Read John's latest blog posting in response to Pastor Pete's most recent message, "When Culture Collides with Singleness."
http://floridabiblechurch.wordpress.com/2011/10/20/heres-my-life/
Thursday, October 20, 2011
I Do
Read John's thoughts in response to Pastor Pete's message entitled, "When Marriage and Culture Collide."
http://floridabiblechurch.wordpress.com/2011/10/13/i-do/
http://floridabiblechurch.wordpress.com/2011/10/13/i-do/
Thursday, October 6, 2011
All I've Ever Known
Check out Florida Bible's new blog and comment on John's most recent post!
http://floridabiblechurch.wordpress.com/
http://floridabiblechurch.wordpress.com/
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Pause to Remember 9-11-01
Most can remember exactly where they were when they heard the news of this devastating attack on our country. I remember the sight of 10- 15,000 college students surrounding me at Liberty University listening to our leaders explain what had occured. the breadth of the situation wasn't made real until we began to see footage of the aftermath. Each began to imagine what it would feel like to have been involved in such an attack directly or to have lost a loved one on that day. Some in the room where I sat had loved ones whose fate was yet to be determined.
The thought that this type of terrorism could occur at any time and at any place in our country has changed our way of thinking. The false sense of security that we enjoyed in this free nation was shattered even if only for a moment. We realized that this could happen again. Our government has dilligently made changes and increased our security in an effort to prevent further attacks, but many still live in fear. We as believers are blessed to know that God is in control, and we have nothing to fear. Even death has hope for us as we know that we will spend eternity in Heaven. That is a sense of security that others deserve to know. The attack that occured on September 11, 2001 can serve as a very vivid reminder that this world will fade away. This world has nothing to offer us, and, ultimately, our relationship with Christ is all that matters.
As the Bible says in Matthew 24, we don't know the day or the hour of Christ's return. The trivial things we do each day will hold no merrit upon His return. All that will matter is that we have accepted His free gift of salvation and that we have enjoyed His perfect presence in our lives while here on earth.
Matthew 24:36-44
No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
The thought that this type of terrorism could occur at any time and at any place in our country has changed our way of thinking. The false sense of security that we enjoyed in this free nation was shattered even if only for a moment. We realized that this could happen again. Our government has dilligently made changes and increased our security in an effort to prevent further attacks, but many still live in fear. We as believers are blessed to know that God is in control, and we have nothing to fear. Even death has hope for us as we know that we will spend eternity in Heaven. That is a sense of security that others deserve to know. The attack that occured on September 11, 2001 can serve as a very vivid reminder that this world will fade away. This world has nothing to offer us, and, ultimately, our relationship with Christ is all that matters.
As the Bible says in Matthew 24, we don't know the day or the hour of Christ's return. The trivial things we do each day will hold no merrit upon His return. All that will matter is that we have accepted His free gift of salvation and that we have enjoyed His perfect presence in our lives while here on earth.
Matthew 24:36-44
No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
We performed a song this week as a band and worship team in memory of September 11 that I'd like to share with those who weren't at our service. It is entitled "Always"by Kristian Stanfill. Enjoy this song as you reflect on the events of this day ten years ago and reflect on today and the reality of Christ's return.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Life Groups
Is it safe to say that everyone desires to connect with other people? I think so. As believers in Christ, we have all we need because we have Jesus living within us. Why then is church a necessary part of our faith? I believe we find and attend a local body of believers to share a common faith with others, to worship together, to serve, to bring others to the knowledge of Christ, and to grow in our understanding of our God and His Word. Our salvation is secure, but we long to connect to and become more aware of the life of Christ that we possess. We reflect on His sacrifice and His love for us; we confess our shortcomings in an effort to reconnect to the continuous love that is available to us, and we do these things alongside other believers to be encouraged. We also long to share the joy and hope we have found in Christ with other people.
Life sometimes muddles our view of our Savior. We become consumed by our day to day issues and forget to or stop reflecting on the fullness of Christ. For these reasons, it helps to do life together together with other believers. To spend time doing things together, normal every-day things outside of the church hour while encouraging each other in our faith. I think of spending time with my children and my husband. We grow so much closer when we find activities to share and enjoy with one another. We stay on the same page, we communicate, and we stay connected; our love grows. In the same way, it is awesome to share time and common interests with those who are on the same faith journey that we are on. It is refreshing to find hobbies and interests to enjoy together that take us away from our daily duties and routines. incorporating time to connect with one another can give us just the fuel we need to continue in our daily lives and responsibilities. It can inspire us to keep plugging into the life of Christ within us.
