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This is the first of a seven part series titled "Power For Living", but it's not meant to be a quick formula for living a "better" or "more effective life", particularly for your own benefit. We are living in the most extraordinary time in all of history, and it is more now than every before that the effect of our lives have very serious, eternal consequences. This is not just for ourselves, but for everyone whose lives we encounter. We need to drive ourselves, as forcefully as possible, toward serious growth in our relationship with our Living Lord Jesus. Obviously, true growth only comes from Christ's power through the activity of the Holy Spirit, not from our own efforts or strength. But we do play a most powerful and significant role; that of humble, conscious surrender. "That person is religious". We've all given that description of someone at some time in our lives, as if they engage in special activities that have to do with this or that religion, as opposed to being more involved in what we consider to be "normal activities of daily life". But, in fact, every activity of a follower of Christ is, or should be, done with the conscious consideration that what they are doing is always being done as representatives of Jesus, just as much as does an ambassador from one nation to another. "In Jesus name" isn't just a tag at the end of a prayer; it's a conscious statement of the reality of the power, authority, and conscious intent with which a believer in Jesus performs every conscious activity of every day of their waking hours. The cross frees us FROM certain limitations, TO greater opportunities. What does the Book of Psalms have in common with the Book of Revelation? There are interesting parallels that Pastor Gerry Wilson draws for us that can help us in our walk closer with Jesus. Today we celebrate our 140th anniversary in addition to our plans for the prayer garden and memory of the first singing in 1913 of the complete, four part harmony of the hymn the Old Rugged Cross. Normally, only the sermon is posted, but in this case, the service is presented in its entirety, but if you wish to skip just past the worship time to minute 39, the first person to speak is Shirley Metoxen who came from the Oneida Tribe here in Wisconsin. At an early age she came to faith in Jesus by trekking over 7 miles by herself each Sunday to the little old stone Friends Church. It is well worth your while to hear her story. We had the privilege this week of our guest speaker, Manny Garcia, giving us encouragement from the Lord's perspective. We all wish our lives were one continuous progression of upticks, but it 'just ain't so'. We all experience intermittent lulls, setbacks, drawdowns, or any other descriptive you'd care to use. The Lord has control of it all and always...always weaves those instances into our lives for our good and His glory. Amen to that. |
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