What God Wants Most Of All

Yowsa...it's already Friday! It's been a busy week and I've been meaning to write but you know how it goes when there's a lot of nose picking to be done.
This Sunday night I'll be continuing my series on what God wants us to do most of all.
Ok, I guess I'll tell you. He wants us to love Him. It is the greatest commandment, according to Jesus...and He'd know. So often I've heard this scripture glossed over so quickly in order to get to the second greatest and so on. But the first is the first for a reason! I've been inspired by the book "The Sacred Romance" (by Brent Curtis & John Eldredge) and it is helping us to take a fresh look at how God loves us and wants us to love Him too. Join us!

Sunday Nights In August

Have you ever been tempted to yell out, "God, what do you want from me?!"
For our Sunday night services in August, I will be talking about what God wants you to do most of all. We have so many things to do and that we want to accomplish in this life. But Jesus gave top priority to one commandment in particular. We're going to spend these four Sunday nights thinking about the number one thing that God wants from us. This is a one hour service which begins at 5:30 PM. Join us!

Heifara

This is my friend Heifara. I first met him on my second trip to Tahiti in a Vacation Bible School I was helping with. When I found out he played the trumpet, I encouraged him to play for church and later mailed him a letter with some music.
Fast-forward quite a few years to my recent trip. I was concerned when I didn't see him in church.
The next Sunday, I sang before the sermon. When I sat down, suddenly there was this grown, 6'4" tall man at my side. I didn't quite recognize him at first. He said, "Paul, it's me, Heifara. May I sit with you?" Of course, I quickly moved over. He told me that it had been three years since he'd been to church. Then he told me that the day before he "just happened" to see my letter and the music I'd sent him many years ago. He felt that God told him if he'd go to church Sunday, he would see this man. When he arrived, I was singing at the piano.
He proceeded to cry through the rest of the service. When it ended, we prayed together and he beamed the rest of the day -like you see here. He has started to climb, as he put it, a new ladder which will lead to heaven.

This Weekend

Tomorrow we'll be concluding our Outflow series. Isaiah responded to the call of God with, "Here am I. Send me!" But Moses had a very different reaction. "Oh Lord, please send someone else to do it." Because of the incredible story of the plagues in Egypt and God opening up the Red Sea, we tend to forget how reluctant Moses was in the beginning. We may have some of the same concerns that Moses did. But those concerns aren't concerns to God. He knows what we're made of...and what He can do through us.

Librarian Action Figure

Just when you thought you'd seen everything, along comes the Librarian Action Figure. "With Amazing push-button Shushing Action! Plus Bonus Trading card and Bookmarks."
You may think this is silly but I suppose it makes a lot of sense. Librarians seem to have tremendous power. When I was in high school, my friends and I were in dreaded fear of her. And if you were making too much noise, your heart would stop at the sight of this little 4'2" woman with huge, mousy glasses. When she'd start walking toward you, you could hear Darth Vader's Theme playing somewhere. On very soft volume, of course.

Choosing Joy Over Bitterness

This is my buddy Dennis. I talked about him today during our study. Habakkuk imagines the worst possible circumstances and then says, "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior." (Hab.3:18)
When Dennis had a motorcycle accident and eventually had to amputate his foot, I was angry. But God just kind of whispered to me that I should be thankful he was alive. Most wouldn't have survived it.
Dennis's reaction was much different. He didn't say, "Why me?" He said, "Considering all the trouble there is in the world, why not me?" His choice to trust and grow in God instead of becoming bitter over the situation helped him to have a greater personal revelation of God. His joy wasn't found in things, or in having both feet, but in God Himself. He said he wouldn't trade what God did in his life to have the foot back.
Job 42:5 "My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you."

Living Large

This is from Psalm 138 -The Message Translation:
"Thank you! Everything in me says, "Thank you!"
Angels listen as I sing my thanks. I kneel in worship facing your holy temple and say it again: "Thank you!"
Thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness; Most holy is your name, most holy is your Word.
The moment I called out, you stepped in; you made my life large with strength."