Wow...I am so amazed at the kindness of so many people! I've been working on our new church plant in the Antelope Valley and have had to cut back teaching our Saturday night Bible study to once per month. After our Bible study this month, the class gave me the most awesome "going away" I could have imagined. There were cards and a plaque and even a money tree. I can't thank you all enough! The last seven years have been such a blessing to me. I know that I have to leave (or at least cut way back) at this point to plant this new church and it has been hard to face not being here for this ministry.
The kindness of everyone involved is greatly appreciated. I knew something was up when I kept seeing more and more people that I had not seen in a long time...but I had no idea as to what everyone was up to! Again, I can't thank you enough! You all have blessed me in such a meaningful way...
Praise God for each one of you!
Dave
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Saturday, November 03, 2007
The article that I first mentioned has been removed because I have not found confirmation of it's validity. Even the author of the article could not provide sufficient details (his reponse is mentioned in the comments section below...) I've researched it as much as I know how and cannot confirm it so it's been deleted...
Here is the rest of this post...
I'm not going to repeat the whole Bible Study now, but I pray that those of you that were there will take tonight's Bible study to heart. We really do need to stop being so lazy as Christians. In this country, we have it so easy that we take our relationship with God for granted.
Threre are 3,000 languages that do not have a Bible at all. We have it and we don't read it? That's crazy! The creator of the universe wrote an awesome life changing book to us and we are too lazy to read it? That's appalling.
These last few weeks, we have talked extensively about faith and completely trusting God. How can we really trust Him when we don't really know Him? We can get to know God much more intimately be reading His Word and spending time with Him on a regular basis. Yet, most of us are too busy to spend time with God. How can that be possible? Yet, I know it is possible because I am guilty of it all the time. I need the strengthening that can only come from Him. May we have the discipline to develop better habits and grow closer to God! May God bless you.
Here is the rest of this post...
I'm not going to repeat the whole Bible Study now, but I pray that those of you that were there will take tonight's Bible study to heart. We really do need to stop being so lazy as Christians. In this country, we have it so easy that we take our relationship with God for granted.
Threre are 3,000 languages that do not have a Bible at all. We have it and we don't read it? That's crazy! The creator of the universe wrote an awesome life changing book to us and we are too lazy to read it? That's appalling.
These last few weeks, we have talked extensively about faith and completely trusting God. How can we really trust Him when we don't really know Him? We can get to know God much more intimately be reading His Word and spending time with Him on a regular basis. Yet, most of us are too busy to spend time with God. How can that be possible? Yet, I know it is possible because I am guilty of it all the time. I need the strengthening that can only come from Him. May we have the discipline to develop better habits and grow closer to God! May God bless you.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Our new church plants
Ok...it's been a long time since I posted anything. There is so much going on and so much information that needs to be shared with so many people...so I hope to begin posting frequently now.
God has continued to bless Shepherd of the Hills and the newest church plants. Shepherd of the Hills in Pasadena opened up on September 23rd with over 100 people attending! Shepherd of the Hills in Woodland Hills opened up on September 23rd with over 500 people attending! I am so excited about these newest churches and all that God is doing! May God continue to bless the ministries of our friends William Lee and Caleb Kaltenbach, the Pastors of these two churches and their staffs. I know how hard they are working and I would ask that you would please keep them in your prayers.
So, some of you may be wondering when we are going to open our church plant in Antelope Valley? Well, so am I! The one thing that we are waiting on is the hiring of the Lead Pastor for our church plant in South Central LA, since both churches are going to open on the same day. I do hear that we are close to hiring someone for that position, so we may have a time-line very soon. In the meantime, we having Life Groups that are off to a great start....and we will have several events to get us geared up for our grand opening. In fact, we will likely have some Sunday services on a smaller scale leading up to the grand opening.
Please keep us in your prayers as this is certainly an undertaking that is beyond anything that I could have ever dreamed of. Iam in awe of God and completely humbled by God's call.
