Yes, I am Accepted!

We look around and too often see people who are filled with disappointments. We don’t have to look far to see men and women who are facing rejection, sometimes by people who are closest to them.

Herm was feeling pretty good about himself after he thrilled his 7-year-old granddaughter by repairing her doll.  Allison was so elated that she threw her arms around him and declared, “Grandpa, you’re the smartest man in the world!”  His ego had no sooner started to inflate when Allison added, “You’re almost as smart as Grandma!”

Our true value is not to be established by the people around us, but by the God who created us. He is eternally in love with us and wants us to know just how significant we are in his eyes.

This coming Sunday I am going to be teaching from John 4 and my hope is to bring to light how accepting Jesus is to all who come to him.

May you have a God-blessed week as you trust more and more in the Amazing Jesus!

Mike

 

 

Staying Focused Is A Full-Time Job

In the church world there are a couple days we always gear up for. One of those days just passed us by last Sunday as we celebrated the resurrection of Christ. There is now the potential for a let down thinking the Easter season of life is over and it is back to the ‘norm’ once again. I want to challenge you, as I also accept this challenge, to make every Sunday a day of celebration. This coming Lord’s Day is a time to give thanks again for the new life our Father in heaven gives us through Jesus.

 

Tommy Newberry is a Christian author and motivational teacher.  In working to help people reach their potential he has noted, "I have observed that lack of focus is the number one reason men underachieve professionally and personally.  By 'underachieve' I mean to fail to access and then apply God-given potential to the opportunities of life."  Unless we stay focused on what God would have us do, distractions will siphon and compromise our effectiveness. (New Man, September/October 2007)

 

I can tell you from personal experience, staying focused is a full time job. Because we are pulled in so many directions, from so many different sources, it can become difficult to accomplish what the Lord has in store for us.  This week I want to encourage you to stay focused on the power of the Risen Jesus—He is Amazing.

 

 

THE REAL TRUTH

We are constantly searching for answers. We may ask people, read books, or take the advice of our favorite television personality. The problem with that is all those different resources have the possibility of giving incorrect advice. You may have heard of Bill and Elaine who were out shopping at an old antique bizarre when they came upon a set of scales that gave your weight and fortune.  Bill stepped up and was very pleased with the results.  He gladly read the results to his wife: "It says I'm energetic, bright, resourceful, and handsome."  She glanced over at the scales and then retorted, "Yea, and it got your weight wrong too."

 

As Easter Sunday approaches, we will face people from various backgrounds and all are searching for something. Sometimes that "something" is easily identified, but there are other times when the hole in the heart of a person is not quickly defined and understood. This Sunday, more than anything else, may the church be the place where people can come and find the Truth! God does not give wrong answers, and His Word is always the best place to go to find the joy of the journey called life. Our Jesus is Amazing and his promise is wonderful. In John 20, Jesus told his friend Thomas..."Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." John 20:29 New International Version

 

Have a great week and I will plan on worshipping the Risen Jesus with you Sunday.

Mike

Blog (Fear).doc

I Will Live Unafraid

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Some of life’s experiences create an internal fear. Life becomes uneasy as we face those hurdles for the first time and we are uncertain how the story is going to end. We can probably relate to Johnny…

Five year old Johnny was in the kitchen as his mother made dinner. She asked him to go into the pantry and get her a can of tomato soup, but he didn't want to go in alone. "It's dark in there and I'm scared." She asked again, and he persisted. Finally she said, "It's OK--Jesus will be in there with you." Johnny walked hesitantly to the door and slowly opened it. He peeked inside, saw it was dark, and started to leave when all at once an idea came, and he said: "Jesus, if you're in there, would you hand me that can of tomato soup?"

It is the joy of the follower of Jesus to know we will never walk alone. God assures us that he will never abandon his children. He says, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.”

Hebrews 13:5-6 New International Version

Failure

When things just don’t work out like you expected, do you ever feel like a failure? You try and try and it seems like nothing ever works out. Did you know it is said that Thomas Edison performed 50,000 experiments before he succeeded in producing a storage battery? We might assume the famous inventor would have had some serious doubts along the way. But when asked if he ever became discouraged working so long without results, Edison replied, "Results? Why, I know 50,000 things that won't work."
As we face the fear of failure, we will do well to remember the only time we really fail, is if we fail to get up and try again.
The Bible lets us know that the race of life is not a sprint, but rather a marathon. We will face a few pot holes in the race, but the key is to keep running to the goal. You know the goal?
“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:13-14 New International Version
In this day, what a joy to know our Lord will help us along the pathway of life as we keep our eyes on Him. Have a blessed day.
Mike