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| Occasional Thoughts, Encouragements, and Ramblings from our Pastors Luke 21 Posted 3/7/2010 So, this morning I have to deal with the issue of money again and honestly, I'm starting to feel a little self-conscious about it. It seems like the subject keeps coming up, but the truth is Jesus did have a lot to say about our finances. Why? Because money is a liquid form of life. When we spend money we are actually giving away a chunk of our life either in the form of time we have already spent earning it, or in the form of credit, by promising that we will give a certain amount of our life in the future. Now, God wants all of our life to be spent in a way that honors Him and therefore speaks directly about the way we spend our money and the chunk of life it represents. But have you noticed that in addressing this issue Jesus rarely uses numbers or percents? His concern is always for the heart. He asks the question: What are you using your life (and your money) to accomplish? That is why this morning we will see Him totally dismiss a large offering yet praise a poor old widow who gave two pennies. Jesus wants your heart, not your wallet...but once He has your heart, it will affect everything your wallet does. Still Growing, Pastor Jeff Luke 20 Posted 2/28/2010 If only I could show as much grace and mercy to others as Jesus has shown to me. Wouldn't that make life a lot better? As we are about to see, down to His very last hours on earth Jesus continued to preach the gospel and communicate the truth about God and His nature. He reflected the Father perfectly to us in every situation. Now if only I could reflect Him to the people around me... Today we will find Jesus in the Temple courtyard and we'll get to see how He responds to people who ask those kind of tricky theological questions that are designed to make you feel dumb or ignorant about your faith. If anyone has ever stumped you with a question about Christianity, then there are some things for you to notice in this morning's message. There's good stuff in these verses and I hope it makes you run to Jesus as much as I have been - when you realize all He has done, you start to realize there's nothing more you need. Trying to grasp that, Pastor Jeff Luke 19 Posted 2/20/2010 This morning we are going to see Jesus enter Jerusalem for the final time before His death, burial, and resurrection. In the coming weeks we will look at His final days and messages before He went to the cross - then, five weeks from now, we will join together to celebrate His Resurrection. It's a very intense time in His ministry, and there's a whole lot for us to learn! We are also slowly moving into Spring and Summer, our traditional move seasons, with old friends moving on to new assignments and new friends moving to town. As our old friends move on, they create ministry vacuums which need to be filled -if you have the calling and desire to serve, check out the two options listed below. Also, I'd like to encourage you to remember to pray for each other - bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the Law of Christ (Gal 6:2) - pray for the leaders of this church and each of it's ministries and be on the lookout for anyone around you who could use a little word of encouragement or just your silent prayer on their behalf. Beloved, love one another and look out for your fellow sheep. In Christ Alone, Pastor Jeff Luke 18 Posted 2/14/2010 The service is on for today and it's time to treat all those signs of fellowship withdrawal! Yes, we were able to get by using our worship CDs, devotional books, and a few sermons we watched online or downloaded, but there is nothing else that effectively substitutes for physically gathering together with the saints of God. When we gather we are able to serve each other through our gifts and be served by one another (1 Cor 12); we are able to share our burdens with each other (Gal 6:2); and we are able to comfort one another with the comfort we ourselves have received (2 Cor 1:3-4); we are also able to speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Eph 5:19). In other words, when we come together as the body of Christ it's not just about what we get, it's about what we can give and who we can serve as we worship God. So let's come together, praise God, and serve each other, not because we have to, but because we get to. In Christ Alone, Pastor Jeff Luke 17:20-37 Posted 2/7/2010 It's absolutely phenomenal, it's record-breaking in my book, but our church services have been canceled for the second straight week due to snowfall. A friend of mine was recently questioning whether it only snows on the weekend in Virginia! However, while we may be packed in by the weather, at least we still have our technology and that means we can still have a form of 'church' even while we are apart. I have recorded Sunday's sermon and it has been posted on line for you to download. Pair the sermon with a few of your favorite worship songs and you can create your own service. It's no replacement for the fellowship of the saints, but it's something - survival rations until we can feast together again. Praising God for ALL things, Pastor Jeff |