Expose' of the Enemy

I have been watching with interest the discontent in our world. It seems that everyone is out to get everyone else. In 1776 when the founding Fathers of this great country signed the Declaration of Independence the dream was a United States putring their faith in God. It shouldn't surprise us that when God is at work, the enemy, Satan is working as well. If you want to know how the enemy works look no further than our country and the turmoil we find within our government. It seems we could be defined as dis-unified more so that unified.

How do we recognize the enemy from God, truth from lie and disunity for unity? I think it begins by listening to scripture about the work of the enemy:

The enemy will be angry when God is at work -
Psalms 18:48 (MSG)
48 He rescued me from enemy anger, he pulled me from the grip of upstarts, He saved me from the bullies.

The enemy is filled with malice toward the people of God -
Psalms 49:5 (MSG)
5 So why should I fear in bad times, hemmed in by enemy malice,

Don't worry the enemy will find you -
Psalms 143:3 (MSG)
3 The enemy hunted me down; he kicked me and stomped me within an inch of my life. He put me in a black hole, buried me like a corpse in that dungeon.

The enemy will gloat in our defeat -
Lamentations 1:9 (MSG)
9 She played fast and loose with life, she never considered tomorrow, and now she's crashed royally, with no one to hold her hand: "Look at my pain, O God! And how the enemy cruelly struts."

The enemy will attack you -
Luke 10:19 (MSG)
19 See what I've given you? Safe passage as you walk on snakes and scorpions, and protection from every assault of the Enemy. No one can put a hand on you.

And Jesus gives us the finishing thoughts about the enemy:
John 10:10 (MSG)
10 A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.

The thing I want you to remember is the enemy is out to defeat the work of God. He will do anything he can to cause harm to God's Kingdom. There is no safe ground!

Are you ready? Have you been walking and talking with Jesus? I can promise you the enemy is waiting for just the right time to attack and if we prepare and pray we can be sure that God will guide and protect us.

Until next time, Satan, you suck and I don't like you one bit. I hope by exposing you I can help others avoid your rotten dirty tricks. In the name of Jesus you are defeated!

Lego Jesus

Lego Jesus - A church in Sweden celebrated Easter on Sunday by unveiling a 6-foot-tall statue of Jesus.


Parishioners of the Oensta Gryta Church in Vaesteras had built it out of 30,000 Lego blocks.

It reportedly took those 40 volunteers nearly 18 months to put all the tiny plastic blocks together. Their finished product is a standing Jesus facing forward with his arms outstretched.


I am thinking we could do the following project a little quiker and then spend time getting out in the community to share Jesus.

Looking Back to Look Forward

25 All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You're after one that's gold eternally. 26 I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! 27 I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself. I Corinthians 9:25-27

Easter Sunday is in the books and part of recent history. All the preparation and planning is now past and we can look back to help us look forward.

When we set our attendance goal of 500 little did I know that we would actually hit that goal and surpass it. Wow!

What's more when the day was done we baptized 6 and had another 10 or so acknowledge a decision to follow Christ. I am amazed and blessed at the same time.

I started this blog with a verse that I believe has application, when we work hard and prepare to the best of our ability God honor's our labor. At times we have had some talk about us being to programmed and planned, but I believe that is why God is using Fellowship to make a difference in our community. He honor's those who labor for the Kingdom. It's important to point out that we don't do what we do to get honor for ourselves, but we are working to build up the Kingdom of God and for Him to receive the honor.

One story you might enjoy: For the past few months God has put one man in my path. From the beginning he attended Fellowship from a distance with his wife. One Sunday several wweks ago his wife approached Tina and I to ask us to pray for him, he was not a believer and didn't really want to come to church, but enjoyed being here. I started to talk to him at the ball fields, in the community and then he invited me to go to a hockey game last week. At lunch a couple of weeks ago I gave him specific Bible passages to read and let God do the work. Well to make the long short, Sunday he gave his heart to Jesus in the 11:00 service and then called to follow up on Sunday night, thanking me for the investment. You will meet him soon and I can't wait to celebrate his taking the next step.

This is why we do what we do at Fellowship Church. We are here for those who don't know Jesus yet, in hopes that one day we can introduce them to Jesus. Yeah God!

Fellowship Church Softball Schedule

I hope everyone will come out and support our softball team.

