach)
To The Cross (Baloche, Ingram)
Love Came Down (Johnson)

A relationship with God is more than a greeting every day or a listing off of things we need help with. The true fullness and fulfillment that we are meant to find in a relationship with Jesus is only discovered when we allow God into every area of our ‘house’. We must give Him the time and attention that He deserves as the main priority relationship of our lives. Ultimately, Christ should be the measuring rod of our relationships in life. If we cannot be faithful to Him and if we cannot trust Him with the deepest places of our lives, we will struggle to allow others into those places as well. We just have to remember that He is God and He already knows. He is not scared or fretting over the decisions we have made. He is simply standing at the door, knocking, waiting for us to answer.

I hope this week you have made a decision to be more intentional with your relationship with God and also to be more intentional with the people God has blessed you with. Honest, encouraging, real relationships are a core desire of mankind and you will find great fulfillment when you begin to engage God and others in those relationships! All you have to do is recognize them…and open the door.

P.S. Evangel has provided a great opportunity for each of us to be intentional in our relationships with God and people. Our Fall Schedule has been released and is available for you to pick up anytime. These booklets contain many different groups that you can join. There are groups created simply for connection, others to help you grow in your walk with God, Forward Groups to help you move past difficult life experiences and ministry groups to help you find a place to serve and move the body of Christ forward! This is a great step toward catching God’s “Heart for the House”!

This week Pastor Josh finishes our a three week series called “Heart For The House”.

Psalm 69:9
Passion for your house has consumed me…

First Service
Come, Now Is The Time To Worship (Doerkson)
I’ll Fly Away (Brumley)
The Wonderful Cross (Tomlin, Watts)
Your Name (Packiam, Baloche)

Second and Third Services
Praise Him (Crocker, Finochio)
With One Word (Barnard, Everett)
I Will Exalt (Falk)
Worshiping You (Stockstill)

This week Pastor Terry continues our a three week series called “Heart For The House”.

Psalm 69:9
Passion for your house has consumed me…

First Service
Forever (Tomlin)
Be Thou My Vision (Byrne, Hull)
Enough (Tomlin, Giglio)
Jesus Messiah (Carson, Cash, Reeves, Tomlin)

Second and Third Services
Salvation is Here (Houston)
Glory To God Forever (Beeching, Fee)
Worth it All (Cantelon)
Came To My Rescue (Davies, Samson, Thomas)

God did amazing things in Alaska and if you visit with any of our team members, you will probably hear some of the testimonies. Thanks for all your support and prayers over the past few months. God is definitely building a heart for missions and serving in our young adults and many are already talking about where we’ll be going next year!

The attached picture is our team with Anchorage in the background. There is also a video of a kids song written by members of our team:

Consider it Video

This week Pastor Doug kicks off a three week series called “Heart For The House”.

Psalm 69:9
Passion for your house has consumed me…

First Service
My Savior Lives (Egan, Packiam)
New Doxology (Ken, Miller))
I Give You My Heart (Morgan)
Mighty To Save (Morgan, Fielding)

Second and Third Services
O Praise Him (Crowder)
Nothing But The Blood (Crowder)
You Have Conquered (Williams)
One Thing Remains (Johnson)

This week we welcome missionaries being sent to a country in the 10-40 window.

Romans 10:14
But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?

First Service
Unchanging (Tomlin)
Holy, Holy, Holy (Barker)
Amazed (Anderson)
Draw Me Close (Carpenter)

Second and Third Services
God is With Us Now (Beach)
This is Life (Woodley)
All I Need is You (Sampson)
Let It Rain (Farren)

I used to know that feeling. It was nice. That is, until my life was radically changed this summer. Everything from my daily habits to the way I love my family, from my priorities to the way I worship God was turned upside down. It’s like taking the paradigm of your life, the set of standards and values you hold so dear, and having them thrown in a blender, hitting puree, and throwing said blender into a washing machine on the spin cycle…

…and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

You see, in May of this year, my wife and I got on a plane and flew to China. We were in a land we didn’t know, amongst an unfamiliar people, who spoke a language completely foreign to us, but who served food that was out of this world. Our purpose in going, however, wasn’t the food or the experience of being in a foreign land.

We went to China to adopt our daughter, Avalie.

Now having been D.I.N.K.’s (Double Income No Kids) for the upwards of 9 years now, having our first child be an adopted child was an “interesting” endeavor.

(I use the word “interesting” because that’s what pastors say when they want to be kind to the situation. For example, “That’s an ‘interesting’ dress that lady has on,” or “This meatloaf tastes…’interesting’.”) But I digress.
Did I mention that on top of our first child being an adopted child that Avalie also was born with a severe cleft lip and palate? Yeah, it was that “interesting.”

