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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life

 

Issue #1,188 September 25,2004 Success?   It was a busy day yesterday around here. In the morning a reporter from one of the local community weekly papers came by to for an interview about the Africa trip. After that it was set up for cowboy church. We had cowboy worship in the evening. A reporter for the big regional daily paper, the Edmonton Journal, and a photographer were scheduled to come out and do a feature for an upcoming issue. The "cowboy" angle seemed to be newsworthy to them. We're still pretty small as a church yet, in fact whenever the number of people in the seats is greater than the number of people involved in the worship, it's a cause for celebration. I have a confession to make. As the time for worship drew nearer, I found myself getting nervous. I found myself hoping that we'd have extra bodies in the sanctuary, so "God wouldn't look bad". Of course the reality was that I was nervous that I might look bad to the reporter if there weren't lots of people there. Whatever gets written will be what God already knew. Ouch! There's that ego thing that I thought I had given up on. It was time for some repentant prayer Often times we allow ourselves to get wrapped up in something, and take on the unneeded responsibility for the results. None of us get results for God; it's Him all the way. We're just called to be obedient (even if it doesn't make sense) and leave the results up to Him. It was a lesson even the disciples had to learn (over and over again). One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. Luke 5:1-7 NIV Simon "knew" there was no point in fishing there because the disciples had worked the area all night and come up empty. I love his response "But because you say so, I will let down the nets". Jesus knew better. The fishermen obeyed, even when it seemed silly to do so and were rewarded. Jesus provided the catch, all Simon and the guys had to do was drop their nets. Victory comes through obedience, not through our personal measuring stick for success or failure. Our crowd last night, small, about the same number we had out last time (yes that's more than are involved in the service), and there were some new faces. I guess we'll see next week what the reporter thought, but those who were there for the worship were blessed and God was glorified. It was a victory. Until next time, may you walk in obedience even when you don't understand. Hallelu Yah (Praise God) Be blessed Kevin

Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. You have value in the eyes of God so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that heaven will not be complete without you.

 

HELP FOR THE HURTING Success in this world is an elusive thing. Even if you manage to reach all the goals, you quickly find they don't satisfy and you must keep moving "forward" to not feel like a failure. That's because the things of this world will never truly satisfy. True fulfillment comes from being reconciled to God and walking with Him. The first step is to be reconciled to Him. You do that by making Jesus the Lord of your life. Will you do that today? If you want to know how to do that simply email us and we'll send you some Bible verses that will explain it to you. You can simply begin the relationship by honestly and completely opening your heart; admitting you need God's help; turning away from your sin and saying a prayer along the lines of the one below. There isn't any "magic" in the prayer; it's simply a way to open up to the gift that Jesus already bought for you with His very life. You can't earn it. You don't deserve it. He freely offers it to all who will accept it. Jesus: I have made many mistakes in my life and done things I am not proud of. I have sinned. I need your love and forgiveness. I believe that you came into this world and gave your life on a cross to pay for my sins and that you defeated death and rose again. Please forgive me, and be the Lord of my life. I give my life to you Lord. Amen If you pray this prayer for the first time let me know so I can rejoice with you. It's not the end of the process. It is the beginning of a wonderful journey to become more like Jesus. It's your starting point.

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