Got an email from Nick asking if I could pick up Erin O'Donnell at the airport on Saturday. Sure, why not? Anyway, I didn't think that I would like her music, you know, it's just run of the mill Christian music. So, I pick her and Steve, her guitar player, up from the airport @ 245pm and had a nice ride back to the church, talked and whatever. During the concert, she made reference to how much she loves her daughter and that she would give up almost anything for her, except for her daughter! Then she went on to say that God loves us so much that he gave us His son, let him die on a cross for the sins of billions of people that who would reject him anyway! Altogether it was some powerful testimony and really moved me for some reason! It made me think, God did all this for me! He did it for all of us because He loves us beyond what we can imagine. Even tho He knew that we would hate him and reject his free offer of salvation, He still loved us and sent his son to die a horrible death on a cross. How can any of us hold back any of our time, our talents, or our influence from serving God and giving freely to further the cause of Christ?! If God sees a willingness in a heart somewhere, He will take that little bit of faith and willingness and make it into big things for His kingdom! There is no doubt that God will use ANYONE that has a willing heart. God doesn't only call the educated, the rich, the respected etc. but he also calls the rejected, the outcast, the crippled etc. He wants anyone who will believe in His son and have a genuine heart attitude change to work for the cause of Christ. Now, there are many different things that a person could do that are working in His vineyard or using that willingness to serve. And I believe the most blessed people are the ones who help anonymously or the most un-thanked people. The ones who work hard and long and go un-noticed by everyone, and on top of that are content just knowing that they are in His service, not men's! Working for the Lord doesnt always mean that you stand up and preach in church, or work for the church itself. There are many ways, "When you do it unto the least of these, my brothers, you do it unto Me". That is our assurance verse that says that we can help a hungry person, or visit someone in prison, or take someone into our house off the street for a hot meal, or anything and we are doing it unto our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! I talked to Erin afterward and told her what an encouragement she was to me and how she encouraged me to continue all the more diligently in my walk of faith and with the youth ministry that God has placed me in. She encouraged me that all the things that we do for God are not to earn our salvation but to show our love to God for what He has done for us and to reach other people for Christ. Then she gave me a hug and said, "You'll make a good husband to someone someday". Hmmm, but I don't think i'm gettin married.. j/k. anyway, It turned out to be a very encourageing and uplifting day after all. Glad I volunteered my time to be their runner for the day.
Check this out! The country of Morrocco is a nation of the Islam religion and is 99% Muslims! That is 99% Muslim!! Pastor Harry is from Come Alive New Testament Church which is better known for Creation Fest. Pastor Harry founded the Creation Festivals 26 years ago. OK, anyway, Pastor Harry just got back from a missions trip in Morrocco (99% Muslim). He said that they treated him like a king, secret service around them at all times etc. Pastor Harry said that the Ambassador to Morrocco (A muslim) watched the Creation Video in its entirety and Loved IT !! To make a long story short, the President of Morrocco and the Ambassador to Morrocco asked Pastor Harry to produce a Christian Festival in Morrocco in the year 2005! Think about it, both of these men are devout muslims, but they want a Christian music festival to come to there country!! They said that you can sing about Jesus all you want, but no preaching, and no baptisms! The muslims will pay for every penny it costs including airfare for everyone from Creation Concerts who will go over, all expenses paid! pastor Harry said that Toby Mac and Newsboys want to go, but hasn't made anything definite yet! It will be the first ever Christian festival in a Muslim country. Pastor Harry said that he is taking quite a risk taking the gospel to a muslim nation like that. I encouraged him that with an offer to spread the gospel and minister to people, esp Muslims, how can you pass it up?! It is worth the risk to tell them the good news of Jesus Christ and not Allah!!! Wow, that sounds very exciting, and what I wouldnt give to go with them and minister to the muslim people!! Wow! They expect over 70,000 people to attend the festival over there in April of 2005. given that there are only 5000 christians and 5000 jews, there will be alot of Muslims hearing the message of salvation through faith in Christ. What a ministry oppurtunity!
He is the vine and we are the branches, any branch that does not produce good fruit, will wither up and be cut off an thrown in the fire!!
Ok, I am a branch, that means I am a branch of God. If i do not produce fruit I will be cut off and thrown into the fire. Hmm the fruit I produce is the things that I do because I love the Lord (not to earn salvation) If I love the Lord I will do what he commands me (throughout the Bible). If I don't do what He says, I will be cut off and thrown into the fire (Hell)!
