Weekend Reflections

I've been out of the country a lot this summer and away from my blog so here are some random reflections over the past several weekends while I've been away.

 

• It's awesome to have such a great staff to cover for me while I'm away . . . great messages guys . . . I've heard some wonderful comments

 

• It's great to be missed . . . thanks to so many of you who expressed how good it was to see me back safe and sound

 

• I had a blast traveling with our Uganda team, working like a dog digging ditches, first time I ever got "throw up" sick on a trip like this, and then traveling on to India with Pastor Mike. He's a hoot to travel with . . . love the guy . . . love how he cleans everything down when we arrive at a new place . . . love how he is so gracious to people . . . love how he makes people feel important

 

• Our Uganda team did an amazing job . . . worked so hard and accomplished so much . . . way to go guys, you're absolutely awesome!

 

• Good to have made it out of India alive . . . wow that was an experience . . . never had to run from Hindu extremists before . . . wouldn't have traded it for the world . . . what an eye-opening, hair-raising experience

 

• Coming back from Uganda and India this time opened my eyes again to just how "good" we have it here in America. I put "good" in quotes because I sometimes think that all of our blessings has made us pretty selfish. Maybe it's just having seen the conditions people worship in and the price they pay to follow Jesus makes me less tolerable to whining Christians in America and how insensitive and uncaring we can be toward people who will go to hell without Jesus. When we complain about being asked to attend a different service time; park away from the building, sit in the middle, and of all things, tooooo many people . . . you tell me . . . is something wrong? Not too long ago when we were really trying to move people to "less desirable" service times I actually had a lady to write me an email saying "Pastor, why don't you just give more?" . . . meaning to preach 6, 7, 8 times if necessary. Hey, I'll do that but let's fill the ones we have now . . . ok, let me get off of this!

 

• Didn't Ajai hit the ball out of the park . . . wow what a powerful message on being a Christian extremist . . . check it out on our website if you haven't heard it yet

 

• I have just loved our worship time over the last couple of weeks . . . Dustin is doing a fantastic job

 

Hey, be praying for our team in Naples, Italy . . . Dennis and Karen are already there and several others will be joining them later this week!

Comments

[Grace2u]

2 Corinthians 9: v 11
" Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."

It is amazing that Churches do Not teach RADICAL SHIFTS, when it comes to giving.

But yet they use the old arm twisting methods , used for centuries by traditions of men , and thus try to make the ones that don't have the faith, or do not have the funds, they are the ones who are made to feel like a "DOWN AND OUTER" And will loose favor with God, if they cannot pay the pastors mortgage and the Churches, before theirs...How sad!.

the truth is Jesus warned his followers that there would come religious leaders who would declare rightly He was the Christ, then proceed to deceive people. These deceivers are also described as being deceived themselves.
But when our Lord hung his head and said "it is finished" he was only meaning part of the law right?

And when Paul one of the most influential Pharisee before conversion, went around to the Gentile Churches, he taught "SPIRIT LEAD GIVING" and did not say one thing recorded in the torah about tithing .
nor did he say a thing about the amount.

So Tithing today is therefore put forth as being a matter of faith....when in actuality tithing has nothing to do with faith. Paul states in his writings that the law is not of faith.

You don’t see many ministers today who propound tithing living by faith that God will support them through the free_will offerings of their flocks. It is not uncommon for many so-called ministers today and lay people alike to offer up justifications when they alter Scripture and the application of Scripture.

Why don't we do the real radical and speak the truth such as ....the old covenant died on the cross with Jesus.

And from now on we as a church will not bring up a old corps as tithing wipe it off and use it to make the people feel guilty for more income.
If the Church tells the truth then the truth may just set them free ...in abundant giving ....which will go along with ABUNDANT LIFE!

[Grace2u]

Pastor George: You made the statement that "Statitcs show that may CHRIST FOLLOWERS dont follow the teaching putting Christ first, to this I concur but in all do respect where does this name CHRIST FOLLOWERS oraginate from? many that I talk to dont like it, it deduces the fact we are sons and daughters of our Lord, I have listen to The "Pope of the new evangelical movement" RICK WAREN use it a few times, but Inn all actuality, names do not mean a thing , but actions do.

I find myself confused over why anyone would want to call themselves a CHRIST FOLLOWER, Judas was a Christ follower, the many who left Jesus after he made the statement "to be part of me you must eat of my flesh and drink of my blood" were also Christ Followers.

So when Jesus made the statement that the terriers will grow up with the wheat, it will be very hard to tell the difference unless of course their works of faith show the difference,and in that account the name dose not mean a thing.

You might also want to look at those Jesus were speaking about when he made the statement after the Olivette discourse "many will say to me that day LORD, LORD didn't we do miracles, healing etc. in your name???...he then make the statement DEPART I NEVER KNEW YOU,,,,,THESE were also Christ followers.

But it is that being sons and daughters when the holy spirit comes into our lives and plants the seed of faith, that sets us apart, from being ...just a Christ follower.

When one recognizes that he or she is a guilty sinner and repents and calls upon the LORD for salvation , then is where the difference lays, and when the conversion takes place they must not forget the first step they take on this earth afterwards, will be on enemy territory and they will be walking on it for the rest of their lives.

Being called CHRIST LIKE, OR IMATIATORS OF CHRIST, such as CHRISTIANS....is fine with me, many have died holding that name so dearly..and so will I....Blessing to you my friend