Monday, April 9, 2012
April LIFE Fellowship
Life Fellowship is set for April 20th! Be sure to RSVP for child care this Sunday!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Parents Night Out
Reminder - Parents Night Out is set for February 24th. This Sunday is the last day to sign up.
Stay Motivated!!
It's either about to happen or has already happened to you...that one time New Year's resolution is either going strong or slowly fading away. I would venture to guess the latter. I've heard it said that it takes 21 days to start and keep a new habit. What is or was your resolution for this year?
"I'd really like to lose those 10 pounds."
"I'm going to start going to church regularly."
"We're going to develop a debt plan."
Do any of those sound familiar? We all know the list goes on and on, don't we? If you're losing motivation, then maybe you never really committed to change. If you're losing motivation, maybe the change is just requiring more than you wanted to give. Change isn't easy, and we don't like what's not easy or convenient. We're too set on the easy way...
There was something that motivated you to want make a resolution or want a change. You had the motivation, but didn't commit. Now, push aside any fear, laziness, or roadblocks and commit to move forward!
"I'd really like to lose those 10 pounds."
"I'm going to start going to church regularly."
"We're going to develop a debt plan."
Do any of those sound familiar? We all know the list goes on and on, don't we? If you're losing motivation, then maybe you never really committed to change. If you're losing motivation, maybe the change is just requiring more than you wanted to give. Change isn't easy, and we don't like what's not easy or convenient. We're too set on the easy way...
There was something that motivated you to want make a resolution or want a change. You had the motivation, but didn't commit. Now, push aside any fear, laziness, or roadblocks and commit to move forward!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Are You Devoted?
Think about the command found in 1 Peter 3:15, “But sanctify
the Lord God in your hearts, and always be
ready to give a defense to everyone
who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;”
We often fail to remember that our devotion to God is not
through the verses we can recite, the “likes” or “shares” we make on Facebook,
or the articulate prayer we give at dinner or in our Sunday school
classes. It is about sanctifying God in
our hearts.
When we sanctify God in our hearts, we “set Him apart from
all others as the sole object of (our) love, reverence, loyalty, and obedience…This
honoring of Christ as Lord is not external, but in the hearts of true
worshipers—even when they must face unjust suffering. That submission to and
trust in the perfect purposes of the sovereign Lord yields courage, boldness,
and fortitude to triumph through the most adverse situations.”[1]
The second part to this is about giving a defense, but
unless you submit to and trust in God, how can you really give a defense? The application is to devote ourselves to
what we believe, not to simply “say” what we believe. Through our devotion, we’ll always be ready
to give a defense.
So, ask yourself, “Am I devoted to Him?” Oh, and don’t forget, He knows the answer.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
LIFE Fellowship Reminder
Remember that LIFE Fellowship is set for February 10th. You MUST sign up in your SS class this Sunday or contact Patti.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
DON'T LOOK BACK!
Why do we stop to look at the car pulled over on the side of
the road? Why do we ‘creep’ someone on facebook we barely know? Why are reality shows
always blaring on TV? I don’t know the answer, curiosity, fear, what ifs. What
ever that driving force is, it may be how Lot’s wife felt when she fled Sodom under Heavenly
protection.
How would you feel in Genesis 19? Imagine. Smoke invading
your lungs. Your heart is pounding with fear. Your eyes are stinging with ash. Your
ears filled with screams of anguish. Your skin feeling like it might be on fire
itself. All of this is happening around you. We think of Lot’s
wife, who would want to look back? Who would want to see destruction and
devastation? Angels of the LORD were leading her out of the city! The world was
falling down all around, her instruction was don’t look back! Yet, she did. One
glance and she was a statue of salt.
The enemy uses a ploy with us today. God delivers us from
something or a situation. As He is in front of us coaxing us out of the fire,
rubble, smoke, and ash of poor decision-making or consequence, rather than
moving on, we may be tempted to look back.
We should look forward to the promises of our great healer
and savior, yet there is comfort in the old ways of a dirty city, it is not
hard to shine among the filth. However, to be a washed, clean sparkling jewel
in the crown of the almighty, nestled in to a secure setting among our fellow
treasures, well we might think we do not deserve such a place because of our
past.
If you have been through a small trial or if God has
delivered you out of a big ole’ mess, don’t look back. Our feelings bruised to
remind us not to return, but our hearts can be full of good. Use the word to
light our path as we move forward.
Unfortunately, our fallen world has a way of bringing up the
bad, reminding us of what we have done or where we have been, but we do not
have to look back. Looking back may freeze our progress to be closer to God in
an immortal pillar of salt to erode by the sands of time if we do not get a
move on!
Our Sunday school class has been going through the book of Genesis;
the lessons are rich and applicable to our lives in the now. It is a great time
to plug in and move forward!
