Vacation Day 3 THE "L" of LIFE

Today is the last day of 2008 and I am thrilled that God has given me another day to celebrate His gift of grace in Christ with the world. It is so great to be loved by the God of the universe and I repent for forgetting that at different times throughout 2008.

I woke up this morning and I thought I would share pieces of 1 Peter with you as really a thought be thought walk through the book. Don't worry I'm not going to share every verse and I didn't even do a verse from every chapter. Just some general thoughts from 1 Peter to wrap up the year and a wonderful reminder from Matthew 22 focusing on the "L" or up and out of life. I also included a prayer as we go into 2009. Enjoy!

"Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,23.for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God." 1 Peter 1:22-23

I have realized during my visit here that loving other people is what it is all about. People need to experience the love of God in Christ through us and it is time to GET BUSY doing it. Reach out! Love others! Don't worry about whether you're doing it right or not. You aren't and it doesn't matter. Love others because God loved you first!

"BUT YOU are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light ; 10.for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, BUT NOW you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD ; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY." 1 Peter 2:9-10

You are different and DON'T forget about it. You don't HAVE TO live like anybody else and isn't that AWESOME?! "But you" "But now" YOU ARE DIFFERENT for the glory of God. Spread the word.

"For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to FOLLOW IN HIS STEPS" 1 Peter 2:21

Couldn't help but remind you of our commitment. What would Jesus do to celebrate 2008? Be grateful. Give love away. Serve others! Have fun doing it today!

"For YOU WERE continually straying like sheep, BUT NOW you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls." 1 Peter 2:25

You were BUT NOW...go for it! WHY NOT?

"ABOVE ALL, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8

ABOVE ALL sounds like it's important. What do you think?

"Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace be to you all who are in Christ." 1 Peter 5:14

HAPPY NEW YEAR my dear family! This verse is a hug and kiss from me to all of you as we enter the 2009 adventure!

Matthew 22:34-40
The Most Important Commandment
"But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. 35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” 37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Carolyn Vogt loaned me a book which has been great on my trip. It is called "The True Christians Love to the Unseen Christ" by Thomas Vincent. I thought this quote right at the beginning of the book said what the focus for the "L" of life is really to be and why. Here it is:

"Without love to Christ we may have the name Christians, but we are wholly without the nature. We may have the form of godliness, but are wholly without the power." p. 1

He also asks some great questions throughout this book but this little section goes right to the heart:

"How little Christ must be entertained in your thoughts, who is the object of faith? Moreover, does it not argue little love of Christ that you speak so little of Him and for Him in your conversing one with another? If you had much love to Christ, would not this love BREATHE forth more in your discourses?" p. 31

Great challenge in applying the love of God in Christ. Love and share it. Share it and love! awesome opportunity and WE GET TO do it ALL for God's glory! WOOHOO!

Happy New Year! We will miss you guys tonight! We love you and are praying for you as you celebrate!

Pray this prayer as you enter 2009
"Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I love you! Thank You for loving me first. As I enter 2009 increase my love for You but please don't let it stop there. Allow me the privilege to see the love I have for You or even more importantly the love You have for me SPILL OVER to others that they may experience the greatest gift of grace in the Gospel. 2009 will be a better year Father, Son and Holy Spirit as lives are transformed by Your work starting with me. To You be the glory in all things! Much love from me to You. I pray in Jesus' name. AMEN!"

DAY 2 Vacation

The smile on my kids faces as we pulled into Danville was worth the price of the trip! It was lunch time when we arrived yesterday and we were going to stop and eat. My kids would have nothing to do with that. They wanted to start visiting with people immediately and I have to tell you I was so glad we came. They ran around like a bunch of nuts calling and stopping by to visit. It was absolutely great! Thanks for praying for our family during this break! It has already been so refreshing to visit and take in old familiar things. Last night I went to a Centre College basketball game with the kids and saw all kinds of people we know and was amazed at how it felt like we had never left. God is wonderfully gracious and I am so thankful for people who love us. Centre lost the game but we had a fantastic time with friends. (Don't worry...we're freezing and can't wait to get home! LOL)

As an added bonus I have had the chance to share with these brothers and sisters what God is doing in me and in our church family. It has been exciting to share and I have to tell you that through this time others are getting on board with asking the question 'what would Jesus do?' They are wanting to join in the adventure because they know it is a worthwhile question to ask. I am thrilled to be spreading the adventure but even more than that...I am thrilled to watch the Spirit spread the power of the Gospel into the hearts of those He loves.

Maybe as 2009 begins we will see true revival begin in this country. It has been so long since I have truly prayed for revival and yet as my own heart is transformed more and more I long for true revival to break out. That the church would be the church in the world. The spotless bride of Christ. Doesn't that sound great? Lets pray hard this year that God would transform a little church in Stuart, Florida and that through His Spirit would spread revival to the world. "Be devoted to prayer" says Paul in Colossians 4. I am totally in for that!

Praying right now for you and for the Spirit to move in power! Much love! LGLO, Pastor Peter

DAY 1 Vacation

We are just north of Chattanooga and yesterdays drive was great! Thank you all for praying. I followed my own advice and enjoyed the wonderful creation that God has so gloriously given to us. We had a great start to our vacation and will drive the rest of the way this morning. Here are some quick thoughts that I have loved from following the star. Good stuff and a great prayer to wrap up as we celebrate loving God and loving others today. 'What would Jesus do?' He would enjoy this day for the glory of God!