God has continued to bless Shepherd of the Hills and the newest church plants. Shepherd of the Hills in Pasadena opened up on September 23rd with over 100 people attending! Shepherd of the Hills in Woodland Hills opened up on September 23rd with over 500 people attending! I am so excited about these newest churches and all that God is doing! May God continue to bless the ministries of our friends William Lee and Caleb Kaltenbach, the Pastors of these two churches and their staffs. I know how hard they are working and I would ask that you would please keep them in your prayers.
So, some of you may be wondering when we are going to open our church plant in Antelope Valley? Well, so am I! The one thing that we are waiting on is the hiring of the Lead Pastor for our church plant in South Central LA, since both churches are going to open on the same day. I do hear that we are close to hiring someone for that position, so we may have a time-line very soon. In the meantime, we having Life Groups that are off to a great start....and we will have several events to get us geared up for our grand opening. In fact, we will likely have some Sunday services on a smaller scale leading up to the grand opening.
Please keep us in your prayers as this is certainly an undertaking that is beyond anything that I could have ever dreamed of. Iam in awe of God and completely humbled by God's call.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Shepherd of the Hills - Antelope Valley
Dear Friends,
I have accepted a call to plant a new church in Lancaster/Palmdale, California. It is so exciting to see what God has done and continues to do at Shepherd of the Hills. We now have church plants and campuses at: Real Life church in Valencia, Discovery church in Simi Valley, Shepherd of the Hills Agua Dulce, As You Are church in Reseda, Shepherd of the Hills Westside in Brentwood and we are about to plant four more churches in the next 12 months.
The new campuses will be in Woodland Hills, Pasadena, South Central LA and Lancaster/Palmdale.
By the way, I will still be teaching the Saturday Night Adult Singles Bible Study at the Porter Ranch campus for quite a while (I would guess through early 2008).
I will chat more about this later, but I wanted to at least post the announcement for anyone who was not able to attend the Bible Study last night.
I have accepted a call to plant a new church in Lancaster/Palmdale, California. It is so exciting to see what God has done and continues to do at Shepherd of the Hills. We now have church plants and campuses at: Real Life church in Valencia, Discovery church in Simi Valley, Shepherd of the Hills Agua Dulce, As You Are church in Reseda, Shepherd of the Hills Westside in Brentwood and we are about to plant four more churches in the next 12 months.
The new campuses will be in Woodland Hills, Pasadena, South Central LA and Lancaster/Palmdale.
By the way, I will still be teaching the Saturday Night Adult Singles Bible Study at the Porter Ranch campus for quite a while (I would guess through early 2008).
I will chat more about this later, but I wanted to at least post the announcement for anyone who was not able to attend the Bible Study last night.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Rick Warren interview (Paul Bradshaw)
Here is an interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren that I quoted in this evenings Bible Study:
Rick said: People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, and Godwants us to be with Him in Heaven. One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body - butnot the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions ofyears in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God wantsus to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn'tgoing to make sense. Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just comingout of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character thanyour comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making yourlife happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ-likeness.This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest,with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a darktime, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe thatanymore. Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of liketwo rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good andsomething bad in your life. No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something badthat needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always somethinggood you can thank God for.You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems.If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness,which is"my problem, my issues, my pain." But one of the easiest ways to get rid ofpain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousandsof people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her.It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened hercharacter, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her atestimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance,this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, itmade me instantly very wealthy.It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before.I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for youto live a life of ease.So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety andinfluence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what todo, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.
First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change ourlifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.
Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from thechurch.
Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan toplant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, andeducate the next generation.Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since Istarted the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able toserve God for free.We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity?Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or amI going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if Idon't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love Youbetter. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's moreinterested in what I am than what I do.That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.
