Give Thanks in All Circumstances

Have you ever noticed that some Bible verses seem easier to memorize than to put into practice? One that immediately comes to mind—especially during the Thanksgiving season—is “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)

That word “all” is challenging because there are situations when we do not feel particularly grateful. The Bible teaches us that gratitude is not dependent  on  our circumstances.

At yesterday’s Celebration Community Church’s Leadership Academy Graduation I shared this story about giving thanks in all circumstances.

In her book, “The Hiding Place”, Corrie Ten Boom relates an incident that taught her to be thankful for things we normally would not be thankful for. She and her sister, Betsy, prisoners of the Nazis, had just been transferred to the worst prison camp they had seen yet, Ravensbruck. Upon entering the barracks, they found them extremely overcrowded and infested with fleas. Their Scripture reading from their smuggled Bible that morning in 1 Thessalonians had reminded them to rejoice always, pray constantly, and give thanks in all circumstances. Betsy told Corrie to stop and thank the Lord for every detail of their new living quarters. Corrie at first flatly refused to give thanks for their flea infested barracks, but Betsy persisted. Corrie finally agreed to somehow thank God for even the fleas.

During the months spent at that camp, they were surprised to find how openly they could hold Bible study and prayer meetings in their barrack without guard interference. Several months later they learned that the guards would not enter the barracks because of the fleas.

Give thanks in all circumstances…

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle



Congratulations to Ashlee Haines, Jake Haines, Sheila Jordan, Garrett Kahrs, Talia Kahrs, Mary Laflamme, Stephanie Leithead, Cody Oberheim, Kathleen Spears and Isaac Williams, who for the last nine months read 8 books, wrote 33 papers, posted and replied to 21 forums, served in individual ministry internships and at C3 ministry events. Well done C3LA Class of 2015!

Remembering Our Origins

Yesterday as Debbie and I helped host the ECMA Thanksgiving Day Feast where we fed about 800 folks, I got to talking with a tableful of FHSU International students from Nigeria who were experiencing their very first Thanksgiving.

I shared with them the origins of Thanksgiving when persecuted Christians left their homelands and became refugees in a foreign land.  William Bradford the governor of their new community of Plymouth proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving in spite of having lost ½ of their brothers and sisters the year before to the harsh New England winter. These Pilgrims celebrated an abundant harvest that they had reaped with the aid of the Native people who welcomed them and taught them to plant and hunt the local game. The Nigerians were fascinated with the history of tour National holiday.   

I hope you never forget Thanksgiving’s beginnings. I also hope you never forget how blessed we are and how grateful we should be.  It is good and fitting that as Christians to remember that the holiday is not Thanks-getting,  Its Thanks-giving.

Remember to WHOM we are to give thanks. Remember WHAT we are thankful for. When we take for granted what God has done for us, we can become calloused, filled with pride and therefore outside of the will of God. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thess. 5:1

You see, it’s when we realize how much we have in the Lord, that we will truly begin to be thankful, and when you are thankful, your heart will abound with love for the Lord that has so graciously given all to you.

For a Christian, every day ought to be a day of thanksgiving.  
Today the day after Thanksgiving be sure to give thanks TO God FOR ALL He has given you.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

THIS SUNDAY 5th Sunday. Bring a non perishable food item for C3’s food pantry.  If you want to be baptized or have your child dedicated e-mail me kyle@celebratejesus.org

If you have not yet turned in your Forward Faith 3 year commitment card you may do so THIS SUNDAY in the lobby at C3.

Bring in your wrapped shoeboxes THIS SUNDAY or next.

C3LA, Celebration's Leadership Academy will hold their graduation celebration this Sunday at 2:00 pm at C3. All are invited to come out and celebrate this special event with us.

Happy Thanksgiving 2015

With today being Thanksgiving I got to thinking about all the people who I know that are truly grateful; people who live every day of their lives as a way to show their gratitude to God. Many of these people are a part of Celebration Community Church.  They remind me of a group of Christians who lived almost 400 years ago who survived the harsh environment in the New World, and decided to set aside a day in the fall at which they would express thanksgiving to God. They brought an offering to God, experienced a banquet and shared in fellowship together.  Today we know this as Thanksgiving and we will celebrate it as a national Holiday.  

