I am not afraid of anything!

Well, I don't like snakes, spiders, or mice.

Heights bother me, as does speed (120 MPH or faster, etc.)

But other than that I'm fearless and courageous.

Ok, amusement park rides that go around and around in a circle aren't so good either – but only because they make me really sick to my stomach.

So with these few exceptions you can count on me if Superman oversleeps!

Until recently that is – when I found something that truly IS frightening:  people who text while they are driving!  I look up in my rear view mirror while stopped at an intersection and see the person behind me rolling up to my bumper with their head down looking at their cell phone.  I can't count the number of times people have crossed the center line coming toward me and as we passed they were still looking at their phone!  My heart skips a beat when someone has both hands on the top of the steering wheel while texting, glancing up only long enough to not hit someone.

If you are thinking “those teenagers are going to kill us all!” think again.  The vast majority of people I see texting aren't teens – they're men and women of all ages whose text speed seems tied to their foot and gas pedal!

I used to be amused when I saw a women putting on make-up on the way to work while she was driving (with her knee, I assume) or a man who was reading a map or newspaper. I'm no longer amused.

Don't text and drive – it scares people around you more than “lion, and tigers, and bears – Oh my!”

Pastor Mark

I have spent much of this week frustrated/depressed with the state of our world (more than just the ‘State of the Union').  I usually don't get much into the big game (I prefer college football).  However, this year, I'd like to see the game.  I like watching Peyton Manning and I also like what the Seahawks have been doing (Russell Wilson seems like a great person).  On the flip side, I have heard negatives about the game that break my heart.  I have read that the game brings a huge amount of sex trafficking.  That is very depressing.  The world has taken something that God created to be holy and wonderful, yet turned it into something so selfish and animalistic.  On the bright side (is there such a bright side to this problem?), this is bringing some light to the problem.  I have a friend who is a leader in a ministry to women getting out of the sex industry.  Check out:  Refuge for Women.  http://www.refugeforwomen.org/2014/01/sex-trafficking-the-heart-of-the-matter/ an article about trafficking.

I am also frustrated with the media and what they are promoting.  I used to look forward to the commercials, but not anymore.  What happened to funny & inspiring commercials?  Now they have to use sex to sell everything.  Yuck.  Plus all the talk of the music industry.  I didn't watch the Grammy's but what I heard was disturbing.  I hope it disgusted you too (or have we become too desensitized?).  And the pressure that TV/Movies must be facing to push the agenda of the world – even though they are the huge minority.

I say all that to share my burden for the world.  I told Tina that I kind of wish that we could move out into the middle of nowhere and create a Christian commune.  Totally shut out the world and be safe from the pressures and negatives of the world.  But you know that God has not asked us to do that. He said to go into the world and share His message of love, yet not be of the world.  Seems like a daunting task.

I can't fix the problems of the world.  But let me offer this encouragement:

John 16:33 – ^ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Jesus speaking)

Romans 12:1-2 – “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Paul writing)

John 14:29-31 – “I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.” (Jesus speaking)

John 12:45-47 – “The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. ^ I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.”

-          Note that it is not our job to judge/condemn the world.  Jesus will do that at the resurrection.  Our job is to GO (Matt. 28:19-20).

Are you praying for Christ's return?  Say a prayer (or 2 or 3 or 5000) for the world to come back to God.

PB

12 Reasons Why a Pastor Quit Attending Sports Events

1. The coach never came to visit me.

2. Every time I went, they asked me for money.

3. The people sitting in my row didn’t seem very friendly.

4. The seats were very hard.

5. The referees made a decision I didn’t agree with.

6. I was sitting with hypocrites – they only came to see what others were wearing!

7. Some games went into overtime and I was late getting home.

8. The band played some songs I had never heard before.

9. The games are scheduled on my only day to sleep in and run errands.

10. My parents took me to too many games when I was growing up.

11. Since I read a book on sports, I feel that I know more than the coaches anyway.

12. I don’t want to take my children because I want them to choose for themselves what sport they like best.

~Anonymous

PRay

Have you ever wished that you could start over?  Maybe it was when you were in school…although there is no way that I would want to ever go back. It was bad enough the first time!  Who would want to go back to the place where you were the shortest in the school, and receiving wedgies was a natural, common occurrence?  Others wish that they could start over and make a different decision, before they entered into a relationship.  Is there something that you have either said or done, where you wish that there was some way you could do it over—differently?

