A lesson from Jury Duty

Jury Duty. It is something that we all want to avoid and any time we get that summons in the mail we automtically start thinking of ways to get out of it. I got that little sheet of paper in the mail not long ago and was chosen to serve on a jury in an aggravated rape case. This was a charge that if convicted would put this person behind bars for the rest of his or her life. I sat in a court room for six long days to see and hear things I wish to never see and hear again as long as I live. Based on the evidence or lack of evidence that was placed before me I was to judge this persons actions. I can’t begin to describe the overwhelming burden that I felt on my shoulders and the accountability to God that I sensed. Feeling torn all week about a man who was charged with a hideous crime and on another hand thinking of the victims that were involved is enough to keep a person up at night. I can’t explain how humbled I was when Saturday came around to place our verdict. I then realized how incapable and unworthy I was to judge a humans life here on earth let alone an eternal verdict. What if we were wrong? What if we did miss something? All I know is one day there is a King who sits upon a throne and He will judge each and every one of our lives. This Judge will deliver a verdict that will be 100% accurate! Completely fair! No guessing! No questioning! Jesus Christ is worthy to judge our lives!

“Remember, we will all stand before the judgement seat of God.” (Romans 14:10c)

Breaking Ground

Wow! What an exciting night back we had in the student ministry at Family Church! With the new school year under way we had our very first complete "split night" for our Junior High and Senior High Ministries. It is our desire to keep these ministries seperate and last night was the first giant step of faith we took! Seperate worship, teaching, and breakout groups took place for the very first time! We had a great showing to start off the year and we are excited to see what God will do this school year!

Submerge Recap Service

What a great Family Service we had last night in the main sanctuary of Family Church as we had a recap night of last weeks 2008 Summer Retreat to Laguna Beach, Florida. The students as well as adults engaged in dynamic worship led by Johnathan and Victoria Worley, followed by cutting edge videos by Jay Curtis, and life-changing testimonies by Bekah Lewis, Seth Spillers, and David and Jordyn Crain. It never gets old hearing of lives that Jesus Christ has touched!

I pray the momentum will keep going strong as we approach the fall sememser of the year!

Is the Holy Spirit guiding your life?

"So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants." (Galatians 5:16-17a)

So how do you know that the Holy Spirit of God is guiding your lives? Because you say so? Because you go to church every time the doors are open? Because you know how to talk the talk so to speak? Have you ever heard someone profess that the Spirit of God is guiding their lives but something just doesn't seem to be adding up? Well, the way you can tell if someone is being guided by the Holy Spirit or not is the fruit or lack of fruit they will bear.

"But the Holy Spirit produces this king of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." (Galatians 5:22-23)

Wow, let's start with love. What is the God kind of love we are suppose to be walking in? It's found in the famous "Love Chapter" in I. Corinthians 13:4-5. "Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude." Okay, let's stop there. Have you been patient with people? With your wife? With your kids? How about kind? To people you work with? Have you been rude? What about sarcastic?

What about joy? If the Spirit of God is leading your lives there will be joy! Yes, joy even in the midst of storms. Have you ever been around someone that is always sour, negative, and just plain out in a bad mood? Is the Spirit of God truly leading their lives?

What about peace? I know Christians that have absolutely no peace in their lives. They are always stressed out, anxious, and are worried to the core! When the Spirit of God is leading our lives there will be the fruit of peace.

Patience. Have you ever prayed for that fruit? Well, don't unless you truly mean it! God will certainly give you patience but you must be tried with the things that will result in patience!
Have you been irritable towards others? Short? Cranky? When the Spirit of God is truly in control we will become more patient.

Have you become more faithful, good, and exercised self-control? What about more faithful to God's word? Your family? What about holding your tongue when you know you should? Self-control? When the Spirit of God leads our lives we should have more self-control over our tongues not necessarily more blunt! There is a time for bluntness yes, but there is a time to refrain as well.

Kind and gentle? Have you become more kind and gentle towards others this year? Or have you been harsh and rough around the edges? When the Spirit of God guides our lives we will become more kind and gentle with others!

So after reading this fruit check list so to speak how are you coming along? When the Spirit of God is leading our lives the fruits we read about in Galatians will be evident for all to see in our lives!

Re-cap this Wednesday Night!!!

We will have re-cap of last weeks summer retreat at Laguna Beach, Florida this Wednesday Night in the main sanctuary at 7 P.M.

Come out and hear dynamic worship, live testimonies, and awesome videos from the life-changing week we had!