But about 3000 years before the Pilgrims, God told His people, the children of Israel, the people who were true believers, I want you to set aside a day in the fall at which they would bring an offering to God, express their thanks to God, share a joyful meal together. It was called the Feast of Weeks or the Harvest Festival, They did that 3000 years before the Pilgrims did it and inspired God’s New World Christians to do likewise. Another name for that feast is Pentecost, the day we recognize as the birthday of Christ's church by God sending His Holy Spirit to live in the lives of believers.

Today we are to do the same. As you gather with your family and friends do more than eat turkey and watch football (Da Bears are playing the Packers in prime time). With joy, give your heartfelt thanks to God with song, an offering of praise and acts of service. Be sure to tell your children the real meaning behind this holiday.     

Celebrate the Harvest Festival, to honor the Lord your God by bringing Him a freewill offering in proportion to the blessing He has given you.  Be joyful in the Lord's presence, together with your children..."  Deuteronomy 16:10-11  

Your grateful pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle



If you don’t have a place to enjoy your Thanksgiving meal please come join Debbie and me at the Rose Garden Banquet Hall at noon.

THIS SUNDAY 5th Sunday. Bring a non perishable food item for C3’s food pantry.  If you want to be baptized or have your child dedicated e-mail me kyle@celebratejesus.org

If you have not yet turned in your Forward Faith 3 year commitment card you may do so THIS SUNDAY in the lobby at C3.

Bring in your wrapped shoeboxes THIS SUNDAY or next.

C3LA, Celebration's Leadership Academy will hold their graduation celebration this Sunday at 2:00 pm at C3. All are invited to come out and celebrate this special event with us.

Forward Faith Finale

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Hebrews 11:39-40

Hebrews 11 has been called faith’s “Hall of Fame”. No doubt the author surprised his readers by this conclusion: these mighty Jewish heroes did not receive God’s total reward, because they died before Christ came.

We who have experienced God’s purposeful plan through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ should be EVEN GREATER examples of faithfulness because we know God’s ultimate truth!

As we conclude this “Forward Faith” series, I would like to commend YOU, one of the heroes in my personal “Hall of Faith” from Celebration Community Church who…

By faith you give up sleeping in on Sunday mornings to worship.

By faith you sign up to spend an hour in C3’s prayer room. (which will remain open)

By faith you make being a part of a small group a priority in your life.

By faith you give at least 10 percent of your income to Christ and His church.

By faith you teach your children to read God’s word.

By faith you disciple others and find joy in pouring your life into the lives of a few others.

By faith you dedicate time to to collect groceries on the Saturday before Thanksgiving and bag them on the night before to help feed people in need.

By faith you stick around for hours after church services to hang all of the Christmas decorations.

By faith you cut up donuts, prepare communion and greet guests outside the doors even when it is cold.

By faith you invite friends, coworkers, relatives and neighbors to church at Christmas time when they are open to receive your invitation.

By faith you … come to Unite Marriage Ministry events to become a better spouse. attend Celebrate Recovery to let go of your hurts, habits and hang-ups, make quilts to give to families who are hurting and in need of comfort, forgive those who have hurt you, discipline your children, take in an exchange student, accept rejection and mocking for Christ's sake, stand alone for God's honor when everyone else seems to be going with the crowd.

By faith you pray, read your Bible, worship God, serve Him by serving others and seek to share His Good News in word and deed and give generously to a Forward Faith Capital campaign. (If you haven’t yet you may still do so this Sunday)

It's all done by faith! Faith in what? Faith in the reality of who God is, what God has done and what God promised in His word to do. Faith is your heart's response to God's love and truth.

And remember this truth, that without faith it is impossible to please God….Hebrews 11:6

I THANK GOD FOR YOU AND YOUR FAITHFULNESS TO HIM.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

If you want to help sack groceries tonight (Wednesday) come to the Rose Garden Banquet Hall 2350 E. 8^th St. at 5:30pm

And if you do not have a place to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner join Debbie and I at the Rose Garden at 12pm on Thursday.