I am posting the schedule for everyone:

Date Day Time Field Opponent
04/16/2009 Thursday 7:00 PM Field 4 Torch 1
04/23/2009 Thursday 9:00 PM Field 4 Bethlehem
04/27/2009 Monday 8:00 PM Field 4 First Baptist
04/30/2009 Thursday 8:00 PM Field 4 Hillside
05/04/2009 Monday 8:00 PM Field 4 Life Church
05/07/2009 Thursday 8:00 PM Field 4 Torch 3
05/14/2009 Thursday 7:00 PM Field 4 Hazel Creek
05/18/2009 Monday 8:00 PM Field 4 Level Grove
05/21/2009 Thursday 8:00 PM Field 4 Torch 1
05/22/2009 Friday 8:00 PM Field 4 Hazel Creek
05/28/2009 Thursday 7:00 PM Field 4 Torch 3
06/01/2009 Monday 8:00 PM Field 4 Hillside
06/01/2009 Monday 9:00 PM Field 4 First Baptist
06/04/2009 Thursday 8:00 PM Field 4 Bethlehem
06/04/2009 Thursday 9:00 PM Field 4 Life Church
06/05/2009 Friday 9:00 PM Field 4 Level Grove

Your Worship

Here is a blog that I read on Thursday and I thought it would be a good one to post here for this weekend. It is from Casey Darnell who is a worship leader from Atlanta. Read it and take it to heart on the very special weekend. And you gotta love the part about the V-neck.

MC

A Challenge for this Good Friday and Easter Sunday:

To Just Worship.
Worship without critiquing.
Without analyzing.

Become more engaged by what HE thinks of you and has done for you.
…and grow less concerned or caring about the music or style or genre.

Look at the stage, but don’t see the worship leader (V-Neck and all)…don’t see the band…or the lights or production.

Don’t talk or go home & blog about the worship leader’s style…

…don’t be concerned if he wears a v-neck or not and his style is maybe “metro-sexual.”

Let all those things fade into the background as they create an opportunity to allow you to reflect…the same opportunity you had before you walked in the door…when you woke up this morning…all day long as you lived and breathed.

Remember your worship doesn’t start when the band cracks the 4 count and starts the first song…and it doesn’t end when they play the last chord or the last verse is read or the message ends and the house lights come up.

Let styles or worship become a thing for other people to talk about…but NOT you.
Not now in the moment when you realize Jesus was crucified for you…And all your opinions seem waisted.

So let go of opinions and a nature to criticize. Resist the temptation.

Let go of the deep rooted bitterness or hurt that causes you to use your tongue in ways that only bring YOU attention…and to critique or judge the attention others may get, realizing they are their to point the attention to Jesus.

So do that.
Give Jesus your attention.
Give Him your song and your sorrow and your hurt and bitterness and resentment and confusion and doubts…
…Give Him everything that you are holding onto and fighting to keep to yourself.

Give Him your worship.

The very thing He wants…but no one else can give for you….or sing for you…
…or create a moment in a service BIG ENOUGH to dare rival…the simple surrender of YOUR HEART.


I hope for us this will be a challenge so much bigger then this weekend.

Less talk about the worship leader. Less talk about the music style.

Less talk about your favorite song. Less of YOU and ME.

More of Him.

The Number 500

Today I am going to post little know facts about 500:

500 is the number between 499 and 501. It would never be recognized unless you were counting to 501 and you can't get there without thinking about 499.

America has a $500 dollar bill, I have never seen one, but I hear they exist.

There are a lot of people who race 500 miles for money way bigger than $500 dollar bills.

500x10=5000

An Italian care Fiat 500

Ford had a car named Ford Five Hundred, which reminds me.

Five Hundred spelled out.

In time you would consider 500 a.d. and 500 b.c.

5:00 could be considered 500.

There is a card game 500 and a yard game 500.

There is a slang name for 500, Monkey, never heard that before.

There's the Indy 500, Daytona 500 and there used to be the Atlanta 500, now its called the Cobalt 500. The 500 denotes the number of miles the cars race.

500 is a harshad number, meaning it a given number base.

500 is Fellowship Church on Sunday, can't wait!

See ya

The Baja 500

Every year for the last 41 years a group of over 400 participants descend on the California peninsula known as Baja. This desert land plays host to one of the most grueling races known to man. This event draws people from all around the country and from all types of racing. You will find cars, trucks, motorcycles, ATV's and the like.

So what does the Baja 500 have in common with the church. Well it all comes down to endurance. Paul, the writer of much of the NT taught us about finishing well when he said, "Let us run with perseverance the race set out before us." Perseverance is one thing most people who follow Christ lack. For some reason we set out like a race horse busting through the gate, but somewhere along the way we tire out and want to quit. It's kinda like riding a bike for a long distances or running, everyone will reach their wall, the place where there body wants to give up. But if you push through and don't quit what you will find is you can go much farther than you thought and finish the course.

Some of you are weary, you have been fighting with all your might and you feel like giving us. DON'T! Dig in and don't let go. God has some amazing things just on the other side of your trouble. As I have told you a lot lately a statement Steven Furtick used in his message at Catalyst this year, "God is preparing you for what He has prepared for you!" You can make it if you try.

Sunday when we worship together for Easter what a wonderful time to celebrate the endurance Jesus taught us on the cross. It can stand as an ever present reminder that we win with Jesus.

See ya Sunday

Oh and don't forget to invite someone so we can celebrate with 500.