Do Good

Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, to those who are upright in heart. Psalm 125:4

Today's bible reading contains a piece I used in this past Sunday's sermon. It has to do with heart and life for sure. It was Jesus saying what today's Psalm states as well - DO GOOD! BE UPRIGHT!
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." - Matthew 26:39
Jesus dealt with the heart of the matter that we all face: will I do my thing or submit to God's will? It is always a matter of 'will' fighting. My will and God's will going at it - deciding who will win. Of course, God always wins but He may use others to win with if I am not submitted to His will and purpose. Jesus won as He submitted to God's plan and was returned to glory to be glorified and to win our salvation.
We are all moving and very busy people - but we must take time in our lives to grow, connect in Life Transformation Groups, do our daily bible reading and journaling and prayer. We must challenge our wills to get up and serve and make a difference in the lives of others and assist in the growth and ministry of our church. Without filling our spiritual tanks and connecting at a deeper sense with God and others - we miss the greatest blessings as God flows through people and He does it through our hearts. Without giving ourselves away in service we miss God's empowering us to allow His love to be extended through us.
The condition of our hearts are essential and are usually revealed only under stress or when God reaches down to ask us to give up something we possess. Like a stress test with heart monitors placed upon us the heart is monitored to see how it functions at higher pace and then rests and comes back well to normal rate. Stress and recovery tell much about our hearts condition. Being a person of release and extension rather than grabbing and reserving allow our hearts to be tested as well.
As believers in Christ, you and I need to deal diligently with our hearts... which involves having a proper attitude about surrender and laying down our wills. So what should that attitude be? For one, as believers we should be sensitive toward the disobedience in our lives. It's like getting something in your eye and not resting until you get it out! You should be so sensitive to disobedience and sin in your life that you can't rest until it is dealt with. Like Jesus' example of the Garden of Gethsemane. The wrestling He did there, speaks volumes to us. you get it out.I've heard all kinds of excuses over the years from people as to why they let sin remain in their lives and why they have chosen their will above and before God's will. But I want to ask you today, are you doing everything you can to remove sin from your life? Are you using every resource God makes available to you in order to say 'YES' to the Lord and grow in Christ-likeness?
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! --Psalm 139:23-24
I also need your assistance in this season. We have been blessed with great military families and other wonderful people who have due to work or various seasons in their lives moved away or moved on. What this means is that there are many new people with which to share God's love that are coming to us but have yet to deeply connect with what God is doing at LFC. So, as others have left, we need many of you to step up and find a place of meaningful service. You are needed in everything from greeting people, to setting up and tearing down our displays in front of our sanctuary, to parking lot greeting, to serving in our nursery or children's departments to office volunteers to cleaning and the list goes on. You are needed!
Also, we continue to seek God's blessing in regards to some of our staff positions that are vacant. Could I ask you to pray for LFC in this season as to the right people getting to the right places. We are confident God has the right people for us - we just need to see them released. Thanks for your consideration in serving and in praying for the needs at hand.
It is a joy to serve the Lord with you and I love being your pastor.
Pastor Bernie