"If a meeting doesn't end with people touching God, what kind of a meeting is it? We haven't really encountered God. We haven't met with the only One powerful and loving enough to change our lives."
-Jim Cymbala
Sunday, August 26, 2007
From "Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire"
"Prayer is the source of the Christian life, a Christian's lifeline.....That's why the great emphasis on teaching in today's churches is producing such limited results. Teaching is good only where there's life to be channeled. If the listeners are in a spiritual coma, what we're telling them may be fine and orthodox, but unfortunately spiritual life cannot be taught."
-Jim Cymbala
Monday, August 13, 2007
You Complete Me
On the ride back from Wonderland me and Eileen got to talking about how we've changed over these last bunch of months. I thought about it some more the day after, and when I think back to the things that have changed in my life, the things that changed my life, a lot of it I think was just monkey see monkey do. Not that my faith is based on people or anything, but I really admire and respect each of your lives so much. And honestly that's what it was when I first got here, I saw what God was doing in and through your lives, and I just wanted a piece of the action.
I saw in Judy how to continuously challenge and spur on those around her, from Adrienne a warmth and friendliness that surrounds all who work with her, Eileen bringing energy and excitement to God's kingdom, from Tae faith in every situation and a heart of encouragement for the broken, from John a heart of amazing generosity and such humility, from Alex a heart simply overflowing with love and acceptance, from Paul how to instruct, correct, rebuke with gentleness and respect, from Solina a genuine heart of care for the burdens of others...I only talk of the core team right now as i see them a lot, but I've seen something amazing from each of you here.
I was, and still am, very convinced that God delights in you, not only that you're serving him and committing all this time and effort and all that, but that he delights in you simply for you being who you are. And if you think about it, that's just God delighting in His own handiwork; your entire life, your entire being, has been prepared by God for His purpose, for this purpose. And I am absolutely certain that he will continue to prepare us for our final place in heaven, and that He would be with us every single step of the way.
In Philippians 1:4-6 the Apostle Paul says,
I think to myself, if you guys are this amazing now, I can't even imagine how you'd be like when God's work is complete in you. And I think the same way about Westside Hamilton too, we're going to be one year old soon, and God is already working wonders here: the lost receiving Christ, leaders being built up, people being brought into new and renewed, passionate relationships with Christ. Perhaps you have seen much more amazing things, but to me, God is working so much here, moving so powerfully. Let's pray that just as God is working in us to complete our lives, that He will continue to complete Westside Hamilton, that this will be a place that raises up a generation that is Holy, a people that is truly set apart for God. Let's pray that His work will be complete here, in us, and through us.
I saw in Judy how to continuously challenge and spur on those around her, from Adrienne a warmth and friendliness that surrounds all who work with her, Eileen bringing energy and excitement to God's kingdom, from Tae faith in every situation and a heart of encouragement for the broken, from John a heart of amazing generosity and such humility, from Alex a heart simply overflowing with love and acceptance, from Paul how to instruct, correct, rebuke with gentleness and respect, from Solina a genuine heart of care for the burdens of others...I only talk of the core team right now as i see them a lot, but I've seen something amazing from each of you here.
I was, and still am, very convinced that God delights in you, not only that you're serving him and committing all this time and effort and all that, but that he delights in you simply for you being who you are. And if you think about it, that's just God delighting in His own handiwork; your entire life, your entire being, has been prepared by God for His purpose, for this purpose. And I am absolutely certain that he will continue to prepare us for our final place in heaven, and that He would be with us every single step of the way.
In Philippians 1:4-6 the Apostle Paul says,
In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
I think to myself, if you guys are this amazing now, I can't even imagine how you'd be like when God's work is complete in you. And I think the same way about Westside Hamilton too, we're going to be one year old soon, and God is already working wonders here: the lost receiving Christ, leaders being built up, people being brought into new and renewed, passionate relationships with Christ. Perhaps you have seen much more amazing things, but to me, God is working so much here, moving so powerfully. Let's pray that just as God is working in us to complete our lives, that He will continue to complete Westside Hamilton, that this will be a place that raises up a generation that is Holy, a people that is truly set apart for God. Let's pray that His work will be complete here, in us, and through us.
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