What started out as an idea in a youth meeting culminated in a powerful event which included eight diverse churches from several local communities. It was an incredible evening of praise and worship, anointed preaching and fellowship. It was a testament to what God can do with willing vessels.
We are a small, but growing church in Central Florida. There really aren’t many youth here, but the ones we have are growing in grace and knowledge in Jesus; they are ready to step out in faith to accomplish great things in the kingdom of God. Their youth pastor is not the typical one, either, but that has not been anything but positive for our young people. It really doesn’t matter what the mold looks like as long as God is allowed to direct our journey.
The young people wanted to put on an event geared toward reaching the younger generation in our community. They came to the conclusion it wasn’t going to be something hastily thrown together to fill a time slot; rather, it would be on a grander scale. It would be challenging, lots of hard work and would have to bathed in much prayer and preparation. We would use the facilities on our church campus, too.
Many of our people were involved in preparing our old structures for what was to be an event unlike this church had ever seen. Fresh paint everywhere was the order of the day, cleaning on a grand scale, running cable and wire for sound and video are just some of the tasks undertaken by a dedicated group of our own church members. When joy is in the house, it’s much easier to get work done. There was even some hands-on training for altar workers.
We had packed the old sanctuary with chairs and had several rooms downstairs set aside as overflow in case we needed them. If that weren’t enough, we had the capability to run video and sound to our main sanctuary just in case. There was a good crowd and it was a good thing rooms had been prepared ahead of time.
One thing that still amazes me is the fact so many churches worked together to make this happen. There were four singing groups and four drama teams. That is eight churches represented in an evening when so many teens could have been at other places. What an incredible night. The groups had one common purpose, and that was to lift up the name of Jesus Christ and purposefully affect the lives of those who listened to the message they presented.
Our featured singing group was Julian Drive who hales out of Athens, Georgia. This ia group of guys who are loaded with talent and possess a powerful anointing to minister to people of all ages. Their story if fascinating, and full of a sense the hand of God led them to where they are now. You can read their story here. They really are a great bunch of guys, and I had the privilege of meeting their families during their short stay with us. If you need someone who is all about ministry, you would do well to contact them.
Bishop Jonathan Zeigler is an exciting preacher, to say the least. He has a heart for worship and a message to deliver, and he was our guest speaker. I don’t believe it was an accident he was chosen by our youth group. They had seen him at the Florida Campmeeting a couple of years ago as he preached the Friday Youth Night service. He brought a powerful, on-time word right from the throne of God. Many lives were impacted by what the Lord put on his heart to deliver that night.
Bishop told the incredible story of how he got to our neck of the woods, and it was nothing short of a miracle. He was tired and worn out from a great revival and all he wanted to do was go home and rest up for the next meeting. Well, when God gets in the arrangements, anything can happen. His office manager told him he needed to go to a youth meeting in central Florida, and he told her he was the boss and he wasn’t going. Well, she insisted and he knew it was the hand of God directing the orchestra. He didn’t even know where “here” was, but under the anointing of the Holy Ghost, traveled to “here” on assignment from the throne of God. It is an amazing story, and the word he delivered was indeed powerful. I wish you would have been here.
Our church and youth group are not done yet. We have begun making plans to do this all over again next year, but with a different focus. Some of the people are interested in Southern Gospel, and we can do that, too.
Someone sent an e-mail to me recently, and I thought it was pretty funny at first, but on further consideration, I couldn’t help being embarrassed. In the midst of all the things gone wrong, the supposed health care crisis, fake global warming, and all the other catastrophes the current administration doesn’t want to waste, I find it distasteful to see and hear of our president lampooning our country’s exceptionalism and spirit.
While President Obama should be thankful for the capitalist nature of our society, it seems he takes choice opportunities to criticize its virtues while attempting to lower our values and standards. It seems he wants us to be on equal footing with the rest of the world. By God’s amazing grace and power, we are exceptional, and we should never forget what brought us to this point. It certainly wasn’t our own greatness; it was the grace of God.
I believe many of the people who voted for the president are waking from their sleep and beginning to see right through the catastrophe they created. Let’s hope so, anyway. Let us never again fall into a place where we think the only hope we have is the type of person who currently resides in the White House. What a mess! How’s that hope and change working out for you?
