During this precious time of year it is a great time for reflection. It is a great time of year to stop and think about what the Lord has done. I mean there is no greater sacrifice than what the Lord Jesus did for us on the cross and then raising again is an incredible reminder. A reminder that He has conquered death and is waiting for us at the right hand of the Father. The grace that was made possible by this sacrifice is purely amazing! It is my prayer that everyone I know would accept this free gift and be redeemed.
This is also a time to reflect on where I am at in my relationship with God. It is hard to examine ones life in the light of Jesus. It reveals how far I have yet to go! I know my heart and I know that there is much refinement still yet to be done. But that is what makes Grace so Amazing. Its that in spite of me Jesus' sacrifice is enough. That when the Father looks down on me from above he sees Jesus! And if that does not light your fire, your wood must be wet.
So come to the cross this weekend and worship our Savior He died for our sins. He was raised and defeated death for us! Never forget this fact. You were purchased for a price, so do not waste the chances you have to reach another for Jesus!
In Christ Alone,
Gary
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Awesome Sunday
What a great day today was. This Sunday was the 10th Anniversary of Grace Community Church. It is so hard to believe that 10 years ago a small band of God followers set out on an adventure to start a church. Over the years there was many God moments. It was obvious after hearing the testimonies today that the Lord had touched each and everyone's life in many ways. Two of the biggest God moments for our family was when Tyler and Grace prayed to ask Jesus in their hearts. I am always blown away by the faith and belief children have. We also got to hear from Jim Hawking who started ICDI. Through this organization 1500 wells have been drilled and/or are maintained. This provides fresh water for the people of the Central African Republic. It was awesome to hear what the Lord was doing through this organization. Jim also laid out a challenge for the congregation to share the love of God with those around us.
Today was also the conclusion to Kairos 23. I was unable to be on the team this time but got to go to the closing session tonight. Before this weekend's attendees came in I got to connect with several residents who I have gotten to know at the weekly prayer and shares. It was really awesome to share in their joy. As the new Kairos graduates came in to the tune of 'When the Saints Come Marching In' it was truly a time of rejoicing. The rest of the time was spent listening to how the Lord and Kairos had touched their lives and changed them. There is nothing more exciting than listening to how the Lord has changed peoples life. What an example of the redeeming power of God's love. It's times like these that reenergize me and help me focus on the main thing, and that is serving the Lord. Thank you God for your Love and the passion to share it with others!
--GB
Today was also the conclusion to Kairos 23. I was unable to be on the team this time but got to go to the closing session tonight. Before this weekend's attendees came in I got to connect with several residents who I have gotten to know at the weekly prayer and shares. It was really awesome to share in their joy. As the new Kairos graduates came in to the tune of 'When the Saints Come Marching In' it was truly a time of rejoicing. The rest of the time was spent listening to how the Lord and Kairos had touched their lives and changed them. There is nothing more exciting than listening to how the Lord has changed peoples life. What an example of the redeeming power of God's love. It's times like these that reenergize me and help me focus on the main thing, and that is serving the Lord. Thank you God for your Love and the passion to share it with others!
--GB
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Far to long...
Where has the time gone. It sure is hard to believe it has been so long since the last blog post. But such is life with four children and one that is just 4 months old. With so much excitement it is easy to lose track of time. As I was sitting in church today in between songs, many things were running through my mind. I was enjoying some really good worship through song. I was also excited to hear what Pastor Dan was going to say on living by faith. As the music part of the worship service concluded and I was heading to up to lead prayer time, I was overwhelmed. The song choices today seemed to fit together very nicely and I felt a great connection with the Lord for sure.
The sermon was based on the book "Forgotten God" by Francis Chan. I had the chance to read this book a couple years back and was blown away. The premise of the book is that the Holy Spirit is often forgotten in todays church. The concept of living by faith, completely relinquishing total control of our life, often without knowing exactly where the Lord is leading, is very difficult to do. So many times I want to come up with the plan for my life and ask God to bless it. Or I am so comfortable with where I am at I do not completely surrender my agenda. Another thing I can often do is become paralyzed with only knowing part of the plan. I want to have a very obvious sign from God that confirms the promptings from the Holy Spirit I am feeling. God does not always work that way. Abraham for instance was simply told to go, and God would tell him where to stop. Moses was told to go tell Pharaoh to let his people go. He was not sure exactly what would happen next.
Today was a day I felt challenged. I was challenged to live completely sold out. Being willing to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit with a faith that is often not completely understood by the world. I do not know where this will lead but God does. I am not sure exactly what the this means, but God does. And that gives me hope. The creator of the universe, who sent His son to die for me and raise again cares about my life and has a plan for me and my family that is far more amazing than anything I can ever imagine. What a great day.
The sermon was based on the book "Forgotten God" by Francis Chan. I had the chance to read this book a couple years back and was blown away. The premise of the book is that the Holy Spirit is often forgotten in todays church. The concept of living by faith, completely relinquishing total control of our life, often without knowing exactly where the Lord is leading, is very difficult to do. So many times I want to come up with the plan for my life and ask God to bless it. Or I am so comfortable with where I am at I do not completely surrender my agenda. Another thing I can often do is become paralyzed with only knowing part of the plan. I want to have a very obvious sign from God that confirms the promptings from the Holy Spirit I am feeling. God does not always work that way. Abraham for instance was simply told to go, and God would tell him where to stop. Moses was told to go tell Pharaoh to let his people go. He was not sure exactly what would happen next.
Today was a day I felt challenged. I was challenged to live completely sold out. Being willing to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit with a faith that is often not completely understood by the world. I do not know where this will lead but God does. I am not sure exactly what the this means, but God does. And that gives me hope. The creator of the universe, who sent His son to die for me and raise again cares about my life and has a plan for me and my family that is far more amazing than anything I can ever imagine. What a great day.
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