4.14.2014 "Who Is This?"

Heavenly Father, thank you for this time we have together. I thank You for the many blessings you’ve poured into my life, known and unknown, and praise You for the work you’ve begun in me. Quiet my mind and thoughts, that I can hear only You. Amen. Matthew 21:1-11

The Message (MSG)

The Royal Welcome

21 ^1-3 When they neared Jerusalem, having arrived at Bethphage on Mount Olives, Jesus sent two disciples with these instructions: “Go over to the village across from you. You’ll find a donkey tethered there, her colt with her. Untie her and bring them to me. If anyone asks what you’re doing, say, ‘The Master needs them!’ He will send them with you.”

^4-5 This is the full story of what was sketched earlier by the prophet:

Tell Zion’s daughter, “Look, your king’s on his way, poised and ready, mounted On a donkey, on a colt, foal of a pack animal.”

^6-9 The disciples went and did exactly what Jesus told them to do. They led the donkey and colt out, laid some of their clothes on them, and Jesus mounted. Nearly all the people in the crowd threw their garments down on the road, giving him a royal welcome. Others cut branches from the trees and threw them down as a welcome mat. Crowds went ahead and crowds followed, all of them calling out, “Hosanna to David’s son!” “Blessed is he who comes in God’s name!” “Hosanna in highest heaven!”

¹⁰ As he made his entrance into Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken. Unnerved, people were asking, “What’s going on here? Who is this?”

¹¹ The parade crowd answered, “This is the prophet Jesus, the one from Nazareth in Galilee.”

The contrasts that show up in these verses caught my eye this morning. Jesus, who earlier had declared that he was Lord, Son of David, gave his disciples the power to “borrow” a donkey and its colt in His name only, yet arrived in Jerusulem as a King, not on a beautiful white stallion, but on a donkey. Even still, the people welcomed him like a King, laying down branches like a red carpet, and shouting “Hosanna to the Son of David” and worshiping him. These are the same people that in a few days, would totally desert him.

How like them am I! I worship him one day, proclaim him as my Lord and Savior, and then the very next day (and even sometimes the same day), I am injurious to others, and quick to anger. I am two-faced, and unable and unwilling to share the love and forgiveness that has been so freely given to me by my Redeemer. Who is that?! That’s not the gentle, humble person that Jesus wants me to be. His example in these verses shines – He is the servant, who is also God and King, and is quick to totally forgive and forget all my sins.

Father God, thank you for sending your Son as the example for my life, to be a humble servant, and for sacrificing Him to make me white as snow. Send your Holy Spirit to daily remind me to praise Him, Hosanna (Save Now!)!

kristi

p.s. Remember – we are learning to implement the “S” - Serve! J

Father in Heaven,

I pray that out of Your glorious riches you would strengthen ________ with power through Your Spirit in _______ inner being, so that Christ may dwell in ________ heart through faith. And I pray that _______, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all Your holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that _______ may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Amen.

Saturday's Blog

Welcome to the POG Blog!Today is Saturday which means YOU get to start the discussion on today’s scripture! What is it saying to you today? How does it relate to your life right now? How does it relate to the message from Sunday? Enjoy reading, meditating, and sharing your thoughts with others today!

1 Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.

3 For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.

6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.

Today, if only you would hear his voice, 8 “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness, 9 where your ancestors tested me; they tried me, though they had seen what I did. 10 For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways.’ 11 So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”

How does this passage speak to your heart today? Do you feel the Spirit moving? Please share your thoughts!

4/11/14 The New Life in Christ

Lord, thank you for this new day and a new opportunity to celebrate the indwelling of your Holy Spirit and the power to live as you direct. Amen  

Colossians 3:1-5 (NRSV)

1 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry).

It looks like we have a choice. We can either seek the things above that are part of our new life in Christ or we can get mired down in the old life from which we have been rescued.

How hard a choice is that? Not too hard I think. Not when we realize that we have died and been raised with Christ so that we have been freed from the old earthly life filled with a lot of disappointment and pain. Thinking about the alternatives, there really is little motivation for us to return there.

