This last Sunday we looked at the passage from John chapter 4 that describes the story of the Healing of the Royal Official's Son. An amazing story of perseverance and faith from a father who traveled 20 miles to see if Jesus could help his son. Jesus was early in His ministry and there wasn't a protocol for how all these 'miracles' were supposed to work. But Jesus' instructions for this miracle seemed different. He simply tells the father to go back home and that his son will live. He doesn't come with him, he actually tells him to leave.
So what did the father do? 'The man took Jesus at his word and departed.'
He put his faith in the words of Jesus, and not a sign. He knew that when he left Jesus at Cana, he was going home to either a dead son or a miracle. Waiting for a sign before going would have seemed like a good idea, but Jesus told him to go.
I fully believe in God providing us signs when we truly need signs and giving us words when we need them. But I think sometimes we decide to wait for the sign when we have the words of Jesus in our very hands-the Bible. I believe in a supreme power that lies in the words of Jesus and the Spirit-inspired authors of the Bible.
I say all of this to remind all of us that we need to come back to the Bible. We=the Church, Christians, America. We've treated the Bible and the words of Jesus too much like a textbook and not the 'Sword of the Spirit'.
Thanks for reading, and as always-if you're in the Sumner/Bonney Lake area and looking for a place to learn about God's love in a safe place, thats our goal @ The Rescue Church. We meet at Maple Lawn Elementary School at 10:00AM. Come this Sunday to hear about another of Jesus' miracles!!
-PC
www.rescuesumner.org
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Monday, April 22, 2013
The Power of a Testimony
I would do anything for my wife. And every year since we've been married, when the weather appears to get warmer, I am the gardener. I love my wife so much that I plant flowers with her.
But to be honest, I actually enjoy it. I love the fact that in just a couple weeks I get to see the growth of something that I got to be apart of. It's never easy. Your hands get dirty. You have to clean away the weeds and rocks for the plant to fit in the ground. Everyday you have to check on it to make sure that nothing is getting in the way of the sun and that it has enough water.
It takes work, but anyone can do it.
It's the same way with our testimony. The calling from Jesus to make disciples in all nations is easy to understand, difficult to execute, but possible. There is a simple story from the Book of John chapter 4. We all know about the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus has a private conversation with a woman for an afternoon and changes her life forever. In result, the town that she lived in had Jesus spend 2 days with them. He preached and many more believed. It was Jesus who saved them, but the woman's testimony brought them to Jesus. When the Spirit of God works through us, we get to participate in something much bigger.
I grew up in the church. I realize and understand the 'pressure' that comes from the pastor and church to go out and disciple others (code word for: bring people to our church). As Christians and the Church we need to get back to the goal of bringing people to Jesus. This woman at the well had been living a life of sin, encountered Jesus, and changed the destiny of a town.
So what are we waiting for? Jesus says in John 4:35, "Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest." Farmers wait 4 months to pick their crops, but Jesus was saying that the fields were ready for harvest.
Do you believe that your testimony has power? Let me repeat-the Spirit of God used the testimony of a 2 hour old Christian, Samaritan woman to change a city. God is waiting to move in a different, unique and unexpected way. Let's not waste the opportunity to change our city around us for Jesus.
-PC
But to be honest, I actually enjoy it. I love the fact that in just a couple weeks I get to see the growth of something that I got to be apart of. It's never easy. Your hands get dirty. You have to clean away the weeds and rocks for the plant to fit in the ground. Everyday you have to check on it to make sure that nothing is getting in the way of the sun and that it has enough water.
It takes work, but anyone can do it.
It's the same way with our testimony. The calling from Jesus to make disciples in all nations is easy to understand, difficult to execute, but possible. There is a simple story from the Book of John chapter 4. We all know about the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus has a private conversation with a woman for an afternoon and changes her life forever. In result, the town that she lived in had Jesus spend 2 days with them. He preached and many more believed. It was Jesus who saved them, but the woman's testimony brought them to Jesus. When the Spirit of God works through us, we get to participate in something much bigger.
I grew up in the church. I realize and understand the 'pressure' that comes from the pastor and church to go out and disciple others (code word for: bring people to our church). As Christians and the Church we need to get back to the goal of bringing people to Jesus. This woman at the well had been living a life of sin, encountered Jesus, and changed the destiny of a town.
So what are we waiting for? Jesus says in John 4:35, "Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest." Farmers wait 4 months to pick their crops, but Jesus was saying that the fields were ready for harvest.
Do you believe that your testimony has power? Let me repeat-the Spirit of God used the testimony of a 2 hour old Christian, Samaritan woman to change a city. God is waiting to move in a different, unique and unexpected way. Let's not waste the opportunity to change our city around us for Jesus.
-PC
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
The Well of Jesus
John 4:26, Then Jesus declared, 'I, the one speaking to you-I am he.'
I think it's amazing that we serve a Lord who was not afraid of meeting or talking to anyone. In the book of John chapter 4 we see Jesus encounter a Samaritan woman at a well after a long journey. He was thirsty and needed a drink.
The problem-the woman at the well was a Samaritan. This was not just a social class problem but also a difference of religion. Samaritans and Jews did not see eye to eye on just about everything. This conversation between Jesus and this Samaritan woman was not supposed to happen. But our Lord had a reason for speaking to this woman.
He offered her eternal life (the water I give will well up to eternal life), exposed the sin in her life (the woman was staying with a man that was not her husband, and before that she had had 5 husbands), explained what a life of worship was (we worship a God of spirit; He seeks worshippers who worship in spirit and truth) and reveals himself to her (verse above).
The reason Jesus spoke to this woman is the same He speaks to us. He loves us. He doesn't want us to struggle with sin. He doesn't want us to go around to every 'well' our culture has to provide. He offers the only 'well' that will satisfy and quench your thirst.
