He is Our LIfe...

Colossians 3
He Is Your Life
1-2 So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that's where the action is. See things from his perspective.

Guard my heart and mind....

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Verse of the Day

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

Things I need to remember

Philippians 4 (The Message)
6-7 Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Book Review: The Principle of the Path

Today, I finished reading a new book by Andy Stanley entitled The Principle of the Path, How to get from where you are to where you want to be. I can only wish I had this book when I graduated from High School some 30+ years ago; and, definitely, recommend it for those in pursuit of their dreams.

In true Andy Stanley style, the book causes the reader to take inventory of life; and, exposes through the lenses of Scripture, those truths about how to live in right relationship with God. Each chapter of this book compels the reader to consider past decisions and the resulting consequences, against the reality of how those decisions were made without proper Biblical application.

I love how Andy takes stories from his past to illustrate the truths of his writing. Some writers only draft information learned by book knowledge, this book relays practical life lessons learned and how they affect your future. Books like this will help others avoid the mistakes made by the author and hopefully relieve some undue pain.

Ultimately, this book will guide the reader to understand that complete trust and faith in God will guide you in whatever you do. Once we apply Scripture to our lives, whatever happens will be for the Glory of God and that ain’t all that bad.

This book will definitely be on my list for people who struggle with finding God’s best for their lives and knowing how to make good solid life decisions. I will most likely consider this book as a graduation gift as well. You never go wrong reading Andy Stanley and this book would be scored a triple!

Generosity

Craig's message Sunday will be on generosity. We have a chance now to help one of ours who is in need. As many of you know, Brent Clark's house was destroyed in a fire on Wednesday evening. We need your help in supporting this family during this time. Brent's daughter, Emilee, is 8 years old and in need of some clothes. She wears a girls 14/16 shirt and girls 16 pant. Any help will be greatly appreciated for this family. You can drop off items at the church (706-894-1500) or call me at 706-968-2059 and we will arrange a way to get these items to Brent & Emilee.

House

As many of you know, I love to watch the TV show House. I believe it's one of the coolest and most of the box Television shows. To believe that someone can be so intelligent and yet so unhappy, to think that someone could have such ridiculous ideas and belief, and come up with a crazy different case while trying to intertwine the lives of these doctors week after week is mind blowing!!! By far one of the best shows ever created.

What do you think?

Just the other day, there was a House marathon on. I had them all recorded. This meant I got to watch House back to back, without commercials, and without having to wait a week!! I loved it!!!

That's not why I wanted to talk about House. See Craig and I were discussing House the other day. He mentioned how he really enjoys the show and watches it every week, but he's not 100% into the show. I mean he likes it, but not enough to remember names and past history of the characters. For me, I enjoy getting involved in the lives of the characters, understanding the cases, and trying to figure them out...which I never do!!!
But the other day something happened, when the patient came into the hospital, I started to apply his symptoms to my life!!! I started to think I was dying. As I sat there hooked by this patient’s outcome, I started to think what in the world am I going to do!!! Should I dial 911??? Call Brittany and tell her one last time that I love her??? I was freaking out!
As we all know I didn't die, it was just a bad case of Taco Bell! This made me think. Why don't we do this on Sunday? Week after week we come to church, watch Craig, and then go home. What would happen if we got involved in the message, as I get involved in House? What if we started taking the symptom of Christianity that Craig talks about and start to measure them up to our lives? Would we be changed?

The book of James speaks about how the Word of God is like a mirror, and how foolish that person is who looks into it sees a problem but doesn't fix it. James 1:25 says-But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
So do you forget? I hope this Sunday people across the whole church listen to the sermon in a different light. I pray that people are so freaked out about their sin that they are compelled to change and worship God! I know that when I write this blog, I'm compelled to change, how about you?
Nate out...