Rick said: People ask me, What is the purpose of life? And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were made to last forever, and Godwants us to be with Him in Heaven. One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body - butnot the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions ofyears in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God wantsus to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn'tgoing to make sense. Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just comingout of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one. The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character thanyour comfort. God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making yourlife happy. We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ-likeness.This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest,with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a darktime, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe thatanymore. Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of liketwo rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good andsomething bad in your life. No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something badthat needs to be worked on. And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always somethinggood you can thank God for.You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems.If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness,which is"my problem, my issues, my pain." But one of the easiest ways to get rid ofpain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousandsof people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her.It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened hercharacter, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her atestimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance,this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, itmade me instantly very wealthy.It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before.I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for youto live a life of ease.So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety andinfluence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what todo, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.
First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change ourlifestyle one bit. We made no major purchases.
Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from thechurch.
Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan toplant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, andeducate the next generation.Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since Istarted the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able toserve God for free.We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity?Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or amI going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if Idon't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love Youbetter. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's moreinterested in what I am than what I do.That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Ministry Traps to Avoid (notes...Willie George)
I found the following on www.churchrelevance.com and thought that I needed to post it where I will see it again! I pray that you are also blessed by these words...
Stephen Posey, the pre-youth pastor at Church on the Move (Tulsa, OK), has blogged his notes from Willie George’s Elevate 07 keynote address about six ministry traps to avoid.
A paraphrase is:
1) I’m being passed by! Focus on being faithful instead of comparing yourself to others. “People who do extraordinary things for God are hidden until their character is solidified.”
2) I don’t have the money. God will supply all of your needs.
3) I’ve got more than one baby in the crib. Do not pursue more than one big idea at a time. “Finish what you start and you’ll gain credibility.”
4) I’ve got to leap (not step). God leads us in steps not leaps.
5) Degrees of impurity won’t hurt me. “Before iniquity comes repeated sin. Before the repeated sin comes the first sin. Before the first sin comes the thought. Before the thought comes the unguarded heart. Guard your hearts!”
6) It’s okay for me to minister out of an empty vessel. “Ministry should happen out of overflow. Like a bank account, you have to deposit before you withdraw.”
Avoiding these traps will help you to be an effective steward of God’s calling on your life. As Peter Drucker says, “Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.”
Stephen Posey, the pre-youth pastor at Church on the Move (Tulsa, OK), has blogged his notes from Willie George’s Elevate 07 keynote address about six ministry traps to avoid.
A paraphrase is:
1) I’m being passed by! Focus on being faithful instead of comparing yourself to others. “People who do extraordinary things for God are hidden until their character is solidified.”
2) I don’t have the money. God will supply all of your needs.
3) I’ve got more than one baby in the crib. Do not pursue more than one big idea at a time. “Finish what you start and you’ll gain credibility.”
4) I’ve got to leap (not step). God leads us in steps not leaps.
5) Degrees of impurity won’t hurt me. “Before iniquity comes repeated sin. Before the repeated sin comes the first sin. Before the first sin comes the thought. Before the thought comes the unguarded heart. Guard your hearts!”
6) It’s okay for me to minister out of an empty vessel. “Ministry should happen out of overflow. Like a bank account, you have to deposit before you withdraw.”
Avoiding these traps will help you to be an effective steward of God’s calling on your life. As Peter Drucker says, “Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.”
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Lisa's Mission Trip to Russia
Here is a note from our friend Lisa...
Dear Friends,
I'm planning on going on a short-term ministry Team with SOTH to help teach English conversational skills to college students and young adults in Russia this summer at English Camp.
I'll be sending out a letter in the mail to describe the ministry and different ways that you can participate with us: going; praying; giving; etc... as God leads. If you would like to receive this letter, please respond to by sending me your contact information via email to: singinheart@sbcglobal.net. Put "Russia" on the subject line.
Thank you so much! :-)
Lisa Spencer
Dear Friends,
I'm planning on going on a short-term ministry Team with SOTH to help teach English conversational skills to college students and young adults in Russia this summer at English Camp.
