Pastor's Blog

Monday, February 15, 2010 10:45PM

Scripture:
Exodus 4:10-13 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." 11 The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD ? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." 13 But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it."

Observation:
Moses felt totally inadequate to do what God was asking him to do. He was not exactly a refined public speaker. Nor was God going to take away his speech problem. Moses felt totally overwhelmed. God’s advice to Moses was to focus on Him rather than his inadequacies.

Application:
If you feel like God has picked the wrong person, think again. God has a way of using people who don’t have it all together. The key is not to focus on your inadequacies but on God. He just needs you to be faithful to do what he is asking you to do. The rest is up to Him.

Prayer:
God, help me to remember your plan for my life doesn’t hinge on my inadequacies. Thank you for the plans you have already determined for my life. Help me to remember to always focus on you, not my inadequacies. Thank you for the privilege of serving your purposes. Amen

Monday, November 16 5:11PM

I can’t tell you how much it makes my heart smile to know you are praying and fasting for the future of Hope Fellowship Church. I believe we will look back at Seek 09 as an important period of time in our church’s history. Can’t wait to see what God is going to do next.

This week we are praying The Prayer of Submission. My guess is most of us have never prayed this prayer. Just the title makes us squirm. We spend a lot of time asking God to fulfill our wants, needs, and desires. Nothing wrong with asking God to meet our needs, but we often do it at the neglect of asking God for His will and purposes to be accomplished in our lives. Jesus’ number one focus was walking in the will of God.

John 4:34 "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me
and to finish his work.

John 6:38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do
the will of him who sent me.

Matthew 6:9 This, then, is how you should pray: " 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name, 10your kingdom come, your will be done on earth
as it is in heaven…”

Jesus was more concerned with God’s will being accomplished rather than his own. If Jesus would have followed his flesh he would have never gone to the cross. Every bit of his emotions wanted out, but his desire to accomplish the will of God was greater. Look at what Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane the night before he was crucified.

Matthew 26:39 "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken
from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

Jesus willingly submitted himself to the plan and purposes of God. He surrendered everything, even his very life to be in the will of God. Submission always requires sacrifice. It is impossible to walk in the will of God without submission.

God’s purposes and plans must be front and center if we are going to be a powerful church. It is not about me or you. It’s not about all our wants, wishes, and desires being met. It is about God and his plans and purposes. Even if it means sacrifice on our part. I am asking you to pray a dangerous prayer this week. Pray the prayer of submission over your life and our church. It’s a must if we are going to be like Jesus.

Friday, October 30 5:24PM

Secretary's office computer died on Thursday. Spent all day trying to get it fixed. Thankfully it was just the power supply and not the mother board. Changed out the power supply and good as new. I think the lesson I learned was that we should do a better job backing up our computers. Almost lost everything. Years of work would have been lost. Won't let that happen again. New backup proceedures to be put in place. Have you backed up you computer files lately? :-)

Monday, October 19 11:07PM

Thanks to all those who came out tonight for prayer night. Awesome presence of God in our service. I know coming out an extra night is not an easy thing to do. Thanks for holding to your commitment. I believe God will honor us as we seek Him.

Our focus for week three is praying for the favor of God. If we are going to be successful for the Kingdom of God, we desperately need his favor on everything we do. Jesus told the church of Philadelphia in Revelation 3:8 “I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.” A few observations:

•There are some opportunities we will not have unless God opens the door.
•Our efforts alone cannot open some doors.
•When God opens a door no one can close it.

That means no one! It’s called the favor of God. May the favor of God be on our church as we seek to make a difference for Him in our community.

Monday, October 5 11:31PM

I want to tell you how thankful I am to pastor Hope Fellowship church. I believe God is going to do even greater things as we seek Him. Our focus this week lays an important foundation. Our prayer focus mirrors David’s in Psalm 51:1-2; 10, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin…Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” All throughout the bible you see God move in response to people who have their hearts right before him. Nothing hinders our relationship with God more than sin. That’s the story of the bible in a nutshell. Sin also hinders our usability. Much like the buildup of plaque diminishes the ability of the human heart to function at full capacity, sin diminishes what God can do through us. Ask God to reveal to you any areas in which you need to repent. Ask for forgiveness and commit your heart anew to God.