We are new creatures and beginning right now we have a future with Jesus in His forever kingdom. It may not always feel that way because at this moment our real life is hidden with Christ in God. But one day very soon, we will be revealed with Him in glory.

Until that time as we live in the Kingdom where Jesus reigns, His Holy Spirit is remaking each of us into the people that God wants us to be. How can we ever thank God enough for this new life we have in Christ as we grow into the image of the king.

Lord, thank you for working in us by your Spirit so that our lives might conform to the way you direct. Thank you for your forgiveness so that when we lose sight of whose we are we have the power of the Spirit at our disposal to walk as you command. Amen

John

4.10.14 "Shining Like Stars!"

Philippians 2:12-16 ¹² Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

¹⁴ Do everything without grumbling or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky ¹⁶ as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.

Recently I watched a movie about a very devoted Christian who was having a particularly rough time. He had lost his job and his wife could only find part-time work.   There were also two little ones to feed and another on the way. Each day he searched diligently for work but he just could not seem to catch a break. Finally just as the eviction and cutoff notices began to arrive a call came for a promising job.   But even this was a challenge. The job interview was way across town and his wife would need their beat up old car, which was running on fumes, to get to her job and drop the kids at school. He would take the bus and get as close as he could to the job site then walk the rest of the way.   It was just a shade past 7AM when he arrived at the site in time to see the foreman locking the door to the trailer that served as the office for the construction site. He was too late, the job had been filled.

Dejected he began the long walk home. Even though he was angry, afraid, and anxious, he prayed fervently asking GOD for help and direction. As he turned a corner he heard someone call out his name and he turned to see a stranger beckoning him. The man asked him if he was looking for work. With his mouth hanging open the Christian confirmed indeed he was and the stranger hired him to help build a shed in his back yard. Later the Christian would learn that the stranger had mistaken him for someone else who had failed to show up. By the time the shed was complete the stranger and Christian were friends and the stranger had gotten the Christian a permanent job at the factory where he worked.

But that’s not the end of the story. Just a few months after the Christian was hired the owners approached him one Friday afternoon with the offer of a lifetime, a management job making more money that he’d ever made before and with benefits that would take care of all his family’s needs. But there was a catch. The owner would give the Christian the job only if he agreed to falsify inventory records. And it got worse. If he declined the job the company would no longer have a place for him. He was given until the next Monday to decide.

It was a horrible weekend. His wife left the decision completely up to him but he could see the desperation in her eyes. On Monday the Christian met with the owners and with great dread declined their offer and prepared himself to suffer the consequences. But to his surprise the owners shook his hand and congratulated him. They wanted a person of honesty and good character as a manager and the Christian had passed the test!

Our lives are filled with opportunities often disguised has problems.   GOD does not interfere with our ability to make choices and exercise free will.   How we choose as Christians is what makes us salt and light. Remember HE did not choose us because we are special, we are special because He chose us.

Heavenly FATHER, send YOUR HOLY SPIRIT to lead and guide us this day toward choices that clearly show who we are. When we are tempted to whine and grumble focus us on the opportunity rather than the problem. Strengthen our faith so that our decisions honor YOU and make YOU proud. In CHRIST name we pray. AMEN

Jim L.

Place Your Life Before God

Romans 12 1-2 (Message Version)
1-2 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life-and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

“Lord I give you control. Consume me from the inside out….” This is a lyric from Hillsong United titled From the Inside Out. I want to live this way every day, but I get sucked back into the world and take back control. I resort back to my old ways and don’t want to ask for help and rely on me and act like a deviant child. I am so very thankful that we have a loving Father that never leaves us even after we stumble and fall.

Father, I place my life and all that life entails at your feet. Father, I ask for your to mold and shape me through the happy and sad times. Father, thank you for caring about the small details of my life . In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Peace and love,
Priscilla

4.8.14 "Expose MY fruitless deeds of darkness"

“Heavenly Father, what do You want to talk to me about this day?Open my ears. Open my heart. Let me really hear You speak to me. Amen.”