I'll be sending out a letter in the mail to describe the ministry and different ways that you can participate with us: going; praying; giving; etc... as God leads. If you would like to receive this letter, please respond to by sending me your contact information via email to: singinheart@sbcglobal.net. Put "Russia" on the subject line.
Thank you so much! :-)
Lisa Spencer
Memory Verses
Will you join me in memorizing these verses? The power of God's Word is awesome! You will be blessed! I know that God will give you opportunities to be a blessing to others with an encouraging word for them at the right time!
John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
May you be greatly blessed in your study and memorization of God's powerful Word!
John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
May you be greatly blessed in your study and memorization of God's powerful Word!
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Memory Verses
Will you join me in memorizing these verses? The power of God's Word is awesome! You will be blessed! I know that God will give you opportunities to be a blessing to others with an encouraging word for them at the right time!
Proverbs 10:19 When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.
Romans 10:17 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
May you be greatly blessed in your study and memorization of God's powerful Word!
Proverbs 10:19 When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.
Romans 10:17 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
May you be greatly blessed in your study and memorization of God's powerful Word!
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Memory Verses
Will you join me in memorizing these verses? The power of God's Word is awesome! You will be blessed! I know that God will give you opportunities to be a blessing to others with an encouraging word for them at the right time!
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
May you be greatly blessed in your study and memorization of God's powerful Word!
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
May you be greatly blessed in your study and memorization of God's powerful Word!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Merry Christmas
Will you join me in memorizing these verses? The power of God's Word is awesome! You will be blessed! I know that God will give you opportunities to be a blessing to others with an encouraging word for them at the right time!
This weeks memory verses are:
Ephesians 2:8 - 9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.
May you be greatly blessed in your study and memorization of God's powerful Word!
This weeks memory verses are:
Ephesians 2:8 - 9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.
May you be greatly blessed in your study and memorization of God's powerful Word!
Monday, March 05, 2007
Memory Verses
Will you join me in memorizing these verses? The power of God's Word is awesome! You will be blessed! I know that God will give you opportunities to be a blessing to others with an encouraging word for them at the right time!
This weeks memory verses are:
John 1:16-17 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
May you be greatly blessed in your study and memorization of God's powerful Word!
This weeks memory verses are:
John 1:16-17 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
May you be greatly blessed in your study and memorization of God's powerful Word!
Goodbye Kisa
A dear friend and sister in Christ (Kisa Hughes) passed away this week. She was an extraordinarily kind and loving young lady. Her funeral will be this Thursday at Shepherd of the Hills at 11:00 AM if you would like to join us.
(If I could say one last thing to Kisa...it would be something like...)
Dear Kisa,
We know that you have gone on ahead of us and we miss you and look forward to the day when we will see you in heaven. Each of our lives are richer for knowing you. May God bless and comfort your family and friends in their time of sorrow.
Thanks for touching our lives.
David
OBITUARIES (LA Times)
Kisa Hughes, 33; was All-Pac-10 as UCLA basketball player
From Times Staff Reports
March 4, 2007
Kisa Hughes, a former All-Pacific 10 Conference basketball player at UCLA, died of colon cancer Thursday at her home in Riverside, her sister Kilee said Saturday. She was 33.A graduate of J.W. North High School in Riverside, where she played basketball and volleyball, Hughes attended Cal State Fullerton and was named Big West Conference freshman of the year in basketball. She transferred to UCLA and was among the Pac-10 leaders in rebounding and scoring all three seasons there. A graceful 6-foot-4 center, Hughes was named to the All-Pac-10 team in the 1994-95 season. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in history, Hughes played professional basketball for 2 1/2 years in China, Germany and Austria until injuries ended her playing career.She returned to California and worked with youths in urban communities, first with the Beyond Shelter housing group and then with the city of Los Angeles' Rewarding Youth Achievement Program. Hughes was born in Harbor City and grew up with basketball. Her father, Ronald, played basketball at Cal State Fullerton and is a professor of sociology there. Her mother, Barbara, was a schoolteacher in Riverside. Besides her parents and her sister, Hughes is survived by three brothers, Ronald Jr., Solomon and Gabriel.A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Rock Church, 2345 S. Waterman Ave., San Bernardino. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Shepherd of the Hills Church, 19700 Rinaldi St., Porter Ranch.In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, with checks payable to LACC in care of Yo Watts!, a youth development organization that provides education and employment services in Watts and surrounding areas.
