Fellowship

Tonight we went to a good friends house, they just moved in so we had to see their new “DIGGS” that’s what Kimberly called it, I am not sure that she is using that in the right context, she has challenged us to defy her on this word. It is funny and I challenge I will take. What a great night we spent just a little over an hour there jsut talking about the bible, life and how God has changed us it was the best time. So I challenge you all go to a friends house and just fellowship no agenda nothing really to be specific just go visit you will be glad you did.

Slow Down

I am watching the women’s beach volleyball match for the Gold medal. It is a nail biter between the the US and China. May and Walsh(the American team ) is only 4 points away from the Gold Medal. But at this moment the Chinese have taken a medical time out. The announcers are wondering if there is really something wrong with her elbow or did they call it to slow down the tempo or is she hurt.

I translate that into what I believe that into today’s world of today sometimes we need to slow down. I mean think about it we get so caught up in the rush, rush , rush of today that we are missing things of importance like blessings, people in need and one of the most importance things that I believe that we are missing for today is that we are missing is GOD PUTTING LOST SOULS IN FRONT OF US.

We may not be the one that reaps the seed but what if our job is the one that PLANTS the seed. If we are running around in all of today’s HUBBUB we may miss that opportunity, the repercussions of that are huge, missing that seed plant could result in a soul not in heaven. Wow that is big stuff to swallow.

So my challenge to all of us is are you ready for a time out, let us all take a moment out of our hectic lives honor God and look around. The person he has for you is right in front of you and all we need to do is stop and look. Maybe a little to the left or right. So let us commit to slow down, look around and see what God has for us to do.

P.S. The Americans won the Gold it was awesome.

Why did God Choose Me?

Do you ever have a period of time where you turn from a Pastor and become frail in your humaninty , Forgetting all the advice that you have ever given. Forgot every positive bible verse that you have given as positive reinforcement to other people. Have you ever just looked in a mirror and doubt and ask God, WHY ME ?. I am sure that the disciples went thru it, watching Jesus the son of GOD performing miracles and rebuking the pharisees. Wow they must have said Why did Jesus pick us? But back to us, have you ever really sat back in a moment of hesitation and try to figure out Gods plan for you? Have you ever just sat back and cried because what you thought God had for you turns out to be not what God has for you?

How does it make you feel? Sometimes I feel deserted, abandoned. I wonder if I have done something wrong, that God is either letting me wonder around the desert or is he bringing me around to my Nineveh. I walk around in a cloud trying to figure out what God is doing in my life and whatever happens in mine undoubtedly affects my wife and kids more stress of not knowing what is to happen. I wonder why me God? Why have you chosen me to do ministry?

Because the past 2-3 weeks my mind, heart, soul and spirit are in turmoil. I have decisions to make in my ministry and life, critical decisions. I know that God is in it and is guiding them, but as I look around and see other people/pastors somewhat stable or very stable in there ministries. I wonder what I am supposed to be learning or what am I doing wrong.

But I find comfort when I get that phone call that was unexpected that bears good news, the kind word of encouragement from my wife or friend. My kids loving on me not knowing my stress but telling me how much they love me. It is those subtle hints of Gods love for me that shine thru to me, knowing that God is there and loves me, reminding me that he is guiding everything that is happening to me. No matter what bad decisions I make he can turn them around so he will be glorified. No matter what happens, no matter how frustrated I become, no matter how sad I get, I will turn it all back to God as praise and worship.

One Day

I tell you what I am going crazy. This bloggin thing is driving me nuts, I mean every one else either is addicted to blogging or very organized. Me I am just nuts. I am going to really be working on this. I am taking vacation next week and then going to Atlanta for my secular job to open a new store I am excited about it. My wife, best friend and I are going to start a bible study in our home, the first meeting will be September 3rd, 2008. We are excited not knowing what God is going to do to bless those in attendance.

Have you ever been given a task by God with no clue what he has planned. It is exciting yet it is nerve wracking because the unknown is a little scary. So be in prayer for us as we make this journey.

