Deuteronomy 6:5

Deuteronomy 6:5 – Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got! (MSG)

Moses was telling Israel to listen obediently and do what they were told by God – his God, their God, the only God. But the biggest thing they had to do was to love God with everything they had.

God didn’t want the people of Israel to love him as a friend, He wanted them to love him as their Father, as their God.

Nicholas has a friend in his first grade class named Cassidy. She is a little red head with freckles and so cute. Nicholas plays with her at school and talks about her here at home and says he ‘loves her’ and this is from his six year old heart.

The other day he came home upset because he thinks she is lying to him. Rebecca asked why do you think that? And he answered, ‘I told Cassidy I loved her and she just looked at me and said we were only friends. So she is lying because someday she will say she loves me.’ Nick was upset to hear her say those words.

After listening to Nick’s story, it made me think about how many times God will tell us he loves us and how many times we look at Him and say we are only His friend. I bet God gets upset when he hears that from us.

God, to some may be just a friend, but to a Christian, he is so much more than that. He is God, our God and the only God and we need to love him with everything we have and we need to tell him daily.

Nancy

A View from the Porch

I went to button my pants the other morning and discovered that wasn’t going to happen. Clearly an indication I need to start dieting and exercising. Of course the easy solution is to simply buy a new pair of pants that will fit. How many times does God give us a clear indication of what He wants us to do, but because it doesn’t fit us, we look to the easy solution, the easy way out.
Blessings,

Wayne

Moon in May

Now that winter is gone and spring is here, I've been out walking as part of my daily exercise. This evening I decided to go out just before dark to get some fresh air and relieve some stress. As I was walking down my street, I was thinking and brooding about an issue going on in my life. It never seems to end and I dont want to deal with it anymore. I think we all know that feeling.
I got to the end of my road where it meets Robinson Rd. and turned around to go back. Just as I turned around I was stunned to see the most majestic full moon glowing above straight down the opposite end of the road before me. It was golden with a halo around it shining through some wispy pinkish and bluish clouds. I thought wow, Lord, this is breathtaking!
As I stood and stared, in that moment I was reminded that God is the creator of the universe and is more than capable of taking care of me. I saw God in that moon because only God our Father could create something like that.
I also realized in that moment, that as I was walking and brooding that whole time, I just had to look over my shoulder to see that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is behind me every step of the way.

Suzanne Waddell

A View from the Porch

View from the Porch

Brothers and sisters, God wants us to be the best that we can be. The best Christian; the best servant; the best spouse; the best parent; the best brother or sister; the best employee; the best neighbor; the best church member, etc. You get the picture. How do we become the best at who we are and what we do? Seems to me, training and practice. Athletes, emergency service personnel, military personnel, landscapers, secretaries, teachers, carpenters, nurses, etc. need practice and training to become the best. Again, you get the picture. Don’t we need practice and training to become God’s best? My answer is, yes. So how do we find the practice and training we need? We find it in reading scripture daily; praying daily; daily devotionals; listening to the Holy Spirit; attending Bible studies and being part of other small groups; attend Christian conferences; worshiping on a regular basis; being an active church member; fellowship; reading Christian books; doing God’s Will; using our spiritual gifts, etc. I’m certain you can come up with your own list. Because we are sinners, the key is, the bottom line is that we DO need to practice and train.

Wayne Moore

A View from the Porch

I have a brush pile in the field behind our house. I tried to burn it last Saturday, but the wood was too wet because of the snow and I had left the pile uncovered. Last night, I put a tarp over the pile since several inches of snow are expected today. After the tarp was in place, I looked up at the stars. The sky was clear. You know, one of those cold, crisp, dark Winter nights. The stars were incredible. As I was looking at the stars, I felt this great sense of being overwhelmed. The creator of the heavens and stars not only loves me, but wants a personal relationship with me. Whew! Brothers and sisters, our God is indeed an awesome God.

Wayne

Psalm 119:133

Steady my steps with your Word of promise so nothing malign gets the better of me (MSG)

When I read this Scripture, my thought immediately went to "Footprints in the Sand" by Mary Stevenson 1922-1999

Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,
other times there were one set of footprints.

This bothered me because I noticed
that during the low periods of my life,
when I was suffering from
anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.

So I said to the Lord,
"You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you,
you would walk with me always.

But I have noticed that during
the most trying periods of my life
there have only been one
set of footprints in the sand.

Why, when I needed you most,
you have not been there for me?"

The Lord replied, "The times when you have
seen only one set of footprints in the sand,
is when I carried you."
Mary Stevenson

The other day I went to the ocean with a friend and her big, muscular dog, Keisha. Keisha was so excited to run on the beach and ran in circles, straight lines and zig zags leaving deep, deep footprints in the soft wet sand and my friend had to call Keisha back occasionally so she wouldn't find trouble. The dog's footprints led to nowhere and soon would disappear when the tide came in. There would be no sign she was ever there. No footprints anywhere, gone.

Our own footprints (like the dog prints) can go in many directions and lead to nowhere and get us in trouble (sin).

Let's allow God to lead us in the right direction because His footprints will never disappear. Allow Him to walk with us and keep us out of trouble.

Nancy

Sermon Notes for January 25, 2009

Sermon notes for 2 Corinthians 1:12 through 2:4

As I’m putting the final touches on the sermon, I realize that I won't be dealing with a primary issue of the passage. That issue is Paul explanation to the Corinthians why he changed his mind about the visit to them, and why this change of mind is not vacillation.

Paul and the Corinthians aren’t getting along at this point. He doesn’t fit their model of what an apostle should be – he doesn’t look like, sound like, or act like their ideal public leadership figure. So they’re misconstruing everything Paul does and says. They say, “Paul didn’t come like he said and he can’t be trusted.” They say, “Paul blows hot and cold and can’t be trusted.” So Paul finds himself in a position of having to explain to the Corinthians why he did not come as promised. So Paul says, "Don't read between the lines. Don't look for any hidden meanings. I simply mean what I say."

So Paul handles this explanation by appealing to his conscience – "I know what I intended and it was to come." He further defends himself by saying he doesn’t act like people in the world but behaves in harmony with his relationship with God. He also tells them that part of the reason for his delay in coming was to give them the opportunity to grow up so that he wouldn’t have to discipline them. He really wanted his visit be one of joy and not one of correction. Paul further explains he was motivated out of love for the Corinthians as he shows the anguish of his heart over their situation.

I find it interesting that Paul, who is our model apostle today, should have to defend himself. From our point of view we do anything to welcome Paul and would take what ever he had to offer with delight. It certainly is a historical role reversal.