Together with us would they be made perfect

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Hebrews 11:39-40

The author of Hebrews is not saying that those who did not receive what was promised somehow missed out on God's blessings. Some of them died while being tortured, some lost their kingdoms, and some didn't see fulfillment of prophecies while they were alive doesn't mean they failed or got ripped off by God.

You see, all of these people of faith entered the afterlife with great reward. But it was not until us, the age of the church, that God’s work was completed. It was not until Christ's work on the cross that perfection of God’s plan was attained.

The Bible shows us that before the cross, those people who were counted righteous by faith went to Paradise. But although Paradise was a place of comfort (Luke 16:25), it was not in heaven, it was in the center of the earth, across a large chasm from Hades, the place of fire and torment. 

It was not until Christ was crucified that the sins of those faithful were paid for. It was then that he led those Old Testament saints to heaven, giving them the true gift of resurrection into eternal life. 

They had finally received the promise of salvation by faith, of eternal life. We, in the church age, live under a better promise than they had. For today, we do not have to look forward, waiting for an event which has not happened. We look back at the finished work of the cross, when the Son of God took the death penalty of all our sins upon Himself, dying in our place.

Tomorrow in this blog we will conclude this Forward Faith series by looking at how we can be the next generation of heroes of the faith.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

A BIG THANK YOU to all who stayed around after services on Sunday to decorate for Christmas. Our building looks TERRIFIC!

Believe in the power of God’s promises

As we wrap up this “Forward Faith” series we have looked at the faith of Abel, Enoch, Abraham, Joshua, Rahab and other Old Testament heroes who experienced victory and are long remembered because of their faith.

We, too, can experience victory through faith in Christ. The same power that brought down the walls of Jericho. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us. To resurrect our marriages…to bring back from death’s door our financial lives. That same power is available to us to restore relationships…. renew our health, reclaim that which was lost. To overcome addictions….The power to change our lives.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, Ephesians 3:20 (NIV)

If you want God’s blessing on your life you must believe in the power of God’s promises. Never let an impossible situation intimidate you. Instead let it motivate you to pray more, believe more, trust more. Faith always works in the realm of the impossible.

Debbie and my “Forward Faith” Commitment pledge was larger than ever before, way beyond our capacity to fulfill it on our own. I once heard that you haven’t really believed God until you’ve attempted something that can’t be done without Him.

Your pastor and partner,

Kyle

PS Thank you to all of those who participated this weekend in collecting two vans filled with groceries on Saturday. And for those who stuck around and decorated for Christmas on Sunday.

By faith the walls of Jericho fell… Part 5

"When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city. They devoted the city to the Lord… "
Joshua 6:20-21

After being silent, hearing from God and submitting to His will, Joshua and his men were VICTORIOUS! We are called to have the kind of faith of Joshua had. So what does this mean to us to be victorious?

We at C3 are on the precipice of the most important time in our church’s history.

There are walls separating us from the next level in the journey God has for us. There are barriers to growth in a church and we are believing we can remove those obstacles by building a new worship center and repurposing our existing building proposed in the “Forward Faith” campaign. To do so takes great faith, great sacrifice and a great commitment of behalf of EVERYONE who calls C3 home.

If you have not yet handed in your orange “Forward Faith” commitment card you may bring it to church this Sunday.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

P.S.
We still have a few 1 hour time slots for you to volunteer to collect groceries THIS SATURDAY for give away at Thanksgiving.

Please help out by calling the church office at 625-LIVE or e-mail me at kyle@celebratejeus.org

ALSO

By faith the walls of Jericho fell… Part 4

“By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days”. Hebrews 11:30

Before Joshua received his marching orders from the Lord in Joshua 6, there was an important decision he needed to make: Would he be submissive to the Lord?

Joshua encountered a mighty man with a drawn sword whom he didn't recognize. When he inquired as to whose side the man was on, he discovered this was the Commander of the army of the Lord — that is, it was the Lord Himself appearing as a mighty warrior. Joshua immediately fell on his face and asked, "What message does my Lord have for his servant?" (Joshua 5:14).

Joshua submitted to God before he ever heard God's plan. Too often we want it the opposite way. We want to hear what God says first, and then we'll decide if we're going to submit to it.

There is a spiritual chain of command working here that begins at the top. God speaks and Joshua hears and obeys. Then Joshua speaks and the people hear and obey. The principle of obedience and submission is very much a part of walking by faith.