(If I could say one last thing to Kisa...it would be something like...)
Dear Kisa,
We know that you have gone on ahead of us and we miss you and look forward to the day when we will see you in heaven. Each of our lives are richer for knowing you. May God bless and comfort your family and friends in their time of sorrow.
Thanks for touching our lives.
David
OBITUARIES (LA Times)
Kisa Hughes, 33; was All-Pac-10 as UCLA basketball player
From Times Staff Reports
March 4, 2007
Kisa Hughes, a former All-Pacific 10 Conference basketball player at UCLA, died of colon cancer Thursday at her home in Riverside, her sister Kilee said Saturday. She was 33.A graduate of J.W. North High School in Riverside, where she played basketball and volleyball, Hughes attended Cal State Fullerton and was named Big West Conference freshman of the year in basketball. She transferred to UCLA and was among the Pac-10 leaders in rebounding and scoring all three seasons there. A graceful 6-foot-4 center, Hughes was named to the All-Pac-10 team in the 1994-95 season. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in history, Hughes played professional basketball for 2 1/2 years in China, Germany and Austria until injuries ended her playing career.She returned to California and worked with youths in urban communities, first with the Beyond Shelter housing group and then with the city of Los Angeles' Rewarding Youth Achievement Program. Hughes was born in Harbor City and grew up with basketball. Her father, Ronald, played basketball at Cal State Fullerton and is a professor of sociology there. Her mother, Barbara, was a schoolteacher in Riverside. Besides her parents and her sister, Hughes is survived by three brothers, Ronald Jr., Solomon and Gabriel.A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Rock Church, 2345 S. Waterman Ave., San Bernardino. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Shepherd of the Hills Church, 19700 Rinaldi St., Porter Ranch.In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, with checks payable to LACC in care of Yo Watts!, a youth development organization that provides education and employment services in Watts and surrounding areas.
Friday, March 02, 2007
SURVEY! Who would you like to meet?
Who would you most like to meet?
(in all of history)
NOTE: Other than Jesus...(too easy of an answer on a Christian web site)
List your top ten people?
~
I will think about this question myself and update my answers...but for now...I will start with:
1. Paul (anyone who can handle that many trials and be content? beyond my comprehension!)
2. Peter (sometimes speaks before he thinks! kind of like me!)
3. Hank Aaron (baseball player...had to handle severe racism...and played with class)
4. Gale Sayers (Hall of Fame football player - movie Brian's Song - played with class!)
5. Hosea (asked by God to marry an unfaithful prostitute? and her name was Gomer?) lol Maybe in that day...Gomer was a more acceptable name for a woman? Sometimes I think my calling from God is much easier than that!
5. Hosea (asked by God to marry an unfaithful prostitute? and her name was Gomer?) lol Maybe in that day...Gomer was a more acceptable name for a woman? Sometimes I think my calling from God is much easier than that!
6. Beth Moore (one of my favorite speakers/authors)
7. Tony Evans (one of my favorite preachers)
8. Catherine Marshall (one of my favorite authors)
9.
10.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Memory Verses
Welcome to this weeks memory verses! Each week, we look at two verses (or short passages). One will deal with the amazing encouragement and grace that God's Word brings to us and the other will deal with essentials of our faith and salvation!
Will you join me in memorizing these verses? The power of God's Word is awesome! You will be blessed! I know that God will give you opportunities to be a blessing to others with an encouraging word for them at the right time!