Ephesians 5:8-14 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

The Message You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You’re out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So, no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true – these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it. Don’t waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It’s a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ. Wake up from your sleep, climb out of your coffins; Christ will show you the light.

“So, Father, this is a lot to ponder. I could easily contemplate on other people, people who do “evil” things, how people get into trouble in the night-time hours. But, instead, I hear You prompting me to self-reflect. I hear You calling me to stop applying this to “others” and apply it to me. I think you want to do some surgery (sometimes painful) in order to shine Your light into my own life, my heart, my mind, my secret “things” and let Your light reveal the areas I need to expose. Help me now. ”

“Lord, what areas of my “old” self do I keep hidden away, in the dark corners of my heart? What sinful darkness do I think is “hidden” where no one can see? YOU can “see” everything I do, everything I think, every dark motive, every dark habit. Just because no one else is around, YOU are around. Who am I kidding? Instead of “exposing” other people, help me to allow Your Holy Spirit to “expose” my own ways of darkness – the “old me” that needs to change.”

“Show me the parts of my “old” self that may be “subtle” deeds of darkness." You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You’re out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. "I don't want to stay groping around in that murk - help me to realize, when You expose the areas of darkness in my life that You want to change - then I will be Bright with Your Light, and I won't be sinking in the muck and mire that this particular way of darkness holds me in."

“Jesus, You died for my “old” ugly self. You gave me new life. Yet, until I dwell with You in Heaven, I am a work in progress here on earth. Eternal Life starts now! I need YOUR LIGHT to shine on my darkness. I don’t want to stay the same. I don’t want to prohibit You from re-creating me into the daughter of Light You want me to become. Wake me up, today! Help me! Shine on me!”

“Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

-dawn

4.6.14 "Put off the Old, and Put on the New!"

Ephesians 4:17-24 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.

They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

*But that is not the way you learned Christ!-

Assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Do you remember your life before you knew Christ?

I had a good life up until about the age of 11 or 12. That’s when the sparkle went out of my eyes, and when doubt and fear came in.

That’s when the reality of the evil in the world became real and personal to me.

It was my first hurt from being made fun of, the first sting of rejection pierced my heart. My eyes were then open to how cruel people were. I no longer felt free to be me. I had to pretend not to care. I could never show my true emotions because that made it worse. I felt that I didn’t belong anywhere.

That’s when Jesus came into my heart and touched me and told me he loved me. I was so desperate, and so in need of his love, it was like putting water on a dry plant. I was so thirsty for his living water!   His light came on inside of me and helped me to overcome the darkness that had surrounded me for so long.   The Holy Spirit filled me up with his amazing love, covering all of me at once. I felt alive for the first time and free again to be happy.   I had a new identity, a new way of life! I was on my way!

However, I had not really dealt with my old self yet. I knew that God loved me and that Jesus died on the cross for my sins, but I really didn’t see my own sins. I was a good person and now Jesus loved me!

I was so excited, I just put on my new Jesus loving self over my old hurt self and marched on into my new life.

It took years for me to realize that I had this large sinful attitude buried deep down in my heart. I could play church really well. I believed I was living my life as a good Christian should.   I was a Christian on the outside, but I was a total mess on the inside.

My heart had become hardened towards church. I really didn’t even want to go anymore, because it seemed like everyone was just playing church. The behavior they displayed at church was not the same at home or around their family and non-church friends; and neither was mine. Gossip and power struggles between members also turned me off.

Coming to POG was an answer to a prayer that I think God had placed in my heart about nine months before we moved to Texas. When we first came to POG my heart was still hard and calloused. I didn’t want to do anything but sit and be refreshed. I began to really look at myself and see my sins as God sees them. I asked God to forgive my sinful attitude, my selfishness, and my doubts. I asked him to strengthen my faith and to remove my fears and anxiety. Slowly, the spirit of my mind has been renewed. I am now totally committed to following Jesus and being led by the Holy Spirit daily.

