I was going to post a reprint from Our Daily Bread from Sunday that talked about how realizing you are an example will influence how we behave in a godly way.  But I read a story from one of our missionaries (who couches football players in his country) and I thought it would be a good example of being an example.  Here is what he said, “Whenever we do bear crawls, I find the person who is struggling the most and I get down with them and do the bear crawl with them and I encourage them along the way. Tonight, a person in the last group was having a really hard time. His name is ____. I got down with him for the last 40 yards. As soon as I got on the ground, I heard something that sounded like a stampede. When I looked up, I saw that all of the guys who had already finished had joined us. They came back to ____, got down on the ground with him, and started yelling out encouragement to him, pushing him forward and helping him to finish strong. It was a beautiful moment.
As I got home and I thought about it more, I had a realizations about this. Nearly all of the guys that joined us for the last stretch have been the one that was struggling, the one that I got down on the ground with and yelled out an encouragement to. To see them come and do this for another was AMAZING. Its never happened before.”

Prayer is so vitally important to the Christian walk.  We get strength from it, encouragement, wisdom, and power from it.  It draws us close to God and allows us to have an intimate relationship with him.  Knowing the importance of prayer though does not automatically give us all the benefits of prayer.  We need to use it and rely on it more often.  We need to stop trying to do things on our own and in our own power.  It is only when we are faithful in prayer that we can tap into the wonder-working power of God and we will see the difference in our lives.  When we pray, things change. Period.

Where do we go from here?  That is a great question to ask ourselves often.  But especially after a significant event happens in our lives.  And our church’s celebration of 125 years of ministry is significant.  So where does Groveland Missionary Church go from here?  Will we suddenly gain the 200+ people we loss over the last decade?  Will we now sink into obscurity?  I do not think either one is the answer.  The answer to continuing on in this church is the same as it has been for the last 125 year: faithfulness.  God wants us to be faithful.  And if we continue to be faithful to him, he will continue his faithfulness and blessings to us.  But how are we to be faithful.  Well in this week’s message, we are to continue teaching sound doctrine.  The Bible has always been our source of live and living and it will not stop if we stay true to God and his teaching.  It will continue to give this church the life it needs to last another 125 years, well into the future.  Know what you believe and why, and you will never stop seeing God work.

Those three Hebrew children were able so stand up under the pressure of a mighty King and his huge statue because they knew that their God was much bigger and mightier than any earthly king or giant statue.  How big is your God when faced with the pressure to conform?  He too can deliver you from the fiery trials.

What is a Christian in your definition?  That is a tougher question than you might initially think and you cannot find it defined in the Bible.  However, the words disciple and servant are defined and have clearer meanings.  So maybe the better question is what is a disciple in your definition?

My family and I are taking today to spend at the Ark Encounter in KY.  It is a life size replica of Noah’s ark from Gen 6.  It is a wonderful experience and I would encourage everyone to take a day to go and see it.  It is part of an organization called Answers in Genesis and more information about them and the ark (as well as the Creation Museum (also in KY)) can be found on their website www.answersingeneis.org. 

Going to be another short post this week.  I am just going to ask one question about Jesus being the king of kings in your life.  It is not is he.  But how is he king in your life?  How are you letting him reign in your heart?

I do not like preaching sermons like yesterday which details the pain and suffering Jesus went through to be crucified for us.  I know that it happened and that it is an important concept to remember. It pains me to recall the horrors that Jesus willing took on so that I may have life.  And yet, it was because of his love for me that he sacrificed himself in such a way.  And every time I sin, it is like crucifying him again and again.  It is a reminder that I should live my life for him so that his sacrifice was not in vain, but gives me the free gift he offered.