Our only real hope lies in the promises of God’s word. Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, is our hope, and if we allow him to, he will change our lives for our good. We are better than what we have seen recently; our hope isn’t about us and we can’t fix our problems by ourselves. The whole world needs Jesus. Isn’t it time to pick ourselves up by our boot straps and run to Calvary?
How do the Democrats have the nerve to talk about President George W. Bush’s years in office in the face of the horrendous job President Obama is handing to the American people? With this administration, it’s one bad policy and public relations nightmare after another.
This post will not seek to offer much in the way of commentary; rather, its intent is to point to some current headlines and offer sympathy for the American people and those who have dealings with our left-wing administration.
As this Washington Post article suggests, President Obama is excited about the House passing what sane people call a catastrophe. He absolutely ignores common sense and continues pressing forward to make sure our nation more weak by strangling us with debt many generations will not be able to pay back. Pitiful!
Remember, the jobless figure won’t be more than 8-9 %. Right!
In one more failure to display presidential prowess, our president will be sitting out the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. President Ronald Reagan was instrumental in tearing down both the wall and the stench of communism. What a shame. He should go to see what a previous generation thought about too much government control. It appears he wants to take us down the path torn down twenty years ago.
I’m trying something new for a short while to see how it goes. My weekly Bible Study Questions post is found on my Facebook page as a note. Just trying to shake this up a bit.
Well, everyone, it’s time once again to engage in our weekly bible study questions. I have come to the conclusion these are always difficult because there are so few who care to leave the answers. Whatever the reason may be, let’s get started.
We had a good study tonight and talked about something at the end which wrapped around the entire lesson. It was a simple question, really, but had an enormous effect on everything we discussed tonight. It is simply this: where is the church’s “story.” In other words, where is our testimony? Do we still have a testimony or has it grown silent? Where is your story?
- To whom did Jesus say “you will see greater things than these?”
- Jesus confronted a master (teacher) about spiritual birth. Who was the teacher?
- What is the prerequisite for receiving wisdom from God, who gives to anyone who asks liberally?
Don’t forget to add as much detail to your answers as you possibly can. Get involved in the study of God’s amazing word. I believe you will find great joy in studying these questions.
Someone just sent me an e-mail that speaks volumes about the plight of our great nation. When Bo, Blinky and Harry run the show, debt happens at an alarming rate, and the march to destruction seems to be the number one priority. Honestly, the real stooges would probably do a better job running our country than the ones in the picture. What do you think about it?
The original e-mail had the following quote attached to the bottom of the page, just as I have done. After scouring the net, though, I could not substantiate it even though it is cited in numerous publications. There just isn’t a source for what she is supposed to have said.
According to a Wikiquote article, the following seems logical:
Update: Margaret Thatcher, in a TV interview for Thames TV This Week [[1]]on Feb. 5, 1976, Prime Minister Thatcher said, “…and Socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess. They [socialists] always run out of other people’s money. It’s quite a characteristic of them.”
What these three are doing to our country is definitely not funny. They are forcing something on the American public that Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Wilson Reagan fought so hard against – socialism, communism and any other ism which stifled the excellence of capitalism. Sadly, there are too many in our country who are asleep at the wheel and have no clue who’s in office. Perhaps they should take a look at the poster!
For the president, it’s one mistake after another, and the other two sharing space on the poster are right behind him. Sad, but true.
Words cannot describe how wonderful our bible study was tonight. Without a doubt, this was the best one to date, and that’s saying quite a lot. The pastor can hardly wait until next Wednesday night so we can do this all over again.
There was a struggle to answer the first question; many answers flew all over the room, but they weren’t correct. Finally, someone got the answer and we spent quite a while digging around determining background information. No doubt, we could have spent the entire time on this one alone, but didn’t.
Anyway, let’s get started on the questions. Please take the time to answer these questions; it will do you good as you study the word of God. Be blessed in your time in prayer and study.
- Where are the ark builder, vision interpreter and man who kept his integrity found?
- Which commandment is the most important of all? Where is it found in NT writings?
- Where is a charge given by a master teaching his student to preach according to various seasons?
Thanks for taking the time to participate. You will benefit greatly by spending time in your bible on a regular basis. Why not set aside a time every day to spend with God, getting to know him through his eternal word?
There has been non-stop coverage of this travesty since the president received the news of the handout by the Nobel judges. I know many conservative talk show hosts have spent a great of time on the subject. It is such a shame the president continues to be an embarrassment to the citizens of our great nation.