And Whatever I do, I do for the glory of God!   (1 Corinthians 10:31)

What’s your story, please share what God has done in your life!

Dear Lord Jesus, be with each of us this week as we continue our commitment to follow you no matter what, and to seek the guidance of your Holy Spirit daily. Increase in us your love, peace and joy.   Renew us and strengthen us as we strive to live in our new selves, “created in the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness”. Amen

Blessings,

Patrice

Saturday's Blog

Welcome to the POG Blog! Today is Saturday which means YOU get to start the discussion on today’s scripture! What is it saying to you today? How does it relate to your life right now? How does it relate to the message from Sunday? Enjoy reading, meditating, and sharing your thoughts with others today!

Our Scripture for today is Psalm 86: 1-7

1 Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; 3 have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. 4 Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you.

5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you. 6 Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. 7 When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me.

Share your thoughts! What is God saying to you today?

"Humble Power!" 4.4.14

Listen to a poignant word from God today from 1 Peter 5! ⁵ In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

“God opposes the proud     but shows favor to the humble.”

⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Last Sunday we heard about "Listening!"   The scripture reading about humility!

Listening and Humility - is there a connection?

WOW!  I had not thought of it before but actually the connection is huge when I think about it.  When we listen we are pouring tremendous value into someone else.  When we listen we are saying, "You count!"  When we listen we are letting our own sense of importance take a back seat to the other person's story.  We can be selfish in our listening - just getting the information we need to further our own agenda - but listening born out of the humility Peter is talking about is something more.  Listening just enough to satisfy the needs of our own agenda is more an expression of pride than humility.

I noticed in the passage Peter is calling us to a humility expressed in our relationship with others and a humility expressed in our relationship with God.  I am especially take with the motivation for humility.

Why be humble?

Peter's answer is simple.  "God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble!"  We all need God's grace.  We can't live without grace.  A life of active humility opens me up to receiving God's grace.  Pride and self-seeking snubs God and seals my heart off from the grace I need.

Listening is a real and active way for me to practice humility.  I practice humility by intentionally listening to others  I practice humility by intentionally listening to God.

Yesterday I was so blessed by a conversation I had.  I realize why now.  I had not talked to brother for months.  We both took some time to talk - an hour and a half.  I know now why it was such a blessing.  He listened to me in very real way.  He asked questions about my life, inquired how I was doing, listened intently, wasn't in a hurry even though he is a busy man, made comments to assure me he was still engaged - I was blessed!  Someone humbled themselves and  loved me by listening.

The humility of listening!

It's a great day to listen!

delton

4.3.2014 "What are You Hungry For?"

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for your Bible that tells us who you are and how we should live. Thank you for preserving your words for us today.

Quiet our hearts and remove distractions so we can focus all our attention on you. Teach us your truths Lord. We Love you!

In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen!

1 Peter 2:1-3

New International Version (NIV)

2 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. ² Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, ³ now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

My first thought is what does Peter mean by the word therefore?   By looking back a few verses it looks like Peter is speaking to believers. So therefore, since I am a believer in Christ Jesus, I need to grow closer to Jesus by feeding on His word, the Bible. I need to crave His Words like a newborn baby craves milk. God’s words will grow me spiritually just like the milk causes a baby to grow. To feed on God’s Word I need to get rid my desire to sin. Sins like the desire to hurt someone with my words or to try to make people believe I’m someone I’m not, or to have dishonest motives, or envy and slander.   But how do I do that?   When my heart is full of sinful desires there is little room for God’s Words. God’s words are true, pure, Holy, and life changing. I need to feed on His words each day asking God to change my heart and to remove the desire to be mean to others and to replace them with the truths of His Holy Word. I need His Words to convict me of my sin and give me a desire to change and to live the way He wants me to. God wants me to fill my heart with His truths, promises, warnings and commands. That will leave no room for sin to come in. I need to feed on God’s word daily so my mind and heart are continuously filled with Jesus and to keep sin from creeping back in. I need to hunger and thirst for the truths He has for me there and drink them in every day. I need to desire them, read them and meditate on them so my heart can be filled with things God wants there. I want to know what believing in God means for me and know how He wants me to live.   His Words will renew my mind and transform my thinking in ways I could never imagine. Only He can fill me up.