Notice that word says 'cut off', not pruned back!! God prunes us when we are producing fruit to make us more fruitful. When a branch withers from lack of producing fruit, you'd have to be a moron to prune it and hope it bears fruit. And we know that God is not a moron!!!! So he prunes a fruitful branch, not a dead branch!! Get it straight!!
mmmm french vanilla cappuccino.. mmm mmm good, (how to make me happy) haha
whew! I'm tired! long day of sitting and eating!! haha
Saturday, April 03, 2004
Hmm so i guess i didnt write for awhile. Now I know Shauna, I have no room to talk. Dinner at the Outback with Mr. C. and fam was good as usual! We talked about many good things. Had some very good conversations.
There is talks of a youth group starting.. well yes,, but I mean younger than 18. Like 13 or so. But there is still alot of prayer and planning to be done before the idea is submitted for approval!
After working for the man for 9 years, my boss has finally asked me about the faith in God that I have!! He started by saying "Where in the Bible does it say that you can't go to doctors?" and I replied as most of you know, "well it doesnt necessarily say that you CAN'T go" and so on and so forth, most of you who believe the same way as me know what I mean. The rest of you prob don't want to hear it. But anyway,,, I took the opportunity to take in a tract called "Divine Healing, God's Word". And told him that it would better answer his question of hte previous day but I wasnt trying to force anything on him. He said something which meant he didnt want it. (which was fine) but 10 min. later he came out of the office and said, "Can I have that, can I take it home?" and of course i said yes. Then he spent 20 min. justifying to me why he doesnt go to church anymore. OK< Needless to say since we are not Catholic!!!!!!! We do not feel the need to confess our sins to another human being! But he is definitely thinking about what my answers were and what he chose to read. God recieves the glory for that!
We didn't find the dog yet! We printed posters to hang in stores or something. I think we are going to look again in teh morning.. and then in the afternoon i'm the runner for the Erin O'Donnel concert in N.J. I have to pick Erin O'Donnel up at the airport and take her and her stuff back to the church for the concert. It will be different to say the least.
worshiptogether.com gave us a new song "See, What a Morning". It is a great song, you've got to check it out! I am trying to get it into our Easter Sunday service but idk if that is going to happen!! But it's worth a try anyway!
Ok, tired is me.. im out
JF
There is talks of a youth group starting.. well yes,, but I mean younger than 18. Like 13 or so. But there is still alot of prayer and planning to be done before the idea is submitted for approval!
After working for the man for 9 years, my boss has finally asked me about the faith in God that I have!! He started by saying "Where in the Bible does it say that you can't go to doctors?" and I replied as most of you know, "well it doesnt necessarily say that you CAN'T go" and so on and so forth, most of you who believe the same way as me know what I mean. The rest of you prob don't want to hear it. But anyway,,, I took the opportunity to take in a tract called "Divine Healing, God's Word". And told him that it would better answer his question of hte previous day but I wasnt trying to force anything on him. He said something which meant he didnt want it. (which was fine) but 10 min. later he came out of the office and said, "Can I have that, can I take it home?" and of course i said yes. Then he spent 20 min. justifying to me why he doesnt go to church anymore. OK< Needless to say since we are not Catholic!!!!!!! We do not feel the need to confess our sins to another human being! But he is definitely thinking about what my answers were and what he chose to read. God recieves the glory for that!
We didn't find the dog yet! We printed posters to hang in stores or something. I think we are going to look again in teh morning.. and then in the afternoon i'm the runner for the Erin O'Donnel concert in N.J. I have to pick Erin O'Donnel up at the airport and take her and her stuff back to the church for the concert. It will be different to say the least.
worshiptogether.com gave us a new song "See, What a Morning". It is a great song, you've got to check it out! I am trying to get it into our Easter Sunday service but idk if that is going to happen!! But it's worth a try anyway!
Ok, tired is me.. im out
JF
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
There comes a time in every mans life when he has to decide.
For some it may be the hardest decision of his life.
But for me it was easy.
Do I eat and let my fish go hungry?
Or feed them and starve?
Ok, i'll buy them new fish to eat, I have some extra pounds to shed!
Whew now that that's out of the way, the fish are gonna be bigger than me soon!
Which leads me to wonder, where am I going to get a 300 gallon tank, and where will I put it?