As you attended RESYNC last week, you may have noticed that we are beginning to focus our time and energy on connecting people. We are going to keep focusing on getting you connected with other believers. Just as so many of us connect with our social networks on facebook, twitter, and etc, we need to connect in real time with other believers. We are hoping to develop small groups of believers who meet once or more per month to do life together and share common interests. As we reviewed our surveys from last Saturday, we found that many of you like to cook and read! That being the case, our first life group will be called the RED group; RED stands for Read, Eat, and Discover. This group will meet on September 18th for the very first time from 6-8pm in the multipurpose room. It will be for women only. We will share recipes and cook together, AND we will choose a book at a time to read and discuss! We will discuss our reading at our gatherings as well as through an online blog or facebook group. Come join us and bring your input about what you'd love to gain from a group like this! Guys, you're next. We know you love activity and sports, and we need more ideas! Please fill out a survey so that we can keep you connected and receiving the latest information about RESYNC all week long! The survey is available online at our website www.resync.me under the social networking tab. Please get connected and stay connected. We want to know you better! As always, please feel free to contact us via email at resync@floridabible.org.
Monday, May 16, 2011
I'm Back!
WOW! It has been a while since I posted to our blog! The month of April was filled with craziness like a surprise pregnancy, an Easter program, and so, so much more! I'm back and ready to write! We are incredibly excited about what is happening at our RESYNC service! If you missed Saturday, May 7, you missed an amazing time of worship and a much needed message from Pastor John Stevens. What an awesome reminder we had that God is our EVERYTHING. He is the ultimate provider should we choose to accept and acknowledge His perfect provisions. God is our supplier and provider and so much more.
Sometimes we as humans begin to believe that our salvation and our godliness are somehow connected to our own abilities and actions. This just isn't the case! We are saved by grace and through faith (Ephesians 2:8), and we are made alive in Christ! When we walk in the awareness of Christ as our Saviour and Provider, we are abiding and remaining in Him. The things we do and say begin to reflect His life in us. This is what it means to walk in the Spirit rather than the flesh. For me, it is a battle to continue believing that I am loved and cherished by God. moment by moment I have to realize that He loves me and approves of me. He is all I need. What is your moment by moment battle? How do you reset your focus on Christ each day? These two questions have a lot to do with our service and the name resync. We wanted to develop a plan by which we acknowledge that we need to release control of ourselves to Jesus once again. This is the reason we chose to call our service RESYNC, and this is the reason we incorporate the same elements into our service week after week.
We want our service to be predictable and intentional in regard to the process we follow to refresh ourselves spiritually. It isn't about a formula or an equation; it is about a weekly reminder and time to refocus among other passionate, committed followers of Christ. We have been meeting now for over four months. Our service is not just about the hour and thirty minutes that we attend church on Saturday night. It is about all of the hours in between! The service is an opportunity to refresh our moment-by-moment relationship with Christ. The elements presented within the service are intended to give you a point of reference, a process that anyone can revisit at home throughout the week.
This is our process:
RESYNC to JESUS
Revive-Moment of praise and worship
Reset-Moment of listening
Release-Moment of prayer
Reaffirm-Moment of teaching
Refine-Moment of confession
React-Moment of outreach and small groups
John 15:5-8 says, "I am the Vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you. This is to my Father's glory that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." These words indicate that when we remain in Him, walk in the spirit, we will bear much fruit. Even what we ask will be given to us because what we ask will be honoring and pleasing to God when we remain in Him. Isn't this the goal: to remain in Him, to bear fruit that is pleasing to Him, and hopefully to reach other people with that fruit for His glory? As John 13:34-35 says,"Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Sometimes we as humans begin to believe that our salvation and our godliness are somehow connected to our own abilities and actions. This just isn't the case! We are saved by grace and through faith (Ephesians 2:8), and we are made alive in Christ! When we walk in the awareness of Christ as our Saviour and Provider, we are abiding and remaining in Him. The things we do and say begin to reflect His life in us. This is what it means to walk in the Spirit rather than the flesh. For me, it is a battle to continue believing that I am loved and cherished by God. moment by moment I have to realize that He loves me and approves of me. He is all I need. What is your moment by moment battle? How do you reset your focus on Christ each day? These two questions have a lot to do with our service and the name resync. We wanted to develop a plan by which we acknowledge that we need to release control of ourselves to Jesus once again. This is the reason we chose to call our service RESYNC, and this is the reason we incorporate the same elements into our service week after week.