What are you hungry for?

Are you hungry for the pure milk of God’s Word?

Charleen

3.31.14 "Are You Listening?"

James 1:1919 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

Are you a good listener? To clarify I’m not talking about hearing, most of us do that pretty well because GOD has blessed us with the ears to do so. But hearing is not listening. Listening is difficult because there are many things that compete for our attention. Externally we are exposed to literally hundreds of thousands of stimuli daily from the TV, to the neighbor’s dog, to the sound of a distant siren from and emergency vehicle. We hear all things, but to what do we listen?

It is said that we each have three internal voices, only three that complete for our attention, our voice, the voice of the evil one, and the voice of GOD. For most of us, the noisiest voice is usually our own. We learn very early how to speak to ourselves and focus on satisfying our own desires and pleasures first. Because it is an internal voice we do not hear it with our ears but with our minds and ultimately our hearts. As we grow so does our internal voice often maturing uncensored and unchecked. Can you hear it? Are you listening? Sometimes it is so loud it drowns out external sounds like when I’m tuning out during a meeting or presentation at work, during a conversation with a friend or loved one, or maybe during a worship service. And then there is always that other voice, the one that wants me to concentrate on meaningless things that lead me around in circles, waste my time, and create unnecessary drama and hardship.

To be a good listener there are two hard and fast rules. First, as the passage indicates, we must be quiet on both the inside and outside. Secondly we must do something that may be awkward and uncomfortable, focus on something or someone other than ourselves. It is often in this time that we will hear that third voice that is clear and distinct from the others, the unmistakable voice of GOD. Can you hear it? Are you listening?

Heavenly FATHER as we are bombarded today with all the things competing for our attention grant us peace as the storm roars around us and the ability to clearly hear YOUR voice and listen! Lead and guide us this day to walk in your ways according to will. In CHRIST name we pray. Amen

Jim L.

Saturday's Blog

Welcome to the POG Blog!Today is Saturday which means YOU get to start the discussion on today’s scripture! What is it saying to you today? How does it relate to your life right now? How does it relate to the message from Sunday? Enjoy reading, meditating, and sharing your thoughts with others today!

Today’s Scripture is: Psalm 77: 1-15

1 I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. 2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted.

3 I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint. 4 You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak. 5 I thought about the former days, the years of long ago; 6 I remembered my songs in the night. My heart meditated and my spirit asked:

7 “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? 8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? 9 Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”

10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. 11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. 12 I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

13 Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? 14 You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. 15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

Share your thoughts! What is God saying to you today?

3.28.14 “We are all baptized by one Spirit to form one body”

To My fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ, at Point of Grace Church, in Pflugerville. Deep in the Heart of Texas! :) Dear God, I praise and glorify you. Please show me through your Holy words what it is you want us to know about you and about how you want to use us for your great purpose. I thank you Lord for this opportunity. May all who read these words today receive the special message you have for them. I ask all this through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen

1 Corinthians 12: 12-20 NIV 12 Just as the body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body- whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free- and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not and eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wants them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The first thing that jumps out at me is that

“We are all baptized by one Spirit to form one body”

I was baptized in the Holy Spirit when I was first saved, and He changed my whole life. From that point on I’ve tried to live my life for God, although I’ve gotten sidetracked many times, my Spirit is one with Jesus’ Holy Spirit and no matter how far I wander away, the Lord, always brings me back to him.

One of wonderful things about having the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, living inside of me is, when I meet others who have been touched by the Spirit of God, I can see the light in their eyes and the joy in them overflows. We feel the oneness through Christ with each other, a kinship, even though we are meeting each other for the first time. We can share our love for the Lord and our relationship with each other is based on his love for us, and He helps us to love and trust each other.