P.S. My proofreader/my beloved just learned what it means to 'creep' on fb!
the road? Why do we ‘creep’ someone on facebook we barely know? Why are reality shows
always blaring on TV? I don’t know the answer, curiosity, fear, what ifs. What
ever that driving force is, it may be how Lot’s wife felt when she fled Sodom under Heavenly
protection.
How would you feel in Genesis 19? Imagine. Smoke invading
your lungs. Your heart is pounding with fear. Your eyes are stinging with ash. Your
ears filled with screams of anguish. Your skin feeling like it might be on fire
itself. All of this is happening around you. We think of Lot’s
wife, who would want to look back? Who would want to see destruction and
devastation? Angels of the LORD were leading her out of the city! The world was
falling down all around, her instruction was don’t look back! Yet, she did. One
glance and she was a statue of salt.
The enemy uses a ploy with us today. God delivers us from
something or a situation. As He is in front of us coaxing us out of the fire,
rubble, smoke, and ash of poor decision-making or consequence, rather than
moving on, we may be tempted to look back.
We should look forward to the promises of our great healer
and savior, yet there is comfort in the old ways of a dirty city, it is not
hard to shine among the filth. However, to be a washed, clean sparkling jewel
in the crown of the almighty, nestled in to a secure setting among our fellow
treasures, well we might think we do not deserve such a place because of our
past.
If you have been through a small trial or if God has
delivered you out of a big ole’ mess, don’t look back. Our feelings bruised to
remind us not to return, but our hearts can be full of good. Use the word to
light our path as we move forward.
Unfortunately, our fallen world has a way of bringing up the
bad, reminding us of what we have done or where we have been, but we do not
have to look back. Looking back may freeze our progress to be closer to God in
an immortal pillar of salt to erode by the sands of time if we do not get a
move on!
Our Sunday school class has been going through the book of Genesis;
the lessons are rich and applicable to our lives in the now. It is a great time
to plug in and move forward!
P.S. My proofreader/my beloved just learned what it means to 'creep' on fb!
Great Start...Great Finish?
Many of us have started this new year off with a rejuvenated focus on our relationship with Christ. By doing so, we have started off great with diving into scripture, increasing our church attendance, or participating in one of the discipleship opportunities that have opened up this "semester."
Like our past resolutions of losing weight, reading every night, doing this or that, how will we finish this year in comparison to how we've started. Will you let this year be another good start, but with a bad finish? Will you start with goals that are higher than you can reach? Will you take it a step at a time, or hope for miraculous changes by the end of the week?
I encourage you to take a look at what you hope to accomplish this year, write it down, and share it with someone. It could be a spouse, a friend, or pastor. But, understand the old cliche, "one step at a time." Like many, I hope to improve my fitness this year and work on increasing my cardio workout. I'd love to be able to say "I ran 5 miles today" but I can't get there unless I run .25 mile first. You can't get to either point unless you do the work in between. If you want to read the bible in a year, you can't stop in Psalms. If you want to lose 10 pounds, you can't stop at 2. If you want to grow closer to Christ, you can't just sit there.
Like our past resolutions of losing weight, reading every night, doing this or that, how will we finish this year in comparison to how we've started. Will you let this year be another good start, but with a bad finish? Will you start with goals that are higher than you can reach? Will you take it a step at a time, or hope for miraculous changes by the end of the week?
I encourage you to take a look at what you hope to accomplish this year, write it down, and share it with someone. It could be a spouse, a friend, or pastor. But, understand the old cliche, "one step at a time." Like many, I hope to improve my fitness this year and work on increasing my cardio workout. I'd love to be able to say "I ran 5 miles today" but I can't get there unless I run .25 mile first. You can't get to either point unless you do the work in between. If you want to read the bible in a year, you can't stop in Psalms. If you want to lose 10 pounds, you can't stop at 2. If you want to grow closer to Christ, you can't just sit there.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Raising Boys & Girls Discipleship Class
The Raising Boys & Girls discipleship class will start this Sunday. See a preview here!!
LIFE Fellowship
Please note the next LIFE Fellowship is scheduled for 1.20.12. If you need to sign-up for child care, you must do it this Sunday. I hope everyone has a great fellowship next week. See you Sunday!
Dean
Dean
Monday, January 2, 2012
Raising Boys & Girls Discipleship Class
The Raising Boys & Girls discipleship class will start on January 15th @ 5p to avoid conflict with the parents meeting for those with children in choir. Mark you calendars! See you then!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Discipleship Classes - Spring 2012
Discipleship Classes start January 8th! Which one will you choose? Look here for what's being offered!
Is it just 2012 or a time for change?
As you embark on this new year, we challenge you to examine areas of your life that you may improve, and seek God's direction for you and your family. We would love to be the tool that God uses in your life, but we realize God working in your life does not require you to attend Southcrest or for us to be a part of it; however, it does require that you have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Seek God's will this year.
Revitalize your relationship with Christ.
Focus on what He wants for your life, not what you want.
Rid yourself of "there's always tomorrow" because you just don't know.
Where do you start? Humility at the feet of Jesus Christ.
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