Anyways, here we are in Guangzhou, China, about to meet our little girl, and it hits me like a wrecking ball hitting a glass tower, “What am I doing here? Am I ready for this? I’ve never taken care of a baby before, much less a baby who wasn’t physically born to me or even one with a cleft lip and palate for that matter.” And while I’m thinking all of this, here comes the orphanage director with Avalie in her arms. As the director handed our new 17 month old daughter to us, it was nothing less than magical, and then she cried…and cried…and cried. She probably hadn’t had her diaper changed in a day, had a bath in over a week, or a change of clothes in a month.

And she was mine. All mine. And she is beautiful.

Fast forward to a week into our time with Avalie, and she is sleeping soundly during her afternoon nap in our hotel room. My heart has completely left me and is now held in her little fists. All I could think about was how God found me: filthy, abandoned, upset. Yet He went ALL IN and adopted me into His family. At this notion I found myself crying (like a man) and telling God I would keep serving Him with ALL I am. Then He spoke to my heart with this verse from the Gospels:

“Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, soul, mind, and strength.”

Then he said that if I am to do that, then I need to love Him with ALL the love I am giving to Avalie, because He is worth it. I fought back. I told God how there was no way I could strip Avalie of all the love I pour out on her and give it to someone else, and yet, I knew He was right. Because that’s what Jesus meant when He said to “love the Lord your God with ALL…”

When God asks us to give Him ALL we have, He doesn’t mean all we have left.

He means ALL we are and ALL we hold dear. The verse literally means to strip all the affection, adoration, attention, time, and love from everything in our lives and in turn give it to Him in worship. Because if you’re not giving God your ALL, it may as well be nothing.

But this is where the beauty of “All or Nothing” worship to God comes through.

As we give God our ALL, He in turn creates in us a greater capacity to hold even greater amounts of love that we in turn pour back out on those things in our life that have our affection.

In giving God our ALL, He gives us back more to give to others.

As a result, I am able to love Avalie with more love than I had when I got on that plane to go to China. I have a greater capacity inside my heart to hold even greater measures of love to pour out on others because I first gave my ALL in worship to God.

I was changed this summer, and I wouldn’t have it any other way…

Pastor Terry

This week Pastor Doug concludes a two week mini-series about worship.

Psalm 122:1
I was glad when they said unto me
“Let us go to the house of the Lord”.

First Service
Sing To The King (Foote, Horne)
All To Jesus I Surrender (Venter, Townend)
Healer (Guglielmucci))
Overcome (Egan)

Second and Third Services
Praise Him (Crocker)
Forever Reign (Ingram, Morgan)
Lead Me To The Cross (Fraser)
My Soul Sings (Smith)

The main point we discussed on Sunday was “God blesses obedience to His Word”.  Sometimes, we feel like obeying God’s Word, but sometimes, we are more like my little 2 year old daughter.  Remember, we need to respond to God on the basis of our convictions about His character, instead of our feelings.  Feelings come and go, but God remains the same.  So, the next time you don’t feel like responding to God in worship, remember that He is good, faithful, holy, true, just, amazing, and awesome.  Think about the times God has been faithful to you in the past, and let your response flow out of your experiences with Him.

As a dad, I want so much to bless my kids.  When they are obedient, it opens the door to that blessing.  Remember, God blesses obedience to His Word.

In what ways do you need to be obedient to God today?

1. Don’t let a bad start ruin your day. My swim was far more difficult than I expected. When that happens, simply focus on getting from buoy to buoy.

2. Even when your tummy is tender, stay hydrated because the race is over once you’re dehydrated. It was a very hot day and as soon as I got on my bike I became uncomfortably nauseated. Even sips of water were difficult.

3. When discouraged get energy from other competitors who are encouraging you. Everyone in these long races are in some kind of pain, yet the comraderie is incredible!

4. Race with a friend. My buddy Jamie was singing for 56 miles on the bike ride. Truly, “two are better than one.” Jamie is a veteran 70.3 and 5-time full Ironman competitor. He was in this race with just one purpose-to get me to the finish line. That defines a genuine friend.

5. And, when you realize you’re not going to break any records, break the race into bite size pieces and just keep moving forward. After a 1.2 mile swim and a 56 mile bike, how do you even think about running 13.1 miles (and it’s over 90 degrees)? Answer: run & walk..to the finish line.

6. And remember: If everything in life was easy, nothing in life would be exhilarating! In the midst of challenging things, it’s not much fun; but when you slow it down, and break it down into smaller hills…in time you will see that you really did get over that mountain!

“Forgetting what is behind, I press on…” (Philippians 3:12)

Pastor Doug