So how do I actually renew my mind…Especially when I have so much to do and so many obligations?  When I have people who expect things from me or problems that do not seem to be resolved?  Instead of focusing on Jesus, I seek my own methods.  I try to get approval from others or work out situations according to my thoughts and ideas.  As I do this, I spend a lot of time with worry and a lot of time feeling unsure.  My family, coworkers and friends see a lot of me, but not a lot of Jesus.   Sorry to say, this is usually the pattern of my world; yet when I remember to take my eyes of my issues and my idea of fixing things and lay it at the feet of Jesus – freedom comes.   I can say, “Its ok, I know God will handle this.  I may not know the outcome, but I know Jesus will ride this wave with me.  And He will stay and with it the peace comes.”

So I pray today that you will renew your mind by seeking Jesus.  Spend a little time in the Word and then lay yourself and your problems at His feet.

Thanks you Jesus for the blessing of your peace,

Becky

Another exciting part of our Sunday has been going on the journey with the rest of our church family as we read The Story!  It is a blessing and a joy to teach the kids.  For some, it is the first time they have heard of Moses, Noah or Joseph, (unless it is in the context of a cartoon.  Check out the Rug Rats cartoon on Moses for an interesting version written in a secular context).   For other kids, they know the stories so well and can give better details than their adult leaders.  Yes…Sundays are great with the kids, but it is my hope that they don’t just come away with details of The Story.  I pray that our kids come to know the one who has written The Story.   I pray that it becomes a story not written on paper with ink but by the Holy Spirit on their hearts.

In 2 Corinthians 3:2, Paul wrote to the people in Corinth that their lives would be a story for others to read. He said, “You are our letter. You are written in our hearts. You are known and read by all men. You are as a letter from Christ written by us. You are not written as other letters are written with ink, or on pieces of stone. You are written in human hearts by the Spirit of the living God.”

May all of our lives be like a letter written from God so that others would see His love shining through all we say and do.

Becky

Letter to Diognetus:

“For Christians are not distinct from other men in terms either of their territories, their language, or their way of life… They live in the cities of the Greeks or the barbarians, as the lot has fallen to each one, and they adapt to the customs of the place in their clothing and food and in the rest of their way of living, offering the example of their marvelous form of social life, which all admit has something incredible about it.  They live each in his own native land, but as if they were foreigners.  They take their share in all the burdens, as citizens, and they put up with everything, as strangers.  Every foreign land is a native land for them, and every native land is a foreign land.  They get married like everyone else and have children, but they do not expose their newborn children.  They share their table, but not their bed.  They live in the flesh, but not according to the flesh.  They dwell on earth, but they are citizens of heaven.  They obey the laws that have been laid down, but with their manner of life they rise above the laws.  They love all and are persecuted by all…  To put it in a word, Christians are in the world what the soul is in the body…  The soul loves the flesh that hates it and loves its limbs:  Christians, too, love those who hate them.  The soul is shut up within the body, but it is the soul that sustains the body:  Christians, too, are held in the world as in a prison, but it is they who sustain the world…  God has assigned them such a high position, and they are not allowed to abandon it.” 

After having just read that, I’ll bet you are thinking,” What is he talking about?”  I’m afraid you will have to some on Sunday to find out.  I want you to know you too, have a lower and upper life.  There are two stories about your life.  I’ll see you Sunday.

Blessings,

Pastor Rick

P.S.  Come praying for the sermon.

 “God will accomplish his plan and will in this world, but he often does it in ways
we would not expect and through surprising people.”  -The Story

It’s a blessing to look into Abraham’s story and see how God used him.  He wasn’t perfect and he wasn’t always obedient, but the course of human history was radically changed by God through him.  What kind of history can God change through you today?

Pastor Michael

Becky

Psalm 112

Praise the LORD.

Blessed are those who fear the LORD,
who find great delight in his commands.

Their children will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in their houses,
and their righteousness endures forever.
Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.
Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,
who conduct their affairs with justice.

Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
they will be remembered forever.
They will have no fear of bad news;
their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,
their righteousness endures forever;
their hornwill be lifted high in honor.

The wicked will see and be vexed,
they will gnash their teeth and waste away;

Pastor Mark

That’s what happened yesterday, the power went out as soon as Pastor Rick started making announcements.  Perhaps the PG & E grid wasn’t prepared for all he had to say after having been on vacation for a few weeks.  I don’t really know for sure, but I do know that the power went out—no sound, no words for songs, no lights, no heat, no sermon outlines—no power!  Well, at least there was no power in the form of electricity, but there was a clear presence of the power of God.  As we regrouped and figured out what we could and couldn’t do, opened doors for light, cuddled close to our neighbor to stay warm…it was clear that the morning was being led by someone other than ourselves, by a power greater than PG & E and with a purpose that was clear.  As a church family, I think  we needed to experience the presence of God in a different way, in a way that reminded us that he is in control, that he can bring good out of the unplanned, and that we can rely on his faithfulness in uncertain times.  Seems to me, this message was a good one for a church in transition to hear as well as a church about ready to launch a 31-week study on God’s word and work.

So, if all that happened on the first week, what’s going to happen in the next 31? Hold on!  It’s going to be a wild ride!

Blessings to you this Monday!

Michael

Pastor Mark