Thank you to all who took the lead of your pastors and faithfully followed by handing in your “Forward Faith” commitment cards. If you have not yet handed in your orange commitment card you may bring it to the church doing office hours 10am-5pm or mail it to C3 at 5790 230^th Ave. We will be announcing the results this Sunday.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

ALSO
We still have several 1 hour time slots for you to volunteer to collect groceries THIS SATURDAY to give away at Thanksgiving.

Please help out by calling the church office at 625-LIVE or email ericka@celebratejesus.org to choose a time that bests fits your schedule for this Saturday.

By faith the walls of Jericho fell… Part 3

“By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days”. Hebrews 11:30

There is a purposeful plan that God lays out in the story of Joshua. First Joshua is challenged to trust in the promise from God that he would defeat the enemy at Jericho. Secondly Joshua had to follow the plan God had laid out for him and it required the Hebrew people to be silent.

“But Joshua had commanded the people, "Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!"” Joshua 6:10

The people were told by Joshua to remain silent as they marched around the city of Jericho once each day for six days and seven times on the seventh day. They were to be absolutely quiet. What an unusual part of the plan!

We rarely experience complete silence in our culture any more, but when we do it is powerful. Can you imagine an army marching silently around a city for seven days in a row — no noise except the tromping of their feet? I think God just wanted His people to learn to obey His commands even when they didn't make human sense. That's what faith is, isn't it? And that's why Joshua is included in Hebrews 11. He was willing to obey God regardless of whether he understood the command or not.

This command reminds me of the Scripture, "Be still, and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10. One of the hardest, yet most important, things Christians can do is to get alone with God for a time of silence. Just sitting in His presence meditating on Him and His Word — listening for His voice and His guidance. We may not receive as much from the Lord as He wants to give us just because we don't take time to sit quietly before Him and listen.

During our Forward Faith campaign I have spent many hours in C3’s 24 for 24 Prayer Room seeking God’s direction. The Prayer Room remains open to be a place where we can grow in our faith by seeking the wisdom of God.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

P.S.

If you have not yet handed in your “Forward Faith” orange commitment card you may bring it to the church doing office hours 10am - 5pm or mail it to C3 at 5790 230^th Ave. We will be announcing the results this Sunday.

ALSO
We still have 14, 1 hour time slots for you to volunteer to collect groceries THIS SATURDAY to give away at Thanksgiving.

Please help out by calling the church office at 625-LIVE to choose a time that bests fits your schedule for this Saturday.

By faith the walls of Jericho fell… Part 2

“By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days”. Hebrews 11:30

The plan God gave Joshua is for six days the priests of Israel should lead the soldiers in a march around the city of Jericho. Then on the seventh day they were to march around the city seven times. After the seventh time around, the priests were to blow their trumpets, the people were to shout a great shout, and the walls would fall down flat. The soldiers were then to go straight into the city and possess it.

Wouldn't you have loved to be there when Joshua presented the Lord's plan to his military leaders? Marching around a city and blowing trumpets and shouting at it was not exactly what military mindsets had anticipated. The more history we have with God the more we come to understand that God’s ways are not our ways.

The plans He lays before us are often something we would never have thought of ourselves. They are that way, I think, to make sure we know where to give the credit. The plan for the breach of the Jericho wall was a plan no man would have dreamed up, so God was bound to get the glory. “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty.” Zachariah 4:6

God’s plans, though they may not be what we would have thought of are perfect, so trust them and follow them.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

P.S.
If you have not yet handed in your “Forward Faith” orange commitment card you may bring it to the church doing office hours 10am-5pm or mail it to C3 at 5790 230^th Ave. We will be announcing the results this Sunday.

ALSO
We still have 15 1 hour time slots for you to volunteer to collect groceries THIS SATURDAY to give away at Thanksgiving.

Please help out by calling the church office at 625-LIVE to choose a time that bests fits your schedule for this Saturday.

By faith the walls of Jericho fell… Part 1

“By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days”. Hebrews 11:30

Joshua was commissioned by God to succeed Moses in leading the children of Israel into the Promised Land. Primarily, his task was to conquer the existing peoples, driving them out of the land. Subduing Jericho was first on the list since it was a large, fortified city sitting right across the Jordan River.