"Christ has come. Christ is here. Christ will remain. Give yourself over to this One whose coming we continue to celebrate. Know that this same loving Lord stays constant in loving you and leading you, day by day and in these quiet moments."

"Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” Luke 2:25-32

Great prayer!

Jesus, take off the blinders that block my view of you and your love. Help me to become quick to offer you praise. Expand my vision to recognize the needs far beyond my corner of the world. Amen. and AMEN! LGLO, Pastor Peter

The Home Row

"When at rest the typist's fingers are positioned, lightly, on the A-S-D-F keys for the left hand, and the J-K-L-; keys for the right hand." From Peter's typing school online (LOL)

I thought that I would share this with everyone even if you are going to be at church this morning. Not the sermon because that wouldn't be fair (well, it would be but I wouldn't do that to you).

I am convinced that the biggest problem we face in answering the question 'what would Jesus do?' is not a lack of understanding about what He would do in any given situation but a lack of willingness to do it without apology. We are 'mostly' bright people that God has blessed tremendously. I say mostly bright because I am included in the mix with you. LOL We have been given so much and the old adage is true 'to whom much has been given, much is required'. Luke 12:48 "From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more." In this case the old adage is true because Jesus said it in His Word to us. Because much has been given to all of us, much is required of us. Not in a 'I need to pay God back' mentality. That doesn't fit for a whole lot of reasons but one in particular...it isn't possible to pay God back for all that He has given us. It is not even for gratitude alone that we do what He has called us to do. A gratitude ethic wont last long. We do what God has called us to do because of WHO HE IS. Our CREATOR. LORD. MASTER. SAVIOR. REDEEMER. PROVIDER. DEFENDER. SHIELD ABOUT ME. OUR GLORY. THE LIFTER of MY HEAD. ALPHA & OMEGA. FIRST & the LAST. He is our God and He is glorious indeed! This home row idea is such a simple one but gets us back to the foundation!

The HOME ROW for us starts in the very beginning, it's a very good place to start. When you read you begin with A, B, C. When you sing you begin with DO, RE, MI. When you ask 'what would Jesus do?' you begin with "In the beginning God created the heaven's and the earth." Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1-4 "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men." There is one other verse that is part of this that explains our problem. "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." John 1:5 I think that we forget that coming out of the darkness into the light takes some adjusting. Our eyes need to refocus every time we go into the darkness and come out again. The BEST solution...stay at the HOME ROW! Stay with the ONE who sees clearly and can clearly direct us whatever way we are going.

Let me give you one example as I finish. If I move my fingers one key to the right. This is what my name is z[ryrt nstyidls/ Notice I cant even make a capital letter. It is thrown off that much. If I move one set of keys down it's this ;dgdf zfgjx,z. It's amazing how that little movement changes everything. Move toward Him. He is the HOME ROW! Much love and prayers! LGLO, Pastor Peter

Random Thoughts

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds."  Titus 2:11-14

Grace in salvation training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions...SOUNDS GOOD TO ME!  I really think that is the hardest part of asking 'what would Jesus do?'  There is SO MUCH around us to distract us and I am easily distracted.  It really isn't a question of loving God or my desire to love others from loving God a lot of the time.  It simply is that I don't think about it or if I do I think about it after thinking about what I want to do.   Me first, God second, others fifty fifth.  A verse from Colossians 3 always haunts me when I am wrestling with these types of questions.  I was challenged in college to memorize the book of Colossians and for some reason chapter 3 sticks out in my mind and it might be just for this verse "when Christ who is your life is revealed then you will also be revealed with Him in glory." v. 4  If this verse is true, and I believe the Word to be true all the time, then the order of priorities in life should go something like this:  God is my life and everything else gets the spill over from that reality.  You've heard me say this a million times and this is one of the foundational ideas behind it.  Loving God and loving others comes from Him being our lives at the very core.  In fact, saying loving God and loving others almost makes it sounds like the two are equal and really they aren't.  Jesus says the second is "like it" not the same as it.  Loving God is the foundation for loving others as we all know.  Loving others is never the foundation for loving God it is the fruit of loving God and more importantly of GOD LOVING US!

Sorry for the random thoughts today.  Hope it makes a little sense.  LGLO,  Pastor Peter

CHANGED?

How has your life and your faith been changed through the celebration of Christ’s birth? How can you praise and glorify God today in response to all that you have seen and heard?

"Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,
15. but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior ; 16. because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." 1 Peter 1:13-16

"As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 1 Peter 4:10

I thought that this was a worthwhile question to start the post Christmas living for Jesus and asking what would Jesus do.  Enjoy.  LGLO,  Pastor Peter

MERRY CHRISTMAS

"With the coming of the Christ, joy enters the world. And with joy comes hope, peace and love. Come feel the joy. Come know the hope. Come share the peace. Come be made new by God's love."
"Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." John 20:30, 31

Just imagine how many amazing stories we will hear from the King when we get home.  Awesome to consider!

"You must worship no other gods, but only the LORD, for he is a God who is passionate about his relationship with you." Ex. 34:14

This is one of the most amazing promises of the Scripture.  God is passionate about a relationship with me?  AMAZING in such an unbelievable way!  

MERRY CHRISTMAS my brothers and sisters in Christ.  I am excited about what God is doing in and through us as this year comes to a close and I hope you are as well.  God is so faithful and He continues to poor out His blessings on us again and again.  I thought these two verses were great as a reminder this Christmas.  I hope they encourage your heart as much as they did mine today.  LGLO,  Pastor Peter