In Christ,

Rick

Blessings Of Others

I am Tampa today and it is ugly and wet and rainy. nothing new. Pastor Henry is going to start a new sermon series on Jonah. So I reread that book today. Jonah is an amazing book, it is so amazing that he gets so mad at God, (yes I am no angel and I have been there before) but he gets mad at God for being who he is forgiving, loving and compassionate. Ain’t it funny he gets mad, now think back how many times have we/I gotten mad because someone else is getting a blessing and I am not. Getting mad because they are getting what I am supposed to. i believe that we all need to get it together, thank God that he blesses people. Because just maybe, our blessing is just around the corner waiting for us to praise him for what he is doing for them, not being bitter but happy for the blessing.

Thoughts

I have been reading the book of Daniel (again). I wonder what we as frail as we are missing today. I see the faith of Daniel and his friends. But yet in our pews and congregations peoples faith whane and are sometimes seem that their faith depends on their mood. People bargain with God, “ok God if you show me this I will be better’. I find this frustrating to watch, I mean I am not the perfect person and you can look in my closet and past and see that I used to do that also. But I restate what can we do to show people exactly what King Nebuchadnezzar says in Daniel chapter 3 vs 29 “For there is no other god who is able to deliver like this”  referring to thier deliverance of from the fiery furnace.

I want to tell people that God is a god of promises and is word does not return void. God is waiting for us to ask for our needs and he will deliver them. It may not be the 2008 brand new truck but it is a 2005 truck that fits our budget. search out Gods face and he will reveal his plan for you. he tells us in Jeremiah that he knows the plans for us, to prosper us…..that is a great promise to stand on.

I have been witnessing to a friends teenager that babysits for us and I told her the other day what if I am right—whats the worse thing that happens you live a life for Jesus, blessed and joyful if i am wrong you wont know it because you are 6 ft under the ground:)

I love Jesus I love God and I love being in the ministry

 

The product of 5.5 hours

I wrote this e-mail to my staff God has really worked on me I sat at my computer for 5.5 hours today just typing words into the browser begging God to clear my mind. I knew I needed to e-mail my staff and this is the product of those hours of God working in my heart and my obedience to listen and type;

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters,

 

I love doing ministry it is in my blood God has raised me up to do this. We all get frustrated and tired. We slip in and out of reality of the problems between a good feeling and a bad feeling. The bad feelings of the struggle of life that we all deal with, our fiances suck, our life sucks, our relationships suck. I tell you I do believe that Satan causes some of this but I believe that as Christians we cause some of it ourselves. On Sunday Henry made a good point this week about not trusting in Jesus. I find myself falling in this trap also, well don’t we all , at some point and time find ourselves making a deal or bargain with God to make things better and then we will get it right for him. Unfortunately that is what a lot of Christan’s and non-Christians do all the time, bargain with God.

 

Well let us turn that away from us and think about the people we are surrounded with everyday and everywhere how are we communicating with them, are we even communicating with them. I mean we walk around and talk to people but most of the time it is in passing or do we really talk to them. We invite people to church but do we tell them about church or just hey come see us at church. We as Christians need to tell people why they are coming to church, that they are coming to church to meet Jesus Christ. When they get to church and leave church we need to communicate with the congregation thru phone calls, e-mails and a kind letter in the snail mail.

 

The real reason for church is to introduce people to Jesus Christ, in turn comes the fellowship and love all wrapped up together. We need to come up with one more group to meet during the month we have Y-God, we need to come up with another to meet to have 2 groups a month. I know we tried the men’s and ladies groups but they didn’t pan out but I think our success will be in the group that both our male and female parishioner’s meet together at the same time. Build COMMUNITY together and they will invite other people to the small group and in turn they will become interested in the church.

 

I believe we need to focus on the COMMUNITY of the small group. I ask all of you to pray and ask God to direct us all in the area of small groups this is not a strong point of mine so I will accept any help I can get. I am also having a meeting with the County Prison Chaplin and going to see what we can maybe do in the area of a prison ministry. i believe that all this DOES tie into the vision. God has revealed to my heart that our success lies in the development and building of COMMUNITY thru small groups. We don’t have to have the groups in Estero we can have them in our own areas and start building COMMUNITY there we will see assimilation to the church thru this ministry and even if they don’t make it to our church we are still touching lives for Jesus Christ 

In Christ,

Pastor Rick

I am switching my focus on my part of the ministry at Life Point Church. God has told me that we need to FOCUS on the COMMUNITY of small groups and I know that a lot of churches are already doing this and I can’t wait to join their ranks.

Rick