Hmm i'll think about that next year.
I never did like cat birds
Mrs. C. is ever amusing, maybe her phone call kept me from hittin myself over the head with a hammer. not really!
Now i've heard it all, I was told that the reason why someone got sick on Sunday is because they were encouraging the kids to dance at Vision Fellowship! yes, like I said, now i've heard it all. I mean, yes, I do believe that sickness is a result of sin, but when is worship a sin? Ok enough of that, don't care to get into a big discussion over that! It's been run to the ground already by OSAS proponents! Duh!
Just found out that Shabana will coming to this area for Easter weekend and we will hang out on Friday night! That is a much overdue 'hanging out' (if thats a word). I think its been 2 years!! too long!
I'll leave this on a good note!
bBYE
For some it may be the hardest decision of his life.
But for me it was easy.
Do I eat and let my fish go hungry?
Or feed them and starve?
Ok, i'll buy them new fish to eat, I have some extra pounds to shed!
Whew now that that's out of the way, the fish are gonna be bigger than me soon!
Which leads me to wonder, where am I going to get a 300 gallon tank, and where will I put it?
Hmm i'll think about that next year.
I never did like cat birds
Mrs. C. is ever amusing, maybe her phone call kept me from hittin myself over the head with a hammer. not really!
Now i've heard it all, I was told that the reason why someone got sick on Sunday is because they were encouraging the kids to dance at Vision Fellowship! yes, like I said, now i've heard it all. I mean, yes, I do believe that sickness is a result of sin, but when is worship a sin? Ok enough of that, don't care to get into a big discussion over that! It's been run to the ground already by OSAS proponents! Duh!
Just found out that Shabana will coming to this area for Easter weekend and we will hang out on Friday night! That is a much overdue 'hanging out' (if thats a word). I think its been 2 years!! too long!
I'll leave this on a good note!
bBYE
Monday, March 29, 2004
Mood: Annoyed (but not as much after talking to Shauna)
Word: "Random"
Music: iTunes-EuroDance
I'm also hungry
AArrrgghhhh!
Ok now that that is out of the way! haha
Work was as slow as mud running up a stick today. Worked on my van which I dont like doing.. I could work on customers cars all day but I despise working on my own. Go figure.
Love my new investment. The squirrels don't.
still a little annoyed. so im out
Happy go lucky=flakey
Word: "Random"
Music: iTunes-EuroDance
I'm also hungry
AArrrgghhhh!
Ok now that that is out of the way! haha
Work was as slow as mud running up a stick today. Worked on my van which I dont like doing.. I could work on customers cars all day but I despise working on my own. Go figure.
Love my new investment. The squirrels don't.
still a little annoyed. so im out
Happy go lucky=flakey
Sunday, March 28, 2004
Cabela's is a pretty cool place. kinda made me want to continue in thinking about a bigger aquarium. But not till next year anyway. With my new purchase, our rodent problem will be under control, hopefully
In church this morn we had a lesson in the series"Beyond stated faith" this was statement of faith #7, which said, "We believe that everyone (of every nation, tribe, people and language) is equal in the sight of God, so all true believers are unified members of the body of Christ." It was a very good, informative message. But I have to say that it was 'fall off my seat funny' to hear a note of praise from one of our West African branches say that "A brother was spared his life when he was riding a motorcycle and ran into a flock of sheep". I couldnt stop laughing!!
Finally got around to writing part of the Creation Newsletter for our group last night. I sent a rough draft in for approval [holding my breath]
Gothika is a very disturbing film
Mean people suck
I need a bigger bedroom for all my stuff (or my brother to get married)
BYE
"Nothing compares to the greatness of knowing you, Lord"
In church this morn we had a lesson in the series"Beyond stated faith" this was statement of faith #7, which said, "We believe that everyone (of every nation, tribe, people and language) is equal in the sight of God, so all true believers are unified members of the body of Christ." It was a very good, informative message. But I have to say that it was 'fall off my seat funny' to hear a note of praise from one of our West African branches say that "A brother was spared his life when he was riding a motorcycle and ran into a flock of sheep". I couldnt stop laughing!!
Finally got around to writing part of the Creation Newsletter for our group last night. I sent a rough draft in for approval [holding my breath]
Gothika is a very disturbing film
Mean people suck
I need a bigger bedroom for all my stuff (or my brother to get married)
BYE
"Nothing compares to the greatness of knowing you, Lord"
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