HOW DO WE SEE OTHERS?

How do we look at other people? Do we see them as God desires for us to see them? In the Book of Acts we see a division that arose between Paul and John Mark over a minor issue that blew up into a large issue.

After time, Paul had a change in heart as you can read in 2 Timothy 4: 10-11. "For Demas has forsake me, having loved this present world...so take John Mark, and bring him with you; for he is profitable to me for the ministry."

What can we learn from this:
1. We need to give people a second chance.
2. We cannot measure other people by our standards and goals in life. Not everyone is going to do things that same way that we.
3. We need to look for the best in others, and that is what we will find!

How are we looking at others today?

HOW ARE WE LIVING?

In Colossians 4: 5-6: we read these words - "Live wisely among those are not Christians, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone."

My prayer for myself is that I will be able to live this scripture out in my daily life.
- Live wisely among people who do not know Jesus. My life does count for something, and as a Christian people in the world are watching me. They are watching for what I do and what I do not do! I need to live wisely, smart, effective among them. I am not better than anyone in the world. Jesus has stepped into my life!

- Make most of every opportunity. I pray that I will see the opportunities that God gives to me to share and minister to people who are not right with the Lord. How many of us miss opportunities in our daily lives.

- Let your conversation be gracious. How do we communicate with the people of the world. Let us be kind, loving, and gracious to all people. That is what will make us effective with the world.

- Let us have the right answer for people. The right answer is Jesus and the Word. Let us point people to the answer - Jesus Christ!

How are we living???

Devotional Thought

I was journaling this morning from Colossians 3:13-14 and the Lord ministered to me from this passage of Scripture and I wanted to pass it on to others. "You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember the Lord forgives you, so you must forgive others. And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us together in perfect harmony."

Lord I need to learn this by applying it and doing it in my daily life. Help me to make allowances for other people and the way that they do things, that may not be the way that I would do them. I am sure that I have offended people and I would want allowances as well. Help me to forgive others as You have forgiven me of all my sins. And on top of everything, help me to live a life of genuine love, because love is what will connect us to God (really), love is what connects us to one another, and love is what will connect us to a world that desperately needs Jesus.

Lord help me to live this out today!

CONNECTING WITH ONE ANOTHER!

I am so thankful for my LIFE Group on Wednesday nights, and how it is growing not only in numbers but in spiritual vitality. I am thankful for the great testimonies last night, a great sense of God's presence in our prayer time, and great discussion.
I am hearing great reports of what is going on in the LIFE Groups. If you have not yet connected with a LIFE (HOME) Group, I want to encourage you to get connected. It is hard to believe that we will be completing the first session in a couple of weeks.

We are already planning on the second session and the book that we will be using. This is not a program, but a process of Connecting with God, Connecting with One Another, so that we can connect with our world!

Last night we looked at this Scripture and I want to encourage you with it today:

Hebrews 10: 23-25
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another...and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Connecting with you,
Pastor Ron

SUNSHINE

It is great to see the sun finally out after a number of days of rain. I almost thought we would have to start building an ark. It is amazing what rain and water can do to business, homes, and roadways. The destruction that can take place because of nature.

I am thankful that the sun is out to warm us, dry us, to brighten our lives. That is the same way it is with the Lord. When the Lord's presence is in our lives - He is the One that warms our lives, brightens our lives, and give us a hope and a reason for living!

I encourage you to get into the presence of the Lord today, and remember - "In His presence there is fullness of joy.

Connecting with you,
Pastor Ron

WHY DID JESUS SUFFER AND DIE FOR ME?

I want to encourage you to be with us tomorrow as we start a new series that will lead us up to Easter. I am going to share Biblical Reasons Why Jesus Suffered And Died for ME! If we will allow these promises from God's Word to speak to us and impact our lives it will free us to live overcoming lives.

I would like to encourage you to invite someone to come to these next four Sunday's and see the power of the Cross.

PS - Do not forget to set your clocks ahead one hour tonight!

Connecting with you,
Pastor Ron

What Are We Willing To Do For The Lost?

How many people need to know Jesus personally and intimately! I was blessed at our LIFE Group last night, in hearing the stories of the impact that our church has had on leading people to Jesus Christ. I want to encourage you to keep up the good work and continue to reach lost people with the Good News of Jesus Christ!

If you are not a part of a home group (Life Group) I want to encourage you to become a part of one for your spiritual growth and development! God's Word encourages us to "Love one another and He loves us."

Connecting with you,
Pastor Ron

BACK HOME

I have been out of town for awhile. I was on a great Missions trip to the Dominican with a great team of men and women who served the Lord and the people of the DR. It is great to see the building become a real school for the precious children.

The last two days I was in Dallas for the A/G Cabinet meeting, where we discussed for two days, how are we going to reach this generation! I will be sharing more about that in the days ahead!

But there is no place like home. I encourage you with the words from Philippians 4 - "Do not worry about anything, but in everything pray." Prayer is not a religious duty, but a relationship with the person of Jesus Christ. I encourage you to pray to a real God that loves and cares about you!