ORANGEjuice

God has spoken to me so clearly this morning. I had a great day yesterday. I battled the “live by faith and not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7) battle most of the morning. It is amazing how I can teach on a topic then God puts me to the test. It’s like He says, “Alright big boy let’s see how you are doing on this topic.” I am glad I had just been teaching on it again in my Sunday School class. Our attendance was down yesterday due to a few different factors: Mother’s Day, Air Show, Graduation, pretty weather, etc. So as I looked out in the parking lot during Sunday School the devil started that live based on what you see thing. I was a battle for me but I believe the promises of God won out.

After church, Mary Anne and I, Jeremy and Krista Dyer, Christy Wise and her sons Alex and Mason went out to East Tuscaloosa and gave out brown bag lunches to about 50 people (there numbers were down also). It was good to help folks. I had a man about 55 come up to me and said he helped paint the Family Life Center. He began to cry and asked me to pray for his mom who had just been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Her name is Mable if you would like to pray for her now. We prayed together and I watched this grown man walk away crying for his mom get on his bike and ride away. He was why I was to be there. It was not about a certain number of people. It was about one man yesterday.

Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Phil 2:12–13 (ESV)

It is our job to work out (v12) what God has worked in (v12). You ministry opportunities this week might be to a crowd or to one man on a bike. Work it out. Obey in the moment. Go ahead and make the commitment to Christ that you will walk in obedience today by the moment. Don’t worry about tonight or tomorrow. Work it out in the moment.

Christ has been raise so nothing you do for Him is in vain. (ESV) “And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:14).

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:57–58 (ESV).

Set Free By Friends

This is one amazing illustration of the Christian life.

At the end I have a link to a video that is powerful yet needs to be watched understanding it is graphic in nature but powerful in message.

The Bible clearly teaches that the devil is like a lion seeking to devour us.

1 Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. NIV

As we live out our life we are often just going about our business and not really on “alert” or demonstrating “self-control”. This is a dangerous place. Not only does the “devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”. He will seek to take out the weakest.

Now, sometimes we all experience the attack of the devil. We are to be there for each other when that happens.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: 10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. NIV

We really do need each other. We need each other to break us free when we cannot even help ourselves.

Galatians 6:1-2 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. NIV

Watch this video and learn this biblical lesson better than ever. You might cry when it is over. It is an amazing truth that Scripture teaches lived out before a video camera. Over 52,300,000 have viewed this on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68kM (this is the original raw footage)

Harvest Church Life

Yesterday was one more great day at Harvest Church. Nassan Ibrahim from Uganda did a great job preaching on the Joy of our Salvation. God used you to make a huge impact in the lives of refugees in Uganda. We took up, so far, over $5700 to aide in helping this ministry. That would be 38 homes or two churches for 150 people each with 2 homes to spare or two fresh water wells with 4 homes to spare. It will be used in a powerful way. Nassan is a powerful man of God. Pray for his continued effectiveness for the kingdom. Again, thanks to the Praise Team for taking us to a powerful time of praise and worship.

LIFEgroups continue to experience success with few challenges. Chris Allen has started doing a short visual lesson with the kids in our group so that they continue to learn more and more about God and His love and faithfulness. We will not have LIFEgroups next Sunday due to mother’s day. Make sure your LIFEgroup is planning on attending the picnic on Sunday May 23 and helping with the IN THE STREETS opportunity May 30.

May 30 is going to be our next IN THE STREETS opportunity. Make sure you make plans now to attend and help from 2-4. Also, we need groceries, clothes, toys, etc.

HC Worship continues this week with our WOW Wednesday. We will be going before the Lord in praise and worship and learning from God’s Word from the book of Deuteronomy. I promise it will be applicable to your life. Make sure you are here at 6:30. Bring the whole family.

A Warning

This week in my devotion one of them was based on 2 Corinthians 5:7. It reads, “we walk by faith and not by sight”. This devotion was by Oswald Chambers and he always plows new ground. Let me give you just a few insights he gave. I will not number them because it is not a complete list of truths that this verse or principle gives.

Ω “God is trying to make us do our work as hidden people who are not in the spotlight”

Ω “Can we do our work when it seems that God has sealed up heaven?”

Ω “A self-assured saint is of no value to God.”

Ω “If we continually try to bring back those exceptional moments of inspiration, it is a sign that it is not God we want.”

Ω “Never live for those exceptional moments – they are surprises. God will give us His touches of inspiration only when He sees that we are not in danger of being led away by them.”

Ω We must never consider our moments of inspiration as the standard way of life – our work is the standard.”

