Are You Convinced?

As we are inching towards the month of June, it is hard to believe that summer is…. HERE! And as we head into the summer of 2007, we here in the office are preparing for several events that God has put on our hearts! Starting construction of Holy Grounds, holding a Missions Dinner on June 16^th, holding an outreach at Wrightsville Beach on July 4^th, and hold an End Times Prophecy Conference July 20-22. Throw in vacations, kids activities, and we have a full summer!

But… are these just things to fill the days, or is there something more? Sometimes that depends on our perspective. We can have these events, and just get through them… or we can see God at work and engage in what He is doing!

Our Missions Dinner will be an awesome opportunity to be a blessing to a family who has surrendered their life to serving the Lord wherever He sends them (currently Georgia!), hear what God is doing in that place, and engage in what God is doing!

Our July 4^th outreach will be an opportunity to mingle with the world outside our church, share the gospel message through music and testimonies, and connect with people who come through, touching them with the love of Christ.

Our Prophecy Conference will be an opportunity to expand our understanding of the end times, and how we can see the prophecies of the bible literally unfold before our eyes!

The Holy Grounds will be a place that we can touch the people in our community in a very practical way.

What is God doing here? He is expanding our borders! He is drawing us out of the church, and into the community. He is making it possible to reach people that might have never come through our doors. He is working in our midst. I am amazed daily at how God is working in our body, and each day I am convinced all the more, just as Abraham was:

Abraham “…did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (Rom 4:20-22)

Are you convinced that god is working in your life? Are you convinced that God is working in our body? Are you convinced that God will perform that which He has promised? For Abraham, is was accounted to him for righteousness.

...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

This week i heard a radio show about the immigration bill - and an 'off topic' caller made a statement that “more blood has been shed in the name of the bible than any other book in history”.

First I would have to dispute the numbers, in that most estimates of people killed as a result of the crusades, etc, would be in the neighborhood of 1.5 – 2.5 million. Granted, not a pretty number, but it pales in comparison to Hitler.

Second, I would have to note that the deaths and carnage as a result of “Christianity” were in fact committed “on behalf of God” by government and church leaders who were in fact NOT following the teachings of the bible or Christ. Nowhere in the bible are we commanded to kill or invade. Nowhere are we commanded to take the world for God by force. We are commanded to love and love our neighbor…

For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. Rom 13:9-10

Teaching of the bible in schools or anywhere else, would never lead to Christians to go out and commit violence or murder against those of other faiths or beliefs. The problems of Christianity in the past and present are the result of man using God in order to further his own agenda. Now that IS something to rail about!

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.
Eccl 12:13-14 NKJV

Boundaries

Last week I shared about how out little dog Angel was hit by the Fed Ex truck. It was a sad week for our family, but we are adjusting to life without our little white furry Angel!

This week I want to explore another truth that is revealed by this incident: Boundaries, and why we need them!

We had in our yard one of those invisible fences. A small wire that circumvents the yard, and when Angel came within a certain distance of the wire, about five feet, her collar would start beeping. It was a warning to her that she was getting too close to the boundary. If she came any closer, say three feet, her collar would give her a little ‘shock’. Nothing harmful, but certainly an attention getter! Within a few days, she knew the boundaries, and she would go right up to the ‘beeping boundary’, and stop.

Yet once in a while, the battery would go dead, or the wire would break. We would be alerted to this fact because Angel would start to wander outside of the boundary. Now Angel did not have an evil ‘wandering heart’, she just wanted to explore the wide world beyond our yard. But, as we saw so clearly last week, it is a dangerous world out there. There are Fed trucks, and other things that could harm her.

My point it this… God has given us boundaries. Very clear ones. They are contained in His word, the bible. I can look at those boundaries from two perspectives… (1) They CONFINE ME, or (2) They protect me.

I have found that when I cross one of God’s boundaries – trespass if you will – it brings me nothing but trouble: Guilt and shame before God and man, and on top of that pain and trouble. I have found that God’s boundaries are given to me to protect me from the consequences of sin. God has placed boundaries in our life because He loves us, and He wants what is best for us. He has also given us a “warning”, which it the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Its that little unction in our heart that goes off before we sin.

You see my view of God’s word must be based on the premise that God loves me, and that He cares for me! It must be based on the understanding that God created me, and He knows what is best for me. When I see God’s word in this context, I am willing to abide in His word, and to stay within His boundaries. I trust that He will keep me safe inside the fence of His grace, and I will be protected from the consequences of wandering outside of those boundaries. I won’t get hit by the Fed Ex truck!

Blessed are the undefiled in the way,
Who walk in the law of the LORD!
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
Who seek Him with the whole heart!
They also do no iniquity;
They walk in His ways.
Ps 119:1-3 NKJV

...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

This week a beloved member of our family passed away. Our little dog of thirteen years, Angel, passed away from complications stemming from an altercation with the FedEx truck. This family event was further complicated by the fact that "Dad" (I.E. - me!) had been remiss in fixing the 'invisible fence' that kept our little angel in the protective confines of our yard. Echo's of "Dad, Angel's going to get run over" ring in my ears!



Thankfully, my wife and kids are the epitome of grace, and upon arrival last night (their mom gave them the bad news while I was at an elders meeting), I was greeted with "we love you dad, and we don't blame you for Angel's death". Bless you my children!



I share this with you not to elicit sympathy cards, but to share with you a truth... Putting off what needs to be done ALWAYS carries a price. I knew Angel was wandering. I knew I needed to set aside a few hours to fix the fence. I just put it off - plain and simple. I didn't want her to get run over, I didn't think she would get run over (I assumed dogs know when to back off?).

We can apply this principle to changing the oil in our car, painting our house... but do we see this principle in our spiritual lives? Am I able to see things that need to be 'fixed' in my spiritual life... yet put them off because of one reason or another?

• Am I neglecting time in prayer, in the word, and just communing with God?
• Is there an area of my life that I need to "clean up", and I just keep putting it off?
• Is there some sin I am allowing myself to remain in?
• Is there something that God is calling me to that I am procrastinating?

As sad as it is to lose our little Angel, there are things that occur due to inattention to our spiritual lives that are far worse. What if I am not strong in my walk with the Lord, in the full armor of God, and I fall into a sin that jeopardizes my family? Or what if I slowly lead my kids into compromise through my example? What will be the ramifications of "not doing what needs to be done" in these areas of my life? Lord, help me to stay diligent in these areas!

Stay tuned next week for part 2... "Boundaries"

Till the whole world hears...

Pastor Clay