According to an Associated Press article by Ian MacDougall and Karl Ritter, committee chairman Thorbjorn Jagland said “Alfred Nobel wrote that the prize should go to the person who has contributed most to the development of peace in the previous year, Who has done more for that than Barack Obama?”
The article goes on to say “World leaders have reacted positively to Obama’s Nobel in most cases, the committee said, with much of the criticism coming from the media and Obama’s political rivals.” I have a theory as to why world leaders have reacted positively to the president’s Nobel gift. It is simply that he wants to be just like them. People who are alike generally don’t have major problems between them; it’s those who are in direct opposition to someone’s values who stand a better chance of raising a great deal of ire.
Please note this one important fact – President Obama has done nothing worthy of this award. Perhaps he has thought long and hard about ways to make the world a better place, but so have many other people. I am confident we could find someone who would do the Nobel prize justice, it just isn’t our current president.
In an article by Denis Kilcommons of The Huddersfield Daily Examiner, he had the following to say: “Unfortunately, Obama has been seen as a global Messiah and the award has raised expectations even further of what he might achieve.”
What more can the prize committee do to further tarnish the award? According to ABC News, Rush Limbaugh called the Nobel prize committee’s decision “a bigger embarrassment than losing the Olympic bid,” and said, “He’s being judged on wishful thinking.” In my opinion, he needs to quit just wishing something will happen and begin to do what the Nobel prize alludes to. What has he really done?
No amount of talk by the Nobel Prize Committee will ever convince me President Obama is worthy of the prize. History has passed over some of the greatest men in favor of people who are just like the Obamas and Gores of the world. It really is sad. What do you think?
Analysis: Peace Prize Awarded Based on Achievement or Aspirations – washingtonpost.com
Oh, my! As I was out and about this morning, I happened to be listening to the radio when news of this obvious mistake came over the airwaves. It seems those who award this prize are on a losing streak which is getting longer all the time. How sad to think one more governing body had been duped into believing our president is worthy of great recognition.
As stated in the Washington Post article, there are two types of awards given, and the one handed to President Obama falls into the latter category. It is quite easy to see how this award was given based on what the president aspires to achieve. It is also quite clear he has done nothing worth recognizing him for this award. Lots of people aspire to do good things; too many never complete what they set out to accomplish, though.
Now, if the award were given based on the harm he has already done and the vision he has for this great nation of ours, he would certainly be the right pick. His liberal world views are in no way in line with the vision our founding fathers had. They saw great opportunities here, and sought to build a nation of exceptionalism free from tyranny and excessive government control.
President Obama seems intent to show the world just how wrong our country is; as others have said, he is too apologetic for who we are. Are there problems in America? Absolutely. Are there shortcomings in our nation? Without a doubt. Is our government spending out of control and do they have our country’s best interest at heart? Yes, and absolutely not. Why not tell the world our strengths, let them know about our strong compassion and desire for freedom? I believe these ideals are foreign to the president. His distorted world view does not allow him to believe America is the greatest nation on earth, and that is way too sad. He ought to be our greatest ambassador, but he seems to only speak of our weaknesses and failures.
It seems the whole world fawns over this man as though he is the greatest gift the world has ever seen. I don’t see it. He is an abortion advocate, wants to bankrupt our country, lead us down the path to socialism or worse, is stuck on himself and seems to have no grasp of the seriousness of protecting our country. Too many in our country voted him into office based on the color of his skin, not taking his left-wing political views into consideration. Too many people refuse to see who he really is, but there are plenty who warned us about him.
Wake up, world, and learn who he is. I believe one reason for such madness is because he doesn’t act much like an American president; rather, he wants to be a world leader and his desire is to see America just like every other country on earth. In other words, equal footing for everyone. Please, Mr. President, allow us to be who we really are.
You know what’s going on, don’t you? It’s time to answer the weekly bible study questions our church has already reviewed. Tonight’s session was one of the more exciting ones we’ve had to date; there was plenty of interaction and lots of great discussion going on. Really, you should have been here.
Let’s get on with the questions. Please leave your comments; it is a way for me to see if posting the questions is effective or not. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to participate.
- Where do we find an innumerable company of angels and the assembly of the firstborn?
- Which prophet became angry at God’s mercy toward a great people?
- Where do we find teaching regarding covering on men’s and women’s heads while praying?
Please give some background information with your answers. This is important in order to gain an understanding about the subject. Put your thinking caps on and submit your answers.