Then the Lord said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men”. Joshua 6:2

Even before Joshua brought his army into position, God told him that Jericho was already delivered into his hands—the enemy was already defeated! What confidence Joshua must have had as he went into battle!

Christians also fight against a defeated enemy. Our enemy, Satan, has been defeated by Christ. Although we still fight battles every day and sin runs rampant in the world, we have the assurance that the war has already been won. We do not have to be paralyzed by the terrorist activity of a defeated enemy; we can overcome him through faith in the power of Jesus Christ!

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

If you have not yet handed in your “Forward Faith” orange commitment card you may bring it to the church doing office hours 10am-5pm or mail it to C3 at 5790 230^th Ave.

We will be announcing the results this Sunday.

What’s Your Excuse Part 5

Moses comes up with a series of excuses of why God couldn’t possibly use him to set the Hebrew slaves free. See if you use similar excuses to avoid doing what God is calling you to do.

Excuse No. 1: The “Who Am I?” Excuse

Excuse No. 2: The “By Whose Authority?” Excuse

Excuse No. 3: The “What if?” Excuse

Excuse No. 4: The “I Don’t Have What It Takes?” Excuse

Excuse No. 5: The “O Lord, Please Send Someone Else” Excuse

When God met all of Moses’ excuses, his hidden motive was revealed: he had difficulty believing that God could really use him. It’s the same way with many of us. When we are reluctant to obey God, it’s not that we don’t want to. It’s that we don’t fully have faith. We must learn to take God at His word. We must trust Him enough to believe that He is capable of equipping us for what He calls us to do. And when we are willing to step out in faith and obey Him, we will experience God as we have never experienced Him before.

What about you? Have you used any of Moses’ excuses in dialogue with God? Are you having trouble trusting that God is capable of equipping you for the work to which He has called you? Are you having trouble believing that if you trust God with your finances that He will provide for your needs? It is all a matter of FAITH!

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

This Sunday is Commitment Sunday for C3’s Forward Faith Campaign. Bring your launch gifts plus your orange commitment card with your 36 month pledge to services this Sunday. NO EXCUSES!

What’s Your Excuse Part 4

Moses comes up with a series of excuses of why God couldn’t possibly use him to set the Hebrew slaves free. See if you use similar excuses to avoid doing what God is calling you to do.

Excuse No. 1: The “Who Am I?” Excuse

Excuse No. 2: The “By Whose Authority?” Excuse

Excuse No. 3: The “What if?” Excuse

Excuse No. 4: The “I Don’t Have What It Takes?” Excuse

Moses said to the LORD, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." Exodus 4:10 (NIV)
The ever reluctant Moses, having not only seen the signs but actually performed them, now offers his last protest: "I am not a good speaker, I have a slow mouth and a heavy tongue."God responds, "Who makes the mouth? Is it not I? I will be with your mouth. Now go. I will give you what to say." Moses, showing his foolishness, or perhaps that he knew what he was in for, or both, now begs God to send someone else, anyone but him. God has had enough of Moses' reluctance.

God tells Moses that his brother Aaron is coming and that Aaron will speak for him. Aaron will be as a mouth to Moses and Moses will be as God to Aaron's mouth. God refuses to let Moses off the hook. He is the person God wants for this job. God insists on using Moses and Moses can no longer resist. Moses finally goes back home and prepares to leave for Egypt.

The New Testament addresses this “I don’t have what it takes” excuse by telling us:

“‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’” 2 Corinthians 12:9.

If we feel weak, limited, or inadequate, we are the best material through which God’s power can work.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

This Sunday is Commitment Sunday for C3’s Forward Faith Campaign. Bring your launch gifts plus your orange commitment card with your 36 month pledge to services this Sunday. NO EXCUSES!

What’s Your Excuse Part 3

Moses comes up with a series of excuses of why God couldn’t possibly use him to set the Hebrew slaves free. See if you use similar excuses to avoid doing what God is calling you to do.

