Negative Emotions

 And the king took an oath and said, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress, I Kings 1:29 

Looking back on King David's life we know that God had delivered him from much anxiety, sorrow, pain, anguish, suffering, agony, torment, heartache and heartbreak. These are many of the same emotions we all experience in life at one time or another. We can trust God as David did with all of our emotional stresses. If anyone had a right to nurse a grudge it was David towards Saul who attempted to kill him. He trusted God with his life and knew that it would only do harm to himself and God's purpose in his life.

The root of anxiety and stress in my own life is always my own lack of faith. I am constantly repenting to God for my unbelief. Sure I have blamed a million and one other things or other people but when I finally am honest with myself it is always by my own doing, my own sin, my unbelief that God has taken care of everything for me. 

I took this picture on April 15, 2008 on a walk on the beach.

Serving: The Ultimate Adventure

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

Serving in the church is like a spiritual defibrillator - it jumpstarts the heart and brings new life! I've discovered that everyone has a secret desire to serve, but sometimes they just need a little nudge. That's where I come in - I'm a "serving evangelist" who loves to recruit others to join the journey.

The enemy tries to whisper lies that we are not worthy or qualified, but I believe that everyone has a role to play. So, I invite friends, family, and fellow church members to join me in serving. I've even invited neighbors who don't attend church to join me in activities like special events, greeting or cleaning - and they love it!

People are hungry for purpose and meaning, and serving together is a powerful way to build relationships and make memories. I've seen unsaved friends find joy and connection through serving, and even go on to become leaders in the church.

My approach is simple: start small, start local, and start together. Whether it's folding bulletins or pressure cleaning, there's a place for everyone to serve. And when we do, we'll discover that serving is not just a duty, but a delight.

So, let's shake off the martyr complex and the lies of the enemy, and embrace the joy of serving together. Let's create a culture of volunteerism and watch as our churches and communities transform. Serving is not just for the saved - it's for anyone who wants to make a difference. And when we serve together, we'll find that it's not just about what we do, but about who we become.

In the trenches of church service, I found two kindred spirits, Kammy and Shannon, who shared my heart for making a difference and my passion for serving with excellence.

Genesis Chapter 32

  

In this chapter Jacob is returning home to see his own family. He will face his brother Esau who he hadn’t seen in 20 years and at that time wanted to kill him for his deception

Verses 1-21

After making a treaty of peace with Laban, Jacob now plans to return home to Canaan and face his brother Esau.

In verses 1 & 2 God gives Jacob a glimpse of the spiritual realm of angels that are there for protection.

Remember he left on bad terms after deceiving his father and taking his birthright and blessing from his twin brother Esau.

He was afraid how Esau might respond to his return.

Jacob sent Esau a message and Esau came with 400 men. Jacob was afraid that they would be attacked so he split his family in two directions so that one group may survive.

Vs 7 Although Jacob has God’s promise and has seen God’s protection he responds in fear. (How many times have we done the same thing?)

In verse 10 he prays with humility saying I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies.

Jacob prayed thankfulness for how God had taken care of him in his life but also prayed for protection during this encounter with his brother, Esau.

(This is the longest prayer recorded in the book of Genesis)

Jacob sent gifts ahead to his brother and told his servants to refer to him as the servant of Esau. He humbled himself because he wanted reconciliation.

Verses 22-32

Jacob sent his family ahead of him to be alone.

He wrestled a man being God all night and Jacobs hip socket was put out of joint when the man touched his hip and now he walked with a limp.

Jacob thought he was winning and demanded a blessing from this man.

The man blessed him by changing his name to Israel.

Israel means “Ruled by God.”

Because God changed Jacobs name to Israel his future descendants became the Israelite nation we read about in the scriptures ahead.

In this world the idea of reconciling with people is not something that the world talks about but God wants us to be reconciled to one another and love each other and not be bitter. The worlds view is to write people off but the most important thing in this life is relationships. 

Let forgiveness take over our hearts and see what God does with restoring not just the relationships but restoring our hearts in the process.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called the sons of God.” Matthew 5:9

Jacob and Esau had a rough beginning. Jacob set out to reconcile with his brother.

God was preparing Jacob for what He had prepared for him!

and

God is preparing us for what He has prepared for us!