All I can say about this busy weekend that we just finished is it was full of golden nuggets of hope and direction. Starting with Men’s Conference and going through the Mother’s Day events and service there was pointers of grace and help everywhere one turned.
Here are a few thoughts I took away from Men’s Conference.
· God has called you to more than just showing up on Sundays. Look at how you are giving your life. Jesus gave it His all. How much are you giving? Are you the Man? Will you stand and guard what God has entrusted you with? You are the only one who can stand for your family and your marriage, are you being the one who makes the difference? Johnny Dean
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Psalm 1:1-3 NIV
· Church needs to become more than a pep-rally, it needs to become real and lasting change in our lives. In this hour the Church needs all hands on deck. The church needs everyone to be in line with the leadership the Lord has place over it.
As the LORD had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did. He left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses. Joshua 11:15 NKJV
Joshua did what Moses commanded him even though Moses was dead and gone and he was in charge he still followed the leadership the Almighty put in his life. Joshua could have never been a good leader if he had not first been a good follower.
If you want God to touch your life and use you get busy following and working where you are at in life. You don’t need to wait for some off in the future date you think God has for you. Get behind the mission now. Stop believing that the church is sick, it’s a glorious bride!
Why did Samuel run to Eli’s room when he heard the voice of God? The Bible says Samuel did this three times. The answer is simple; the voice of God sounded a lot like his pastor’s (Eli) voice. God’s voice will sound a lot like the leader God has placed in your life. Who are you listening to? Dennis Anderson
· God is attracted to people with dysfunctions in their life. God uses people who have dysfunctions in their life. Throughout scripture the Lord used people continually who didn’t have it all together. Take your Bible and read about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the actions and dysfunctions of their life. Yet you find the Almighty declaring He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in Exodus 3:6. God will still use us even though we might not have it all together yet. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, Romans 5:8. Yet we cannot become satisficed to just talk about what is wrong in our life we need to change what is wrong. Don’t rush past repentance! Jacob wrestled the night away over his dysfunctions. Yet the morning brought a change of his name. He was no longer a cheater (Jacob) but a prince with God (Israel). God changed Jacob so he wouldn’t have to deal with his dysfunctional label again. Jimmy Toney
There were other speakers and messages, these were just a few that stood out to me.
The Mother’s day services were wonderful and life changing at FPB. In Sunday’s evenings service we heard from four ladies from the FPB family. It was power packed church. The service started with great praise from the worship team and band.
Stephanie, my wife, started off with a challenge for us to come to worship. She told us that even though we may feel walled in with life, like Paul and Silas, who prayed and sang praises, we can break through the walls and things that bind us. She challenged us to worship and allow God to tear down some walls in our life. We can do this through worship and praise to Jesus, Acts 16:25.
Next we heard a wonderful personal testimony from Michelle. Michelle was introduced by her husband Jim. They have only been coming to FPB for less than a year. As she told of how God has delivered her and touched her life an excitement swept over the congregation. I was greatly touched by how she told that not only did God forgive her of her sins but also He helped her forgive herself. The glory of the Lord was all over her and as she finished her testimony and people begin to worship and sing praises, Michelle’s sister and husband came to the altar along with several others. We stopped right there and we baptized Michelle’s sister and brother in-law.
But service wasn’t over; JeriLynn spoke on the power of prayer. She told story after story, miracle after miracle that God had done in her life when she turned to Him in prayer. She challenged everyone to pray! Go after God and watch His miraculous hand touch your life. She challenged us to pray when life is hard or easy, allow your life to change with the power of prayer. Again when she finished people were on their feet worshiping and calling out to God.
Next Rachel spoke on the power of giving. How we need to put more emotions and purpose in our giving, the giving of our time talents and treasures. She challenged us to give with purpose and a right focus. She gave us the Hebrew word for alms in Matthew 6:2-4. It is Tzedakah which means a commandment to give. Its root word is Tzedek means righteous. These words together mean; the righteous acts of giving which permeate God and the world. The Jews believe that when you give you are actually spreading the light of God when you give with a right heart. What a way to look at giving. She challenged us to give with such a heart that we too spread God’s light around the world. She finished with the ending of the story of Schindler's List, how at the end he said he should have sold his car because he could have saved 10 more Jews. He took a gold stick pin off his lapel and said he should have sold it because it would have save two more people. She asked us, what kind of difference would we make if we gave and gave from a spirit that spreads God’s love and righteousness around the world?
The last several days have left me full and running over with the wonders of God. I challenge you to look at each of these things I what written about that touched my days and allow them to touch yours. I promise you will feel as I do, I can do so much better than I am doing. I plan have some more life change and allow my life to be lived for God in greater fashion.
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