Excuse No. 1: The “Who Am I?” Excuse

Excuse No. 2: The “By Whose Authority?” Excuse

Excuse No. 3: The “What if?” Excuse

Moses answered, "What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, 'The LORD did not appear to you'?" Exodus 4:1

God responds to Moses’ “What if” excuse by giving him 2 signs to strengthen his faith and to remove his doubt and fear. He turns Moses’ shepherd’s staff into a snake and then back again. The second sign God uses is to turn Moses healthy hand into one infected with leprosy and then restores it.

God is showing his power that will help Moses overcome his doubt and fear about what he might be confronted with in Pharaohs’s court.

When the devil, the author of doubt and fear begins to infiltrate your thoughts remember:

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

Are you dealing with doubts and fears today that are gripping you so tightly that you feel helpless and hopeless? How do we combat doubt and fear? Remember that God through His Holy Spirit has given us power, love and a sound mind to rise above and overcome, not in our strength but in His through faith.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

Today we remember our Veterans who made the commitment to defend our country and insure the freedom our nation holds so dear.

THANK YOU VETS FOR YOUR SELFLESS SERVICE!

This Sunday is Commitment Sunday for C3’s Forward Faith Campaign. Bring your launch gifts plus your orange commitment card with your 36 month pledge to services this Sunday.

What’s Your Excuse Part 2

God tells Moses, "I am sending you to Pharaoh to lead my people out of Egypt”. Moses comes up with a series of excuses why God couldn’t possibly use him; some of which may sound familiar to you.

Excuse No. 1: The “Who Am I?” Excuse

Excuse No. 2: The “By Whose Authority?” Excuse

Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘the God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘what is his name?’ then what shall I tell them?” Exodus 3:13 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"

The Hebrew people always recognized I AM as the name that distinguished the true God from false gods. There would be no mistaking who sent Moses on his mission. Not only did God tell him who He was, He also told him exactly who to talk to, what to say, and gave him the assurance that they would listen to him because "It is not about who you are, but who I AM”.

The same is true for us. We have been given the power and authority to with confidence pray in Jesus name because He is the great I AM!

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle 

What’s Your Excuse Part 1

Moses grew up as a prince in Egypt, but fled from Pharaoh after he had discovered his true identity and killed an Egyptian guard who was abusing a Hebrew slave. Having been in exile in the desert for about 40 years, Moses, was tending sheep when he saw a strange sight. Flames were rising from a bush, but the bush wasn’t burning up. As Moses approached the bush, he heard a voice calling his name. Moses, remove your sandals for you are standing on Holy ground. I am sending you to deliver My people from slavery. Moses began presenting a series of excuses why God couldn’t possibly use him; some of which may sound familiar to you.

Excuse No. 1: The “Who Am I?” Excuse

“‘Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’” Exodus 3:11

Moses had been herding sheep for 40 years, and the thought of a lowly shepherd, an outcast being one who could be used by God was beyond his realm of thinking.

God’s reply: “‘I have chosen you and will be with you.

Not only did God promise His presence, He also gave Moses assurance that the mission would be successful. Today we struggle with our inferiority and a false image of who we are as children of God.

THIS is who you are if you are a child of God… A Prince or a Princess.

 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

GOD’S PROMISES TO YOU! Part 4

There are more promises in the Bible about giving than about any other subject.

Here is another one of them:

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (NIV)
⁶ Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
⁷ Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

These inspired words of the apostle Paul are a guiding principle for Christian giving. Whether we are giving of our time, energy, or material possessions, let us do so of our own free will and because we find genuine pleasure in being generous to others, especially those in need. Such giving will not only make us happy but also endear us to God, for he “loves a cheerful giver.” A giving attitude is more important than the amount given. The person who can give only a small gift shouldn't be embarrassed. God is concerned about how a person gives from his or her resources. God himself is a cheerful giver. Consider all he has done for us. He is pleased when we who are created in his image give generously and joyfully.

This Sunday at C3 is our second of three weeks of receiving our Forward Faith launch gifts and 36 month commitments.

If you have not yet asked God what He wants to give through you….do so cheerfully!

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

GOD’S PROMISES TO YOU! Part 3

There are more promises in the Bible about giving than about any other subject.