There are three parts to this message that I see. Part one is that we are all one, united in Christ through the Holy Spirit. Part two is that we all belong to the body and have a specific place that God has designed us to be in our church, and our church within our community and the world. Part three is that we all must work together and support one another, because no part is big enough or strong enough or designed to do it all. In verses 15-20 addresses the third part of the message - Just as the eyes see the beautiful flowers in the vase, and need the hand and fingers to work together to draw a picture of them. And just as the upper body needs the legs and feet to stand and walk around, we depend on each other by the power of the one Spirit to function as God wants us to. Each part was specially designed by God and placed on or in the body exactly where it is suppose to be.

We each need to seek God for where we fit in, and for what he designed each of us to do. As we each tune into and begin hearing God’s voice for ourselves, he will tell us exactly where our place is and what our unique purpose is.

So where do you fit into the Body of Christ? What is God asking you to do?

Maybe you’ve already figured it out, or maybe God’s calling you do something new and different from what you are used to and is pulling you out of your comfort zone. Whatever it is, God is right there with you, and we as part of the same body through the same one Spirit will be supporting you with the love of God that we ourselves received. Let your amazing adventure continue!

Please feel free to share whatever God is speaking to you about .

God’s blessings and peace to all.

Patrice

3.27.14 "Love is Hard! Love is Scary!"

We are blessed with two submissions for today's blog! 1 Corinthians 13:1-7

13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

This passage begins with a warning. Saying or doing the right thing, even good things for the wrong reason gets you no points.   You can show up at church every Sunday, tithe faithfully, even attend and participate in bible study, all in vain if your motivation is wrong.

This is difficult to deal with because our motives are generally buried so deep in our hearts we often fool ourselves into believing they are reasonable, good, even commendable when they are actually vain, conceited and selfish more often driven by ego or guilt than by love. Here’s a hint. If you have to really think about it, your motive may be questionable. More than likely you are searching for a reason to do it, or not to do it, based on what we call W.I.I.F.M. What’s In It For Me.  Sorry, no points.

Love is scary. Look at some of those words, patient, not envious, not proud, trusting. Really?   But sometimes our greatest expressions of love emerge and we are lead to do our best work when we are scared, really scared.   Ultimately, true love will force us to seek a way through it, instead of a way out of it. The really good news is love never gives up and therefore it always, always, wins!

Has there ever been any more beautiful words every written than verses 4 through 6 of this passage.   The words have been universally used (and rightfully so) in virtually every conceivable venue connected to the expression of love, weddings, anniversaries, funerals. But I respectfully submit that there were indeed more beautiful words transcribed for us and spoken from a cross at a Roman execution more than 2000 years ago. Those words exemplify the greatest expression of love the world has ever known, “It is finished!”

Heavenly FATHER thank you for showing us what love is, not by words alone, but by action. Wherever we find ourselves today no matter what the situation or circumstances remind us that love never gives up and always perseveres. In CHRIST name we pray, amen. Alleluia! Praise GOD!

Jim L.

3.27.14 "Growing Up In Love!"

Welcome to the PoG Blog! As I prayed this morning I heard myself telling God that I had never seen Him, but I wanted to. I have never seen the face of God and I probably won’t, this side of heaven. But I have felt and seen him moving, and I know He is at work. This morning, I had this intense desire to truly know God and to hear him. We can get to know God and hear Him more clearly if we take the time to listen to Him. Pray that God will allow you to concentrate on His Word, and put everything else aside, for the next few minutes – so that you can truly hear the voice of God.

1 Corinthians 13: 1 - 7 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love. The message last Sunday was entitled, “Growing Up – Together”. When I think of growing spiritually, the first thing I think about is love. Am I more of a man of love today than I was a year ago? When people describe me, do they say “he loves God and he loves others”?

