By this one thing!

The last few Sunday's we have been looking at Jesus' words that say: "By this all will know you are My disciples if you have love for one another." I have repeatedly said over these weeks that if we could just get this one thing right our world would be a different place. The Bible says that God demonstrated His love toward us, I believe it's time for us to demonstrate our love to one another and to this world. The church - followers of Jesus Christ, have not done a very good job of doing this, in my opinion. If we as followers of Christ would love our brothers and sisters inside the church, it would truly DRAW more on the outside to want to be a part of God's family.

So the question is - how do we go about doing this?

I believe if we put our pride and petty differences aside and love each other - "the way Jesus loves us" more people would desire to want what we have!

If you don't have a church that you attend and just happen to be reading this - I want to invite you to be a part of our services on Sunday's at 10.

Those of you who already attend, let's make it our priority to show the love of Jesus Christ to all who attend and those that walk through our door and want to check out what's going on.

Time for all of us to act like DISCIPLES and not settle for just being Christians!

Same God?

I had the privilege of speaking in Chapel yesterday at the Christian school that my kids attend. I spoke to the Kindergarten through 5th graders, and that means you kind of have to act out the lesson. I used the passage of Scripture in James chapter 5 all about prayer. I had someone there in the audience call my phone and I pretended that God called me. It was kind of fun to hear their laughter at first. I focused on a few BIG words for them when it talks about praying "fervently" and "earnestly". At the end of that passage it talks about a guy named Elijah and how he prayed that it wouldn't rain, and God held off the rain for 3 1/2 years. Then he prayed again that God would send the rain and He did!
My question to them and to all of us is: Do we believe we could pray that way and that God could do the same kind of thing today?
We DO pray to the same God that Elijah prayed to thousands of years ago, and I believe with all my heart that God WANTS to do the same kind of miraculous things today.
Here's proof:

Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen!

He really does want to do more than we could ever ask or even imagine!
Pray and try it out for yourself!

Can't get this verse out of my mind

This past Sunday's text just keeps resonating in mind: Hebrews 3:13 But encourage one another daily, while it is called "Today." I don't know about you but I need encouragement TODAY! I am pretty sure I can speak for you as well. We all need it! Another verse comes to mind as well on the heels of the last one: Let no unwholesome speech proceed out of your mouth, only that which is good for building one another up and that it may impart grace to the hearers - Ephesians 4:29
What we say to one another doesn't only affect the one we are talking to, but also those who are around and can hear what we say. I truly believe we need to be much more careful what we say to one another, especially when others are around.
May the words of our mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in Thy sight, my Strength and my Redeemer!
Jesus told the disciples: "what you have done to the least of these my brethren you have done it unto Me. I think it would be safe to say that Jesus would say - what you have SAID to the least of these my brethren you have said to ME!

That should really make us THINK before we speak, Amen?

So encourage one another while it is called today!