I have a game for my phone that I love called “Angry birds”. In this game your object is to sling-shot different birds into various styles of buildings that pigs have made…crashing the buildings on the pigs and swishing them.  Sounds real mature, huh?  This game has helped me pass a lot of time while I was in the waiting rooms… The thing about this game is, after I shoot the first bird, I can always tell if I'm going to clear the level or not. So if the first bird doesn't do enough damage, or hit the right part of the building, then I hit the reset button.  Wouldn't it be great if we knew when we were going to fail in life? Or better yet, BEFORE all hope is lost, and the words “Fail” shows up on our screen…we could hit a reset button!

What do you see when you look back at your life? I pray that you are not full of regrets. Are there things that you should have done, but didn't? Are there people that you need to forgive?  Here is a little good news for you.  In reality…you do get to start over!  If you become a Christian—you get a fresh start. 2 Cor 5:17 tells us:  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW creation; the old has gone, the NEW has come!”

Past failures, mistakes, regrets that we carry—all are cleared away! Have you ever watched the Home Makeover show? It's the one with the guy on energy drinks, who yells through a megaphone.  When they give someone a home makeover—it's really not actually a make-over…it's a new home when they are done.  They don't just repair the house, giving it a new paint job, etc.  They come in, destroy the existing structure and then they build a new house.  The same is true for us.  God makes us into a new creation.  We need to live like we are new.  Are there things that you should have done? Then do them now.  Are there people you need to forgive? What are you waiting for?

Try to think of your new life in Christ as a blank piece of paper.  There are no smudges, white-out marks, or mistakes on this page. This blank page can represent new opportunities for you. You decide which path to take.  Look at what John says: Jer 6:16  This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

“Ask for the ancient paths”???  This means that you and I should find out which path led the people who went before us—to happiness.  In other words, we need to learn from their example.  Do you have someone that you look up to spiritually?  Learn from them. Learn what it is about them that make them who they are in Christ.  Maybe you feel today that you need a fresh start.  Some may need help pushing the reset button.  God will forgive you. It's time to move on from your failures.  No one really knows the future, but you can know the ONE who holds it. Know this and believe in this promise today: Php 1:6  Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Blessings to You,

Pastor Ray

Did you know that the higher the fat content in ice cream the better it tastes?

Did you know how many servings are in a half gallon of ice cream?  Two.

Do you know the history of ice cream?  Does anyone really care?

Did you know that inexpensive ice cream is better than no ice cream?

Did you know it's simply not possible to mess up ice cream by putting stuff in it and on it?

Did you know ice cream may well be the most satisfying thing you can do that's legal?

If you knew all of this, you are not only very intelligent but probably well-adjusted in life and easy to get along with.  If you are hard to get along with, have a negative attitude on life, people look for ways to not sit beside you at family dinners, you don't see the silver lining behind every cloud, you are a Cubs fan, you feel like someone is out to get you, etc. – here's my recommendation for today (or any day):  find all the change in your car and couch and buy some REAL ice cream (not the soft-serve imitators) with the highest fat content you can find and afford.

If you don't feel better in less than one minute, there's little hope for you.

National Ice Cream Day for 2013 was Sunday, July 21^st, which means absolutely nothing for those of us who need our fix more than once a year!

Pastor Mark

Someone sent me this illustration.  I don't know who came up with it or I would give credit.  It is not original from me.

A man was walking down the street when he passed an old man in a rocking chair on the front porch. On the porch was an old hound dog.

As the man walked by, he couldn't help but hear the dog was moaning and crying.

On his way back home, the man passed the same old man on the porch and the dog was still there and still moaning and groaning.

The man stopped and said, “Pardon me. I don't mean to intrude, but do you mind me asking why your dog keeps making those terrible sounds?”

“Sure,” said the old man. ”It's because he's lying on a nail.”

The man was shocked. ”Lying on a nail! Why doesn't he get up?”

“It hurts him bad enough to complain about it but not bad enough to get up and move.” the old man replied.

In keeping with the theme of the summer (if you were here for my sermon Sunday, this makes more sense)  I have had this sense all summer for a focus on Spiritual Growth.  I know that is a broad theme.  But are we working at growing in our relationship with Christ or are we just sitting still?

Are you uncomfortable enough to make a change or just OK with where you are at spiritually?  I know it can hurt or be uncomfortable to grow, but it is worth it.  Keep working on your faith/relationship with Christ.  It is extremely important.

PB