This chapter of 1 Corinthians helps us by putting some definition or nuance around the concept of love. What does it really mean for us to love someone the way Christ loves us? Are we patient, kind, satisfied with what we have, humble, selfless, self-controlled, forgiving, and truthful? The list gives us a great way of checking ourselves. Perhaps most people we know would not use some of those words to describe us. That is where we have the opportunity to come to God and pray for a changed heart.

Look into your heart and your life and conduct an audit. Then pray that God will send his Holy Spirit to you today to give you a new heart. A heart full of love for Him and for others. May God grant it for Jesus’ sake!

Mark

3.25.14 “I used to think you were a pain!”

3.25.14 “I used to think you were a pain!”

Ephesians 4:14-16 NLT Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, Who is the Head of His body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

Right before this section, in verse 11 the list of “roles” or “functions” fulfilled by the people in the church includes: Apostles (Looking Onward); Prophets (Directing Upward); Evangelists (Reaching Outward); Shepherds (Nurturing Inward); and Teachers (Unveiling Deepward).

Last Sunday, Pastor Weiser used 5 volunteers to role-play this list. It was a light-bulb kind of moment for me. I must admit, some of the Roles didn’t grab my heart. During those explanations, I found myself uninspired, and not engaged.

Yet, when he described one of the Roles that related to how I am made – I began to cry. He then said, “as we went through each Role, I bet some of you felt passionate about that Role. I bet your mind began spinning with ideas, and your heart began racing as that Role was described!”

Yes! Exactly! That was happening to me! I found myself thinking of people within the Point of Grace family and how they fit into the various Roles perfectly!

And then the twist – the knife-in-the-gut kind of moment when God grabs reaches down and grabs my attention and lovingly, yet seriously shows me how He does NOT want me to behave.

Pastor then used the volunteers to show what happens when one of the Roles gets out of balance with the rest – when that Role thinks their way is the only way – and how unity is compromised – and how feelings are hurt – and how churches become divided. Convicted! Furthermore, Delton shared another example of how the differences between siblings can become a competition instead of appreciation of our differences! I am sure we all could relate to that with our own brothers and sisters!  Wow! Amen to that!

Now, apply that to Church Family Sibling Rivalry! I loved when he jokingly said something like, “I used to treat you like a ‘pain’ because you are different than me! But now I see we are not in a competition! You are not a ‘pain’ – you are just different! And I don’t have to be a pain to you anymore, either – I am just different!”

I am so sorry Lord, for the ways I have behaved like this. I am so sorry for the ways we at Point of Grace have behaved like this. Please forgive us and fill us with Your Holy Spirit so that we can be mindful of our differences and work toward the Unity You dreamed of for Your Church!

So, right now – I apologize to all my brothers and sisters in Christ for the times when our differences have caused Sibling Rivalry between us instead of appreciation for the way God has designed us! And I pray that then next time you see me as a “pain” – you will just see me as a uniquely created Sibling in Christ! I hope you can see me as "different" instead of a "pain!"

With all of this newfound information swimming in my head – I went back and re-read Ephesians 4 starting at verse one and marveled at how it just keeps unfolding into a beautiful vision for how our church can become! I hope you enjoy re-reading it, too.

“Therefore I Paul, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.”

From one “pain” to another!  :) - Dawn

3.22.2014 Saturday's Blog

Welcome to the POG Blog!

Today is Saturday which means YOU get to start the discussion on today’s scripture! What is it saying to you today? How does it relate to your life right now? How does it relate to the message from Sunday? Enjoy reading, meditating, and sharing your thoughts with others today!

Matthew 5:1-12

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Sermon on the Mount

5 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

The Beatitudes

² And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴ “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

⁵ “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

⁶ “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

⁷ “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

⁸ “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

⁹ “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons^[a] of God.

¹⁰ “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

What are your thoughts on this passage? Does it speak to your heart? Please share your thoughts with us and how you were moved this week! We love to hear from you!!

Blessings, Jennifer

How?

Hello!  Welcome to the PoG Blog! The scripture for today is Proverbs 3, 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him,  and he will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. 8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. 9 Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

How do I live the day to day steps of life in a manner "worthy" of the calling which I have been given by God?  That is the big question from our theme on Sunday.  In other words my life should match my calling.   The way I live day to day should match who I am.