John 15:15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.
FYI - The power of God's Word is espressed here:
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
May you be greatly blessed in your study and memorization of God's powerful Word!
Will you join me in memorizing these verses? The power of God's Word is awesome! You will be blessed! I know that God will give you opportunities to be a blessing to others with an encouraging word for them at the right time!
John 15:15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.
FYI - The power of God's Word is espressed here:
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
May you be greatly blessed in your study and memorization of God's powerful Word!
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Luke Everett
We have had the privilage of visiting Rancho Sordo Mudo several times in the last few years and it is always a blessing to see and hear our friend Luke Everett! Luke's parents founded Rancho Sordo Mudo 38 years ago to serve the needs of deaf children in Mexico and teach them about Jesus. I won't take the time to write out much of what he said...because you would be much better served to hear the story from Luke in person. For now, you can also log onto their web site and click on the audio/video link and download the message. (NOTE: Luke mentioned that they were renovating the entire web site...so it will likely be down for most of the next couple of weeks)
The one thing that I want to write about tonight is how touching it is to hear the story of Luke and his family and of Rancho Sordo Mudo. It is so amazing to hear him talking again and again about how God has a plan for our lives! In the midst of so much tragedy, he continues to see how God has blessed him and how God has used him to touch the lives of others. Most of us complain and whine about so many little things...and fail to praise God in all of our blessings. Yet Luke has kept his eyes on Jesus...just like to the bible tells us to do in Hebrews!
Every time I hear him, I am convicted to rethink my attitude! He has had far more tragic things happen in his life, yet he kept talking about God having a plan! He kept talking about how Jesus always provides! It sure makes me think about the silly little things that I have complained about or whined about. We are so blessed, yet we find it so easy to take God's blessings for granted and complain about one thing or another.
The one thing that I want to write about tonight is how touching it is to hear the story of Luke and his family and of Rancho Sordo Mudo. It is so amazing to hear him talking again and again about how God has a plan for our lives! In the midst of so much tragedy, he continues to see how God has blessed him and how God has used him to touch the lives of others. Most of us complain and whine about so many little things...and fail to praise God in all of our blessings. Yet Luke has kept his eyes on Jesus...just like to the bible tells us to do in Hebrews!
Every time I hear him, I am convicted to rethink my attitude! He has had far more tragic things happen in his life, yet he kept talking about God having a plan! He kept talking about how Jesus always provides! It sure makes me think about the silly little things that I have complained about or whined about. We are so blessed, yet we find it so easy to take God's blessings for granted and complain about one thing or another.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Facing the Giants
What an awesome night!
We had about 100 people join us this evening for Life Groups...and a movie and pizza night. The movie was "Facing the Giants". It is a story about a football coach who is having to face the giants in his life...giants such as fear and doubt. I think they can be the biggest giants that most of us will ever face and they can destroy us if we let them!
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By the way...what giants have you been facing lately?
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What areas of your life have you been saying to God..."that's impossible"?
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I would love to hear from you...especially those of you that saw the film...about what God is doing in your life.
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There were so many lessons to be learned from this film...My favorite message had to be - We will praise God in victory...and we will praise Him in defeat!
We had about 100 people join us this evening for Life Groups...and a movie and pizza night. The movie was "Facing the Giants". It is a story about a football coach who is having to face the giants in his life...giants such as fear and doubt. I think they can be the biggest giants that most of us will ever face and they can destroy us if we let them!
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By the way...what giants have you been facing lately?
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What areas of your life have you been saying to God..."that's impossible"?
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I would love to hear from you...especially those of you that saw the film...about what God is doing in your life.
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There were so many lessons to be learned from this film...My favorite message had to be - We will praise God in victory...and we will praise Him in defeat!
It is so easy to wallow in self pity when facing defeat...and to stop praising God. Yet He is worthy of our praise at all times!
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May we always remember that and continue praising God at all times!