We want our service to be predictable and intentional in regard to the process we follow to refresh ourselves spiritually. It isn't about a formula or an equation; it is about a weekly reminder and time to refocus among other passionate, committed followers of Christ. We have been meeting now for over four months. Our service is not just about the hour and thirty minutes that we attend church on Saturday night. It is about all of the hours in between! The service is an opportunity to refresh our moment-by-moment relationship with Christ. The elements presented within the service are intended to give you a point of reference, a process that anyone can revisit at home throughout the week.
This is our process:
RESYNC to JESUS
Revive-Moment of praise and worship
Reset-Moment of listening
Release-Moment of prayer
Reaffirm-Moment of teaching
Refine-Moment of confession
React-Moment of outreach and small groups
John 15:5-8 says, "I am the Vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you. This is to my Father's glory that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." These words indicate that when we remain in Him, walk in the spirit, we will bear much fruit. Even what we ask will be given to us because what we ask will be honoring and pleasing to God when we remain in Him. Isn't this the goal: to remain in Him, to bear fruit that is pleasing to Him, and hopefully to reach other people with that fruit for His glory? As John 13:34-35 says,"Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
I am.
Doesn't that say it all? God is everything that I need, yet I fail to acknowledge that truth. When I fail to act out of that truth, life seems to just swallow me up. I have access to the fullness of God within me. And as Psalm 34:5 says, "Those who look upon Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame."
Pastor Pete has been talking about who God is. As he spoke of God revealing himself to Isaiah, I was reminded of this list that my father posted recently on his blog. Declaring that God is each and every one of these things in my life brings me confidence. When I rest in the knowledge of my God's greatness, I do radiate His love to others, and I act out of that love. Let's leave our comfort zones and deliver that love to others every day.
First Thought: Christ in You
"Christ is all and is in all.” Col. 3:11
When you awaken each day remember that Jesus abides in you. Verbally affirm His presence as your entire Christian life. Tell Him you are thrilled He abides in you. Never start a day from what you lack.
Listen to how Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola describe Jesus in their wonderful book Jesus Manifesto.
Jesus is…
Your Shepherd, your Advocate, your Mediator, your Bridegroom, your Lion, your Lamb, your sacrifice, your manna, your smitten Rock, your living water, your food, your drink, your good and abundant land, your dwelling place, your Sabbath, your new moon, your Jubilee, your new wine, your feast, your aroma, your anchor, your wisdom, your peace, your comfort, your Healer, your joy, your glory, your power, your strength, your wealth, your victory, your redemption, your Prophet, your Priest, your kinsmen redeemer, your teacher, your guide, your liberator, your deliverer, your Prince, your Captain, your vision, your sight, your beloved, your way, your truth, your life, your author, your finisher, your beginning, your end, your age, your eternity — your all and all.
May the perfect and positive presence of Jesus be your first thought not your last.
Bud McCord
Abide International
Visit my dad's blog at http://www.abideinternational.org/
Rebekah
When you awaken each day remember that Jesus abides in you. Verbally affirm His presence as your entire Christian life. Tell Him you are thrilled He abides in you. Never start a day from what you lack.
Listen to how Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola describe Jesus in their wonderful book Jesus Manifesto.
Jesus is…
Your Shepherd, your Advocate, your Mediator, your Bridegroom, your Lion, your Lamb, your sacrifice, your manna, your smitten Rock, your living water, your food, your drink, your good and abundant land, your dwelling place, your Sabbath, your new moon, your Jubilee, your new wine, your feast, your aroma, your anchor, your wisdom, your peace, your comfort, your Healer, your joy, your glory, your power, your strength, your wealth, your victory, your redemption, your Prophet, your Priest, your kinsmen redeemer, your teacher, your guide, your liberator, your deliverer, your Prince, your Captain, your vision, your sight, your beloved, your way, your truth, your life, your author, your finisher, your beginning, your end, your age, your eternity — your all and all.
May the perfect and positive presence of Jesus be your first thought not your last.
Bud McCord
Abide International
Visit my dad's blog at http://www.abideinternational.org/
Rebekah
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