I don't like pain!

Pain....ouch!

Life brings pain. Sometimes it's my my/our own fault. While at other times, someone else causes us pain. Ouch! I don't like pain plain and simple.

But how one deals with pain is very interesting. Some run and hide if possible. Others, cry out to God. Some might even go get drunk. ( I don't do this one)

Pain, it comes and goes as does each new day. Sometimes pain comes in waves and you wonder "'why me". Other times pain is at a distance for long periods of time.

Why does pain have to hurt so much? Have you ever noticed that some pain lasts a long time? Why is that? While other pain is gone in a very short time.

Pain....I don't like pain.

I wonder if life pain or relationship pain is worse? I think I don't like relationship pain the most. It hurts! Ouch! This type of pain take a long time to heal.

I think I'll go and do something else now, enough talking about pain.

eyewonder,

I wonder a lot....do you? I wonder what God has for me in the next five years. I wonder what I should preach about for the month of February. I wonder when I'll be a grandparent. Which leads me to wonder when the older kids will marry. I wonder if I really hear from the Lord at times. I wonder if people take their walk with the Lord seriously. Do you ever wonder about creation? I do. I wonder what old friends are doing these days. I wonder how long I'll be living here where we are living.

I wonder....

Why Pray

Why do you pray? It's an interesting question for me right now because I'm reading a book called "Why Pray". It's a 40 day devotional type book about prayer of course. I've been meeting with four other men weekly now for a month. When I asked then to be committed to this 40 days of prayer/fasting I had no idea what was going to occur. More on this later, but here are some questions that I've been pondering.

Why Pray? What leads you to want to pray? What are your motives in praying? Do you expect an answer? Whom are you praying to? How long are you willing to pray? How is fasting related to praying? Or is it? Do you pray standing up, sitting down, on your knees? Do you walk when you pray? Do you have a prayer "closet"? A favorite place you go to pray? When you do pray are you always asking for something? Do you balance praying with praise, adoration, thankfulness?

I find that early mornings are the best time for me, (my family knows this all to well) I enjoy going on early morning walks to pray. Music is a part of my praying because it's helps me bring praise to God, it also helps me focus. I like to talk out loud to God, it's as if he's right there with me....well I know he is, it's just my way of communicating to him.

Let me know what you think about prayer.

Blessings, Pastor Jim

Being Serious....

Greetings,

Well as most of you know I've been "preaching" a series on the book Crazy Love. Last Sunday I finished the series and I thought I would bring you all up to date on how things went over the last ten weeks.

1. God is amazingly faithful. :) 2. When we are obedient to his word, his calling, the leading of the Holy Spirit, God will always show up and do what he needs to do in the hearts of believers. This is a good thing. 3. It's been a great joy to witness, the people at the church respond to what God had put on my heart. To actually hear people say, God is moving in my heart, I can't believe I've never thought or heard of this before, wow! Pastor thanks for sharing your heart.

I'm more than humbled by those and other comments. To be a part of what God is, has and will continue to do blows me away. To think that I'm doing what God wants me to do, that he is using me in this way, well let's just say I'm honored!

Thank you church family for allowing me to lead you. To share with you. To cry with you. To follow God with you. I'm having a fantastic time, and I'm looking forward to being involved in what God has for all of us as we continue to be used by him for his glory.

Pastor Jim

Living it out....Now!

Well I'm near the end of prepping for my message on Sunday, chapter 7 of crazy love. I'm also right in the middle of a situation that is way beyond my ability to control. As I was awoken early this morning by not only rain, but also very strong wind, I began to wonder.

You see my text will focus on Joseph, not of the old, but of the new testament. I've been fascinated with him off and on for a few years. On the surface he's a man, finds a lady to marry, finds out he is pregnant after her father says yes you can marry her. He is confused. He has a dream about how she became pregnant and accepts what the angle said in the dream. But if we dig just a little deeper I would argue that he was living out his relationship with God in such a way that is just astounding! At this point I have two points in my message for true believers. Strong beliefs/Sacrifice. Joseph had/did both of these as it relates to Mary and his situation.

And I wonder about me and my situation. The situation that has continued for the last several months. The situation that causes me pain, hope, joy, pain again. Do I have strong beliefs? If so what are they and how do they relate to this never ending situation? And with my mind, just like Joseph I try to figure it out. Joseph had a dream, I have not. He knew God, so do I. He had to sacrifice, so did I. I wonder if I will again, just in a different way?

Maybe I should go back to bed and try to dream. But I know I'll just be awake until little E wakes us and snuggles up to me because mama is not with us today. :(

So, here I am with a partial message, no solid solutions to a situation that has always been out of my control to some extent, a rainy windy morning, a great view from where I'm sitting, and a very quiet home. And most of all a God how has me, our family, the situation in his hands. So I'll end by saying this. I'm letting go again, and allowing the creator of the universe to solve this problem because we are in a situation where we have to completely trust in him for the answer.

This is one of those faith walks, that I don't really like. But, I guess I'll walk it for now, or maybe I should allow Jesus to carry me because I'm tired and perplexed.

Make today a wonderful day with those you come in contact with.

Pastor Jim

Me vs. The Holy Spirit

This morning while reading my devotional for Crazy Love something hit me; how much do I really praise the Lord? Check out Psalm 98:4-9. When was the last time you had shout's of joy for the Lord? Or "burst" into jubilant song with music?

Can you imagine what that would look like?

Ok so here's where the me vs. the HS thing takes place. So I'm sitting at my new desk finishing up my teaching notes for tomorrow. And it hit's me: have the church do this tomorrow. I'm thinking yea right. This is how I get closest to the Lord, through worship. But, then I wonder....what would that really look like? Shouts of Joy! Burst of jubilant song! Trumpets! Blast of the Ram's Horn. (where's Sean when I need him and his ram's horn).

So my question to myself is this. Is this me or the HS? And how do you distinguish between the two? My desires/the HS desires. Know I know we don't need to over spiritualize this at all. But, I sometimes wonder what's really "us" our wishes/desires/thoughts etc. or that of the HS.

I'll let you if I get a clearer answer from the Lord for tomorrow.

Blessings Pastor Jim

Crazy Love

We are currently on a series called Crazy Love. It's based on the book by Francis Chan. We have had tremendous response to the series over the last five weeks. I've been able to listen to those in the body who have been challenged in their faith over the course of the series.

We as a congregation were even challenged after chapter two, which is titled "You might not finish this chapter". It basically asks the question "are you ready".

One of our own went home to be with Jesus the following week. I believe they were ready, and willing to be received by Jesus. We miss then dearly, but we all had to take a close look in the mirror and ask ourselves....ARE WE READY!!!

Honestly, I don't know if I am. But, I'm willing to live each and every day as if it's my last, because I want to be ready to meet my Jesus face to face and here "welcome home my good and faithful servant. Oh what a day that will be.

My question to you is this. ARE YOU READY? If not why not? Is so, what makes you so sure you are?

Blessings, Pastor Jim