Here are just a couple of them:

“Bring to the house of worship a full tenth of what you earn…Test me in this,’ says the Lord. ‘I will open the windows of heaven for you and pour out all the blessings you need.” Malachi 3:10

“Honor the Lord by giving him the first part of all your income, and he will fill your barns to overflow…” Proverbs 3:9

Money is a hard subject for people. After all, we work hard for our money. We work hard because without this money we can't pay for things like food and rent, gas for our car, and maybe even something nice for ourselves every once in a while. We never seem to have enough money for everything, and so we make choices about how we spend it. We prioritize how we use the money that we spend the days of our lives to earn. We complain about the taxes we have to pay, taxes that are taken directly out of our earnings before we ever see them. We complain about the bills that never stop coming. We complain about rising prices of goods and services. We complain about everything when it comes to spending our money; even about tithing!

The tithe is God's way of making us rely on Him more. He gives us all we have, and all He desires is that we show our trust in Him by giving Him back the first ten percent of all He gives us. We have a mistaken idea about “our money.” It isn't “our money”, its God's money. The secondary purpose of the tithe is to support the work of the Church.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

GOD’S PROMISES TO YOU! Part 2

There are more promises in the Bible about giving than about any other subject.

Here are just a couple of them:

Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

While most of us no longer have to walk miles to gather our food, the message is still applicable today. We might not grow our own grain, but we still reap what we sow.  If we sow love, generosity, and good deeds, God will bless us with these things even more. He has promised this in His word, and even challenges us test his promise.

1 Timothy 6:18-19 “Use your money to do good…always being ready to share with others whatever God has given you. By doing this you will be storing up real treasure for yourselves in heaven—it is the only safe investment for eternity! And you will be living a fruitful Christian life down here as well.”

Generosity shows that we have placed our trust in God, not in our money, for security.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

Come to the next Forward Faith Dessert TONIGHT (WEDNESDAY) at 7pm

Come find out all the details of this expansion and how you can learn to trust God as you ask Him what He wants to give through you.

GOD’S PROMISES TO YOU! Part 1

On Sundays and in these weekday blogs we have been looking at the great heroes of the faith found in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. Last Sunday Pastor Brant and I spoke about the faith of Abraham and Sarah after they received a promise from God.

Did you know that there are more promises in the Bible about giving than about any other subject.

Here are just a couple of them:

Proverbs 11:25 (NIV)
The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

The world says to hold on to as much as possible, but God blesses those who give freely of their possessions, time, and energy. When we give, God supplies us with more so that we can give more. In addition, giving helps us gain a right perspective on our possessions. We realize they were never really ours to begin with, but they were given to us by God to be used to help others. What then do we gain by giving? Freedom from enslavement to our possessions, the joy of helping others, and God's approval.
 

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (NLT)
Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”  

Some people hesitate to give generously to God because they worry about having enough money left over to meet their own needs. Paul assured the Corinthians that God was able to meet their needs. The person who gives only a little will receive only a little in return. Don't let fear keep you from giving cheerfully and generously. Move forward in faith like those who were commended in the Book of Hebrews.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

Come to the next Forward Faith Dessert THIS WEDNESDAY at 7pm

Come find out all the details and how you can learn to trust God as you ask Him what He wants to give through you. 

Hall of Faith

While watching World Series the T.V cameras have shown George Brett throughout.  In addition to winning batting titles in three decades (1976, '80 and '90) and finishing with 3,154 hits, the Kansas City third baseman was elected into the baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.  Being enshrined into Cooperstown’s Hall of Fame is the greatest honor a baseball player can receive. In the eleventh chapter of the book of Hebrews the author lists a group of Old Testament men and women in what is called by some as the Hall of Faith. Abraham is a shining example of faith in action. 

“By faith Abraham when he was called to go to a place that he would later receive as his inheritance, he obeyed even though he didn’t know where he was going.”  Hebrews 11:8

Abraham's life was filled with faith. At God's command, he left home and went to another land—obeying without question. How about you? What if God audibly asked you to go someplace or do something would you obey without question?

As we move in our Forward Faith campaign I am encouraging everyone to seek God and ask Him what He wants to give through you. I encourage you to obey what He says to you, by faith.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

Come to the next Forward Faith Dessert THIS WEDNESDAY at 7pm.

Come find out all the details and how you can learn to trust God as you ask Him what He wants to give through you.