Sunday, June 21, 2009

Happy Father's Day

It was another great day at Living Hope. I enjoyed celebrating with our fathers. Richard told me about his father. He told me how he use to work side by side with his father, Clarence, on the farm. So for those who still have their fathers with them make sure you enjoy this day. For those whose fathers have gone on to be with Jesus remember the great times, remember the lessons they taught you, and know that you will see them again at the resurrection.

All the fathers and men received a gift from Living Hope today. Each man received a bungee cord. These are not only practical gifts but very spiritual. Matthew 16:19 says whatsoever you bungee on Earth will be bungeed in heaven. (Just a little humor there, very little, I know.)

During the sermon today there was a challenge to practice being lead by God every hour of every day. We called this the 60 minute challenge. I learned about this challenge from a pastor named John Burke and I have been practicing this for the last ten days. What you do is get a watch or your cell phone and set the alarm to sound at the top of every hour that you are awake. When the alarm goes off just recognize that Jesus is with you. That he loves you, is all powerful, and wants to care for you. Repent if you have not been walking with him in the last hour. Ask him to guide your thoughts and actions in the next hour. This only takes a minute or two, but it keeps our minds and hearts on the things of God throughout the day. We do this because God is all knowing and we believe he knows what is best for us. He can lead us better than we can lead ourselves. Try it for a day, week, or a month and see what God can do through your life.

At the end of our sermon today I read a quote from coach John Wooden. We also handed out a bookmark with the quote on it. The quote is one of the best definitions of faith that I have seen. It shows us how to live as a person of faith. Here is the quote, "From the very beginning you must have faith that things will work out as they should, that genuine and applied efforts are rewarded. Although not always in the manner you may expect or desire." We learn from Moses and the children of Israel that no matter how bad the circumstances may be by the grace of God things will turn out the way they are suppose to. Following the leading of God is rewarded. It may not always look the way we think it should, there may be Red Seas to cross. But we are people of faith who humbly and confidently follow God and in the end everything will be alright.

I love you Living Hope.


In Jesus' Service,

1 comment:

Jenilee said...

using some of this on awake today. check it out. :)