Sunday, March 7, 2010

 

Corrie McClary --  Announcements
Matt 28:18-20  
Baptisms today - Rafael from Latino ministry; Daniel from youth & family ministry;  campus had a baptism this week, Bryce
Maxine Williams' father died this week
Thanks to Kids Kingdom teachers who just finished their rotation and are back in service
Mike Dames -- remember the citizens of Haiti and Chile
3/21  Remember the Poor - global fast, quiet time series
Hope WorldWide Charlotte nominated for service award - pray we will receive it, a $15,000 award we can use for the poor

 

Frank and Beth Radcliff -- Communion
1 Peter 1:3-4 
Beth - the birth of Caleb  their grandson - God's great mercy, new birth into a living hope, a very personal purpose and hope for heaven
another generation added means even more hope, dream for our children
understanding God's goodness, consequences of sin, seeing the living hope she has alive in her daughter, there will be generations she will never know that will have that hope
Acts 2 - promise for your children
Frank - hope is dependent on understanding and knowing God, baptism to a new life, inheritance from us but the one kept in heaven forever is so much better
What are you storing up in heaven?

 

another prayer request:  Jewel's mom Wilma fell, broke her back last night

 

Ron Drabot
Sharon and Don Lee's 29th wedding anniversary today
today is Ron's 32 spiritual birthday, he turns 51 next week
Deepen your Bible study - challenge from  Festival of Faith - read books about the books of the Bible; commentaries
The need for passion in our lives
"Wild Goose Chase" by Mark Batterson
Our 2010 theme -- clothed with Christ
being like Jesus, try as an individual to be clothed with Christ, put on Jesus  Gal 3:27
If we did that as a church, what a powerful church we would be
think, talk, serve, forgive, love like Jesus
If each one of us did that, we would save a lot of money on marriage seminars
what a challenge to take on
Ron believes that all Christians make history
"his-story"
God's story
His story through my story for his glory
everything I do in life is about his story through my story
we make a big mistake when we separate our spiritual life from our physical, mental, emotional, academic, work life

 

Nehemiah 1:1-4
in exile 70 years, away form their home land, captives
Nehemiah was a cup bearer, made sure the king's drink wasn't poisoned
His heart ached for Jerusalem, the remnant led back after 50 years
445 BC, the wall was still in ruins, made Jerusalem vulnerable
Nehemiah wept, vs. 4, for some days
Neh 2:1-4  never been sad in his presence before
he received permission to go
in 52 days, rebuilt the wall with the people when it had been destroyed for a century
we all work for a living
Ron's question to us:   Is my job a career or a calling? 
a secular job, no - a ministry
we can be passionate or we can coast
if we coast, we will remain in our pain
a rage in your cage
Dwell on hell while on earth
Or everything you do is a calling from God
How you view everything you go through is going to effect how you will be in the present
Physical pain, emotional pain, and mental pain because things haven't been the way you want them to be

 

The way you look at things affects how you are as a disciple right now
come to church discouraged because job, grades, marriage, kids aren't what they should be

 

Having God's ordained passion in my life is not optional
if you really want to be fulfilled, must view everything as my calling
The average person spends 1/2 of waking hours on the job
a whole lot of time needs to be a passion
Col 3  whatever I do, I do it for the Lord
The King asked Nehemiah "what is it you want?" 
Nehemiah had an answer -- do I?  
our unhappiness comes from not knowing the answer
Some say this is what I want, and because I don't have it, I'm not happy
It's not about Jesus, It's about me
Look at Nehemiah, he may not have any memory of Jerusalem
his job is tasting wine to be sure it's not poisoned
every day could be his last day
He had personal passion, a personal dream, and a kingdom dream
Do I have a personal dream?
Have I had a kingdom dream for 70 years like Nehemiah? 
He didn't have construction or architectural experience
It was the first time he was sad
He did his cupbearing job with all of his heart, he didn't let being an exile make him sad
Ron's history --
first he went to Columbus, OH and was a campus leader;
then to Boston for training;
then to South Africa, during apartheid;
then to Chicago

 

Ron is just as passionate about cutting the grass as going to South Africa
cleaning the toilets, that's his job (his wife is too pretty to do that)
he cleans them with all his heart
That's his calling
It's all to the glory of God
we need this done, you need to volunteer
marriage seminar:  romance does not start in the bedroom, it starts in the bathroom, in the kitchen -- serving
Do whatever you do for the glory of God
Nehemiah could build the wall in 52 days because of his personal and kingdom dreams
Joshua 3
Israel was about to conquer the promised land
Canaan was insignificant up to that time - a land bridge between Egypt and Mesopotamia
Joshua takes over for Moses Josh 3:1-15
see what God tells Joshua to tell the priest
step in the river, God will do the rest
We would want God to part the water first, then we walk through
We don't see God moving because we aren't moving
we don't have wet feet
Jesus wants us to step out into the river
We have spiritual inertia
make a tough decision, get a dream
People making a difference in the church:
Brent and Kelly Stevens
Keith & Amanda Currie
Olga Kinvi

 

live with passion in everything you do

 

Teen with 3 pennies, wanted to start an orphanage, told she couldn't do it, said "with God and 3 pennies, I can"    This was Mother Therese
to get out of Babylon and get to Jerusalem, be the best cup bearer you can be
Jesus will make his story your story