Thoughts from the weekend

Thoughts from the weekend:

I, like you, am grateful for the way the Lord moved yesterday. 

At the end of the first service, we kept worshipping and didn't want to leave!

 

Second service was more of the same sense of God's glory.

Isn't God's presence wonderful!

If you received a healing yesterday in your body, your soul or your spirit - could you contact the church office (708)385-2770 with your story?   We would love to hear of what God has done or is doing in your life.

I spontaneously asked our youth group to come forward and pray for people as the leadership of the church were praying for people.  They immediately responded.  It was great to see teenagers engaged in prayer for people - Pastor Charlie:  You are teaching them well!

Congrats to Pastor Charlie and Heather - it was my privilege to dedicated Cohen Charles as "unto the Lord" yesterday.  They, as you know, are a wonderful family with three handsome boys.

Remember:  Life is difficult, and when  you embrace that, you are at the beginning point of finding happiness in your life.

Peace doesn't come from an absence of trials in our lives but the presence of the Lord with us during those times.

I write that - but to live it is the challenge.  We all have our ups and downs with this.

Is it only me - that wrestles with trusting in God - even after serving Him for most of my life?  I don't think so.

Even great men and women of faith have times of doubt.

But know this:  It is what we do with our doubts that matters.

Doubt is one thing:  resting in those doubts is another. 

At the end of the day, I always come back to my heavenly Father.

Elie Wiesel (the Auschwitz camp survivor) writes of the time that the inmates put God on trial for the suffering they were going through.  They found God guilty - and then someone promptly said, "Good, now let us pray."

 

Like the disciples of Jesus, we express our doubts and then we say, "Okay, Lord, we have no where else to go but to you."  (John 6:68).

 

For all volunteers, ministry leaders, life group leaders, deacons, elders, pastors - and spouses:  Ministry (leadership) meeting on Friday, March 13, 2015.  7:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M.  Speaker:  Church consultant Dick Hardy.  You won't want to miss this important time of training and teaching us to become more effective in ministry.

 

Why not today, in the midst of your day, pause and have a conversation with God?

 

Are you giving up something during this season that leads up to Good Friday and Easter?  I don't ask you that to perpetuate some form of legalism, but to stir you to "give up something" so that you can "spend more time with God."

 

It is not even the "giving up of something" that is ultimately important, but the "turning to God" that is life building.

 

But how can I fill myself up with God, when my life is full of so many other things.

 

Sometimes the ultimate answer to why God does or does not heal comes in the form of a mystery, and embracing the fact that it is a mystery - left in the hands of God.

 

In theology, going to an extreme on any subject can be intellectual laziness.

 

May God's presence be with you this entire week!

 

Love you all.......