Friday Morning Upload, 11/21/08

Thoughts over this past week...

1. Last night at the YMCA was a lot of fun. It's always fun serving. I was dreaming with Don Handyside that it will be neat on the one day when we'll have our own building feeding the homeless and such ourselves. What a neat vision.

2. I was reminded of Isaiah 58 this week about the heart of God. In this passage God is criticizing the Israelites for how they are worshipping him through fasting. In it God says he wishes the worship of him would motivate his people to honor the sabbath as holy, help loose the chains of injustice, set the oppressed fee, provide for the poor, and clothing for the naked. Isaiah says that when we are motivated to do these things fromt he heart of God then he will hear out prayers and say, Here I am.

3. I have learned that in all the talk about the end times we fail to do with it what God intended. He intended the teaching to encourage us. We are to encourage each other about our Lord's return, not argue about it.

4. I appreciate the Men's Life group. That is a bunch of fun. We learn from God's word but we have a lot of fun. I've really learned to appreciate those guys and their thirst for God's word.

5. I also want to give a compliment to our elders. They are really elders. They do the work of thier post with a lot of sincerity, hard work, and faith. I've seen other churches where the minister does the work of the elders and all the leders do is make decisoions. Our elders are not like that. They really care for people. I truly look forward to growing with them.

6. I also came away very excited about Max as the Equipping Minister and the MTR meeting on Sunday. It is so exciting to see people owning their ministries and having the desire to work together. I'm lookig forward to great things taking place in the coming year!

It's been a good week. Looking forward to turkey day!