Those last two are really good. I want to give you the whole context of this scripture. Paul is talking about our heavenly dwelling. He clearly understood that we are aliens in this world. Our real and eternal home is in heaven. “So we are always of good courage…for we walk by faith, not by sight” (vv6-7).

So, here is the deal. Just do it. Do what God has called you to do and quit trying to recreate experiences. Do not let your sight mislead you, discourage you, confuse you or dissuade you. What you see is not always what you are getting. We are a people that love burning bushes, blinding journeys and emotional worship services. We must be careful in these expectations. We are to live “faith” lives, not “sight” lives. Will we be faithful, even when we do not see what we think we ought to see? I think that is a worthy question.

Lyrics Wednesday

Lyrics

NewSong

CD:Rescue

Before The Day (Track #8)

Last night when I was sleeping
You were watching over me
While I dreamt about tomorrow
You knew my every need

Now another day is waiting
For me to make it through
And there's no way that I could face it without You

Before the day slips away
I want to stop and say
I love You I love You
Before the world rushes in again
I want to stop and say there's none above You
There's none above You
I'll just be still and know You are God
Be still and know You are God

There's something about the morning
The stillness of it all
It calms my heart to hear You
When You gently call

Here I am in Your presence
Where I long to be
Alone with You in the silence
Bring down Your love and Your mercy
Whisper softly to me

The chorus to this song is so powerful and moving. The Psalmist wrote, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." Psalms 91:1-2NKJV. It is in the “secret place” that we can truly say, “Before the day slips away, I want to stop and say I love You I love You. Before the world rushes in again, I want to stop and say there's none above You. There's none above You. I'll just be still and know You are God. Be still and know You are God.” Is there a quiet place in your day when you step into a place with God to say “I love You”. My this is convicting. Stop right now, if you have not already today, and just say, “God, I love you. There is none above you. I’ll just be still and know you are God.”

Brain on a Chain - Philippians 2:5

Philippians 2:5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: NIV

Attitude is a brain thing. What did Christ brain chain look like?

Humility – “made himself nothing” (v7)

Servant – “taking the form of a servant” (v7)

Obedient – “obedient to the point of death” (v8)

These are three characteristics that all of us should seek. Oswald Chambers wrote, “If you have only come as far as asking God for things, you have never come to the point of understanding the least bit of what surrender really means.” In surrender we find humility and when we think we have found it we can know that we have lost it. Surrender is the moment-by-moment task of a servant. Today, let God speak to you. He will prompt you to some things, people, and/or opportunities. I pray that each of us will be Obedient In The Moment (OITM). Put your brain on a chain with humility, service and obedience. You can do it.

Missions Story

In the streets mission(Harvest CHurch) Sunday April 25th 2-4pm

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This was posted by a member of the faith family @ Harvest Church

(Used by permission)

Sun at 5:55pmhis was an amazing expeience for my entire family! We had NEVER been invoved in anything like this before! We went not knowing what to expect at all, with lots of mixed emotions! We pulled up and everyone was unloading trucks, trunks of cars etc! They were sitting up tables and spreading out tarps on the ground. Clothes and other items all went to the tarps and were spread out in best of order as possible. Tables were set up and food was being placed on the tables. Hotdogs were being prepared also. Think about if a bunch of strange people pulled up in your neighborhod that noone else knew and had no idea what they were doing there! I would be alittle scared I think. They started coming closer and we greeted them and said we have plenty of food, clothes etc. Grab a bag and take what you need. Its all for you to take! It was amazing the see the faces and the comments... really, are you sure? One guy kept telling me God is gonna bless yall one day, he really is! Kids were being carried around and played with while parents were "Searching" through to find things they could use or need. Children were talking with other children and trying to help them find things also. My youngest Kensley was in awe. She said WOW mom they should do stuff like this in our neighborhood. I just smiled deep inside cause she had no idea really what she was really doing(like I said this was her first time) I gave her some bags and told her to give the people bags so they would not have to carry their stuff. She came back later and said I sold 2 of my bag..lol I said SOLD?? she said I mean gave.... I was like Whewwwwww!(Kids) She later came to me with an old green John deere ball cap and said I found what I want. I said you do not get to keep that. We are hear to give this to people who needs this stuff. She said but I need it. I said you have plenty of hats at home that you never even wear, these little children do not have not even one hat! I told her to go find a little boy that needed it and give it to him. I later saw a small child run through with a bag full of food and some clothes etc... with that old green John deere ball cap on...... He was wearing it with great pride too! lol I just smiled and said now that is just amazing!! If you have never been on one of this mission trips, I know they are really to help others, but they help the ones doing it and giving way more I think. I left there with great pride that God had sent me to anwer prayers in that neighboorhood today!