If you're sitting down at your computer and reading this post, and your still searching for a 'well' that can change your life, I'm not ashamed to invite you to church. We talk about Jesus using the words from the Bible. We believe that Jesus stands with a well of living water that can give you eternal life. Make a choice this week to do something different Sunday. We'd love to see you.
-PC
I think it's amazing that we serve a Lord who was not afraid of meeting or talking to anyone. In the book of John chapter 4 we see Jesus encounter a Samaritan woman at a well after a long journey. He was thirsty and needed a drink.
The problem-the woman at the well was a Samaritan. This was not just a social class problem but also a difference of religion. Samaritans and Jews did not see eye to eye on just about everything. This conversation between Jesus and this Samaritan woman was not supposed to happen. But our Lord had a reason for speaking to this woman.
He offered her eternal life (the water I give will well up to eternal life), exposed the sin in her life (the woman was staying with a man that was not her husband, and before that she had had 5 husbands), explained what a life of worship was (we worship a God of spirit; He seeks worshippers who worship in spirit and truth) and reveals himself to her (verse above).
The reason Jesus spoke to this woman is the same He speaks to us. He loves us. He doesn't want us to struggle with sin. He doesn't want us to go around to every 'well' our culture has to provide. He offers the only 'well' that will satisfy and quench your thirst.
If you're sitting down at your computer and reading this post, and your still searching for a 'well' that can change your life, I'm not ashamed to invite you to church. We talk about Jesus using the words from the Bible. We believe that Jesus stands with a well of living water that can give you eternal life. Make a choice this week to do something different Sunday. We'd love to see you.
We meet at Maple Lawn Elementary School in Sumner at 10:00AM.
www.rescuesumner.org
-PC
Monday, April 8, 2013
The Spirit is Moving
The service at The Rescue Church this past Sunday will be one that I will remember for a long time.
I believe that the Holy Spirit can reveal Himself in a place when there is an absence of doubt. When we know God is real, that He is here, that He loves us, that we are here for a reason and that in a moment everything can change.
This past Sunday I decided to have a testimony time for our congregation. In 8 short weeks I've been able to hear so many stories of how God is moving and working in Sumner and the surrounding communities. If you were wondering, we serve a God that is wanting to change lives from death and destruction to life and victory. We heard stories of struggles, challenges and terrors that haunted, but for every trial there was a Father who never let us fall too far. A Father that loved us so much that He would walk by our side to see us through everything.
If you are reading this today and you feel like you've lost your shot at knowing God, or you aren't 'good' enough to even come to church, or you feel like God does not love you, I want to tell you something that can change everything in your life.
God has not left you, He has not stopped loving you, and He has plans for your life that you wouldn't believe. I can say this because God changed my life.
Don't just give God a shot, give Him your life. Please make plans to go to a Bible believing church this Sunday and come ready for everything to change. If you live in the Sumner, WA. area I want to invite you to The Rescue Church. Go to www.rescuesumner.org for directions and info. We love God and we love you.
-PC
I believe that the Holy Spirit can reveal Himself in a place when there is an absence of doubt. When we know God is real, that He is here, that He loves us, that we are here for a reason and that in a moment everything can change.
This past Sunday I decided to have a testimony time for our congregation. In 8 short weeks I've been able to hear so many stories of how God is moving and working in Sumner and the surrounding communities. If you were wondering, we serve a God that is wanting to change lives from death and destruction to life and victory. We heard stories of struggles, challenges and terrors that haunted, but for every trial there was a Father who never let us fall too far. A Father that loved us so much that He would walk by our side to see us through everything.
If you are reading this today and you feel like you've lost your shot at knowing God, or you aren't 'good' enough to even come to church, or you feel like God does not love you, I want to tell you something that can change everything in your life.
God has not left you, He has not stopped loving you, and He has plans for your life that you wouldn't believe. I can say this because God changed my life.
Don't just give God a shot, give Him your life. Please make plans to go to a Bible believing church this Sunday and come ready for everything to change. If you live in the Sumner, WA. area I want to invite you to The Rescue Church. Go to www.rescuesumner.org for directions and info. We love God and we love you.
-PC
Monday, April 1, 2013
Being Sent
I had always viewed Easter as a holiday. I grew up in the church and so I knew that Easter was the day that we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And as I matured into a teenager, I realized that we weren't supposed to just celebrate His resurrection on that one Sunday, but every day.
But it wasn't until a couple years ago as I was reading the Easter story that I realized this isn't the end of the greatest story of all time, but maybe the beginning. Certainly it was the beginning for His disciples.
John 20:21-23, 'Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”'
1. We are to receive the peace of God.
2. We are to receive the Holy Spirit into our lives.
3. We are to go and forgive.
I was beginning to realize that there is an Easter story placed in all of us. That Jesus rose from the dead and conquered death so that we may too share in the victory when our physical bodies die. But while we are here, we are supposed to be doing something.
What are we(you) doing with the Easter story? Are you celebrating it once a year? Or are you choosing to be sent out, no matter the 'consequences'?
-PC
But it wasn't until a couple years ago as I was reading the Easter story that I realized this isn't the end of the greatest story of all time, but maybe the beginning. Certainly it was the beginning for His disciples.
John 20:21-23, 'Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”'
1. We are to receive the peace of God.
2. We are to receive the Holy Spirit into our lives.
3. We are to go and forgive.
I was beginning to realize that there is an Easter story placed in all of us. That Jesus rose from the dead and conquered death so that we may too share in the victory when our physical bodies die. But while we are here, we are supposed to be doing something.
What are we(you) doing with the Easter story? Are you celebrating it once a year? Or are you choosing to be sent out, no matter the 'consequences'?
-PC
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)