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May we always remember that and continue praising God at all times!
By the way...you can order the dvd or read more about the story and the church that produced this remarkable film at:
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Potty Training for a Struggling Christian
I gave my testimony on "Christian Singles Radio" at www.BigMediaUSA.com on January 27, 2006. Please feel free to listen to this message online right now and post your comments here!
My testimony (titled: Potty Training for a Struggling Christian") is wrapped up into a Bible study about what God has done in my darkest hours and my greatest blessings. He was merciful and gracious, yet He refused to allow me to wallow in pity or despair when things got tough! He used so many different people in my life to draw me to Him, grow me in His love and bring me to place where I could be used in ministry. It continues to amaze me to look back and see what He had arranged...even before I knew He existed! God is so good!
This message is especially dedicated to Marc Prado, Paul Kealy and Rich and Judy Childres! God used each of you in a very special way to change my life! May God always bless each of you and all that you do!
We would love to hear from you...especially about what God is doing in and through your life!
By the way - Who do you need to go back and thank for investing in your life!
My testimony (titled: Potty Training for a Struggling Christian") is wrapped up into a Bible study about what God has done in my darkest hours and my greatest blessings. He was merciful and gracious, yet He refused to allow me to wallow in pity or despair when things got tough! He used so many different people in my life to draw me to Him, grow me in His love and bring me to place where I could be used in ministry. It continues to amaze me to look back and see what He had arranged...even before I knew He existed! God is so good!
This message is especially dedicated to Marc Prado, Paul Kealy and Rich and Judy Childres! God used each of you in a very special way to change my life! May God always bless each of you and all that you do!
We would love to hear from you...especially about what God is doing in and through your life!
By the way - Who do you need to go back and thank for investing in your life!
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Saturday, January 20, 2007
More than Conquerors
This evenings message was about Elijah...
(Notes to be added later...)
More than Conquerors
by Pastor David Macer
January 19, 2007
1) Introduction
2) Elijah – Truly a Conqueror!
3) Elijah – A Struggling human being
4) Paul – Where I am weak, He is strong
2Co 12:10 “That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
5) Romans 8: 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
(Notes to be added later...)
More than Conquerors
by Pastor David Macer
January 19, 2007
1) Introduction
2) Elijah – Truly a Conqueror!
3) Elijah – A Struggling human being
4) Paul – Where I am weak, He is strong
2Co 12:10 “That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
5) Romans 8: 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major. Say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. Say that I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. I won't have any money to leave behind. I won't have the fine and luxurious things in life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind. And that's all I want to say. If I can help somebody as I pass along, if I can cheer somebody with a word or song, if I can show somebody he is traveling wrong, then my living will not be in vain."
Excerpted from "The Drum Major Instinct", a sermon by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1968. Available on CD and print in A Knock At Midnight: Inspiration from the Great Sermons of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major. Say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. Say that I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. I won't have any money to leave behind. I won't have the fine and luxurious things in life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind. And that's all I want to say. If I can help somebody as I pass along, if I can cheer somebody with a word or song, if I can show somebody he is traveling wrong, then my living will not be in vain."
Excerpted from "The Drum Major Instinct", a sermon by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1968. Available on CD and print in A Knock At Midnight: Inspiration from the Great Sermons of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Some additional information about a life well lived...indeed very well lived:
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Note: I feel there is little that I can say about Dr. King. His words and his life speak volumes of what God desires to do in the lives of those that follow Him!
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Potty Training for a Struggling Christian
My Testimony
Notes and outline will likely be added later.
However, feel free to add comments if you attended last night!
Blessings,
David
Notes and outline will likely be added later.
However, feel free to add comments if you attended last night!
Blessings,
David
Saturday, January 06, 2007
New Years and New Beginnings 2007!
This evenings message was about listening to (and following) the awesome plan that God has for our lives! We talked about Moses and the excuses that he comes up with in the first few chapters of Exodus. It really seems quite humorous in a way. Yet quite honestly, I have had my share of excuses for God and I suspect that most of you have as well. I love the book of Exodus because of all of it's practical lessons!