That gets really practical!  How I treat myself and others should be in sync with who I am in Christ!

But HOW?  HOW?

This scripture from Proverbs helps me.  I get to trust with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding.  The life "worthy of my calling" is not a life in which I am just "trying real hard to do right or be good" - it is a life of "TRUST"!

Three verbs catch my attention and feed my soul this morning! "Trust - Submit - Honor" are all powerful actions I get to take today as I set out to live a life worthy of my calling in the day to day practicalities of my life!  Even as I am writing this I am distracted by the list of things I have to do today!  Anxiety is growing, worry increasing - wait, wait- right now in this moment I get to live in my calling as a child of the living God!  Right now, I get to "Trust God - Submit to God -Honor God" in the detail of today's life.  I think I will specifically stop right now and pray - applying those three words to the specific issues I am going to live through today!

Join me!

delton

3.20.2014 "US VERSUS THEM? NO WAY! WE ARE A TEAM!"

John 17:20-23  New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Prays for All Believers

²⁰ “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, ²¹ that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ²² I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— ²³ I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

I feel like I was raised with an US versus THEM mentality.  My wife, Cindy, was raised Catholic.  I was raised Presbyterian.  I felt like they were the enemy.  Even though we worshiped the same God, somehow the Presbyterian God was better & (to use a word from pastor’s dictionary) Righter than the Catholic God.  I was even able to bring Cindy over from the “wrong” side.

Then I came to Point of Grace.  It is Lutheran, but you have to really look to find the name Lutheran anywhere around this church.  My pastor at my old Presbyterian church even tried to talk me out of going to Point of Grace when I moved north because there were plenty of “good” Presbyterian churches in the area.  I even got on the management team at Point of Grace & felt like we were competing with other churches in the area over people & their finances because we needed them & their money for “our” church.

But over time pastor has brought me over to the idea that we (all churches) are united under the idea of One Lord, One Church, One Calling.  Then, I am given these verses to write about.  Alright already-I get it!  I may be stubborn, & slow to change but I’m not dumb (some might argue with that).

In these verses Jesus prays for the unity of the church, that all believers unite under 1 great worldwide church.  Three times in these short verses, Jesus says that we will be One United Church of God!  Whether we are Catholic, Presbyterian, Lutheran or Pflugerville Community Church, we are united under 1 GOD with 1 purpose-to make disciples.

Wow, we are One in Christ.  We are loved by God so much that HE sent His Son to die for our (all of us no matter what church we attend)  sins.  HE loves me the same as he loves Jesus!  If that doesn’t make me feel special- All that HE asks in return is to believe in Him & make believers out of all that I come into contact with.

I think I can handle that-Can You?

Jerry

Father in Heaven,

I pray that out of Your glorious riches you would strengthen ________ with power through Your Spirit in _______ inner being, so that Christ may dwell in ________ heart through faith.  And I pray that _______, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all Your holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that _______ may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Amen.

3.19.14 "The Simple Picture"

Father, thank you for this day and may our time together be a blessing to all as we walk with Jesus toward living a life worthy of our calling.  In His name, Amen. Philippians 2:3-8 (ESV)

³ Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴ Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. ⁵ Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

For whatever reason, when I first started out to write this blog this morning, I went straight to “breaking down” the verses…checking the correlation between them and my worship notes…when it came to mind as I stood back and looked at them in their entirety…what a beautiful picture of “Living Worthy “ a life of Love through Humility made complete in Jesus Christ.  Simple, yet warming to my soul.

In closing, I would like to leave you with The Message version of these verses, which includes versus 1 & 2, which is Paul’s exhortation to living a life worthy in Christ.  The language is wonderful and inspiring, and I hope it blesses your day, as it has mine…and as we Begin in prayer this week...”may we all be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

The Message (MSG)

2 ^1-4 If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

^5-8 Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.

Blessings to you and yours,

jim