God Made You To Serve Him

To live the abundant life Jesus came to give we need God’s power to live on, God’s people to live with and God’s principles to live by. We also need an outlet for expressing the gifts that God has given each of us. We need a plan and a place where we can make a significant contribution with our God given talents and abilities in this world.

So how do I know God’s plan for my life?

I can say it in one word. Ministry.  God’s plan for your life is service. God wants you to serve Him by serving others.  

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

Before you were even born, God planned the ways of service He wanted you to do specifically.

This week ask God,  “How have You uniquely made me to make an impact in the world.

Then ask yourself, ”If money or time were no obstacle what is one thing I would do for God’s kingdom?

Then make a decision to commit your life to ministry.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

You Need Rock Solid Principles To Live By

Life is a test. Each of us is being tested. We are being tested by how well you follow what God says to do in His word. God’s wants to see if you’re going to live by the principles laid out in His word.

Here’s the problem.  God’s principles for living are  for the most part, the exact opposite of human wisdom.

God’s principles for living regarding, money management, sexual conduct and sanctity of life are the exact opposite of what popular culture tells you.  Popular culture almost always gets it wrong.

Every principle you need for living can be found in the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”

In this troubled world we live in where values are crumbing all around us, where do you find hope?      

Jesus reminds us in Matthew 7:24  “Everyone who hears My words and obeys them is like a wise person who built their house on the rock.”

You need rock solid principles to live by.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

Get Connected

As we begin a New Year we are looking at what the Bible says you need to live the abundant Jesus came for. We need God’s power to live on and we need God’s people to live with.  You were created to be in relationship with others. The Bible tells us that when God made Adam, He said, ‘It is not good for man to be alone.’” Genesis 2:18 The Bible says we’re supposed to help each other and also have people that we depend on.

 

Fortunately God has designed a custom-made support network just for you.  That is called the church. Church is not a place that you go to. Church is not an event you attend. Church is a family that God meant for you to be connected to. He wants you to have relationships and connections in the body of Christ, the family of God.

There are people who tell me that “I don’t have time to be a part of a small group.  I don’t have time to go to a Thursday night Mens or Womens Bible study. I don’t have time to serve in a ministry at church.”

If you’ve ever said any of those things then you’re too busy, your priorities are all out of whack. Get connected with your church family.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

Making New Years Resolutions

The practice of making New Year’s resolutions goes back over 3,000 years to the ancient Babylonians. There is just something about the start of a new year that gives us the feeling of a fresh start and a new beginning.

Common New Year’s resolutions are commitments to quit smoking, to stop drinking, to manage money more wisely, and to spend more time with family. By far, the most common New Year’s resolution is to lose weight, in conjunction with exercising more and eating more healthily.

These are all good goals to set. However, the Bible instructs us to keep exercise in perspective: “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:8.  The vast majority of New Year’s resolutions, even among Christians, are in relation to physical things.

I would like to encourage you to make some spiritual resolutions to commit to in the coming year. A good one would be to have a daily quiet time with God Psalm 46:10 says “Be still and know that I am God.” Make a commitment daily to quiet yourself, drop the distractions, center in on God and His greatness and His love and what He wants to do in your life – His plan and purpose.  The more you do this, the more you will find yourself restored, renewed and refreshed on a daily basis.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

What Will Be Your Scripture Verse Of The Year?

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right.  It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.”  2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)  

The Bible is not a collection of stories, fables, myths, or merely human ideas about God. It is not a human book. Through the Holy Spirit, God revealed his person and plan to certain believers, who wrote down his message for his people.

The Bible is our standard for testing everything else that claims to be true. It is our safeguard against false teaching and our source of guidance for how we should live. It is our purest source of knowledge and God’s purpose for our lives.

For the last ten years at the end of December, the people of the Celebration each have chosen a scripture verse to call their own for the year. We memorize them, meditate on them, even write them on our walls leading into worship. What is most important is that we seek to live out what they say throughout the year.

If you are able, come to Celebration Community Church this Sunday where I will be revealing my scripture verse of the year of our Lord 2016.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

New Years Resolution Part 3

The #1 New Year’s Resolution in the U.S. this year and every year is to lose weight. And dietary experts agree the best way to lose weight is to reduce your calorie intake. Bread is loaded with carbohydrates and is absent from most diet plans.

In Biblical times bread was whole grain with no preservatives and was a staple at everyone’s table. People ate bread to satisfy physical hunger and to sustain physical life.

In John 6:35-36 we read:

“Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.""

We can only satisfy spiritual hunger and sustain spiritual life by a right relationship with Jesus Christ. No wonder he called himself the bread of life.

As bread must be eaten to sustain life, so Christ must be invited into our daily walk to sustain spiritual life.

I encourage you this year to reduce your caloric intake. (I will continue my abstaining from church donuts) I also encourage you to increase your word intake by coming to the table each day for a quiet time with God.

I have made a New Year’s Resolution, beginning tomorrow the first day of the New Year, to read the entire Bible again in 2016.

There are many Bible reading plans you can access through You Version found on your smart phone app C3Hays. Pick one out that fits you and begin your New Year with a new commitment to read God’s word.

I hope you have a safe and Happy New Years Eve.

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle

New Year’s Resolution Part 2

New Years Eve is an interesting holiday differing from others because it does not commemorate an event, like Easter or a person like Christmas. New Years is a holiday that celebrates the inevitability of the passing of time. We make New Years special only by being reflective of the year that has passed and proactive about what we want to achieve in the future. Have you taken some time to be quiet and asked God what He wanted to teach you last year? Have you taken the time to ask God what changes He wants to make in you in the coming year? Each year at this time I invite the people of Celebration Community Church and the readers of this blog to take a spiritual check up (See Monday Dec. 28th’s blog)

A spiritual check up is similar to a physical check up a doctor would give you focusing on acquiring good spiritual habits.  A Spiritual habit I am resolving to make is to read through the Bible in the coming year.

Below are some HABITS a spiritually healthy person does with regularity. Tomorrow I will share with you my diagnosis for a starting this new year in a spiritually healthy way.

What Spiritual H.A.B.I.T.S. would you most like to establish this year?

H. Have a Daily Quiet Time with God  praying and reading the Bible.    

A. Avail yourself regularly to be accountable with another believer

B. Bible memorization of a variety of passages.

I. Involve yourself in service on a ministry team  

T. Tithing (giving 10% of your income to your church)

S. Study the Bible and fellowship regularly in a Small Group

Your pastor and partner in ministry,

Kyle