I happen to believe that there is a great value for us, to "spend time in the dessert". (Although, I do not think that we need to spend 40 years in the dessert as the Israelites did). When we face our trials (and Jesus said that we "will have trials"), then it is of utmost importance that we learn the lessons that are to be learned and keep our attitudes (and our countenance) in line with the man or woman of faith that we are!
This evenings outline is below. Please feel free to post comments on the message...and on what God is speaking into your life now...
New Years - New Beginnings
January 6, 2007
Pastor David Macer
1) Introduction – Last week
2) Vision Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Proverbs 29:18
...a) protect yourself…and your witness…
...b) listen for what God is calling you to do
..........be in a Life group, lead a Life group, serve in this ministry, Encounter, Bible reading, ..........memorizing) for the things that God has called us to do!
3) Reasons that some do not have vision for the future
...a) Things from the __past__ are weighing us down (Encounter)
...b) We haven’t learned to ___hear__ the voice of God
John 8:47 He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you
do not hear is that you do not belong to God."
...c) We’re too busy with details of life (busyness – to _kill_ the heart)
...d) Fear of failure
4) Some practical things to stay on-course
This is what the introspection of last week was for! (What are the things that YOU need to change your life?)
...a) Reading the Bible
...b) Memory Verses
...c) Prayer Partners
...d) Accountability Partners
...e) Whatever it takes for us individually…
5) My goals for 2007
I shared a number of my personal goals with the live audience…
6) The reason that I shared that with you?
...a) It can help me stay accountable to what God has called me to!
...b) I pray that it might help someone here?
7) Joshua! Jeremiah! Moses! Hosea!
........Joshua: Be strong and of good courage!
They all had their excuses. We can all make excuses. Yet, God tells us to rise above our excuses and follow Him, Obey Him. TRUST HIM! HE IS WORTHY OF EVERY OUNCE OF OUR TRUST!
I happen to believe that there is a great value for us, to "spend time in the dessert". (Although, I do not think that we need to spend 40 years in the dessert as the Israelites did). When we face our trials (and Jesus said that we "will have trials"), then it is of utmost importance that we learn the lessons that are to be learned and keep our attitudes (and our countenance) in line with the man or woman of faith that we are!
This evenings outline is below. Please feel free to post comments on the message...and on what God is speaking into your life now...
New Years - New Beginnings
January 6, 2007
Pastor David Macer
1) Introduction – Last week
2) Vision Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Proverbs 29:18
...a) protect yourself…and your witness…
...b) listen for what God is calling you to do
..........be in a Life group, lead a Life group, serve in this ministry, Encounter, Bible reading, ..........memorizing) for the things that God has called us to do!
3) Reasons that some do not have vision for the future
...a) Things from the __past__ are weighing us down (Encounter)
...b) We haven’t learned to ___hear__ the voice of God
John 8:47 He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you
do not hear is that you do not belong to God."
...c) We’re too busy with details of life (busyness – to _kill_ the heart)
...d) Fear of failure
4) Some practical things to stay on-course
This is what the introspection of last week was for! (What are the things that YOU need to change your life?)
...a) Reading the Bible
...b) Memory Verses
...c) Prayer Partners
...d) Accountability Partners
...e) Whatever it takes for us individually…
5) My goals for 2007
I shared a number of my personal goals with the live audience…
6) The reason that I shared that with you?
...a) It can help me stay accountable to what God has called me to!
...b) I pray that it might help someone here?
7) Joshua! Jeremiah! Moses! Hosea!
........Joshua: Be strong and of good courage!
They all had their excuses. We can all make excuses. Yet, God tells us to rise above our excuses and follow Him, Obey Him. TRUST HIM! HE IS WORTHY OF EVERY OUNCE OF OUR TRUST!
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