Sunday Thoughts - 7/26/09

I didn’t sleep well on Saturday night for thinking of the message. When I got up I was calm, relaxed, and ready for worship. But when I pulled on the parking lot, I got so nervous. I started pacing the floor in my office ready and anxious to preach. When worship began, I started to relax and as the service progressed I really started to relax.

But, when sermon time came, I got nervous all over again. I knew my manuscript but was fumbling over words, getting tongue tied, and for the first time we turned the A/C on. I’m not used to preaching with air blowing directly into my mouth but I need to get used to it. The Lord carried me through.

How do I describe our worship experience? Wonderful! Man, we had church yesterday!

I started our series; “Trusting God Our Shepherd – An Exposition of Psalms 23”

Topic: I’m Safe In His Arms
Text: Psalms 23:1A

Thesis: He knows how to keep me because I don’t know how to keep myself.

The Importance of the Sheep to the Shepherd
Point: You’re never so far away from God that He will not come find you

The Intentional Caring of the Shepherd to the Sheep
Point: God knows how to take care of you

The Intimate Relationship Between Shepherd and Sheep
Point: God knows you by name

The Irrevocable Nature of the Shepherd
Point: God will not mistreat you

Thank God for the message and to all our guest who came to church may God continue to bless you with His loving care. Tracy sang Safe In His Arms before the message. She did a real good job blessing us. Thank you!

After church, we had dinner together as a family with lasagna, salad, bread, First Goodwill swamp juice, cake, cookies, and what is a church dinner without fried chicken. Hmmmmm good! Thank you to our I’m Hungry Ministry (Culinary Ministry).

Glen and Marie celebrated 23 years of marriage yesterday and spent they’re day in church all day long. Thank you both and Happy Anniversary from your pastor. Much love to you

We celebrated the men and women of our church with 3:30 pm service with guest church New Birth Community Church, pastor Michael Saunders III. He preached our theme “It’s Our Time” from Galatians 6:9. Wonderful job! He really blessed me and the church and killed us singing the hymn “I Need Thee Every Hour”. Wow!

To Deacon Loud and Deacon Ham, thank you for your service in coordinating our afternoon service. God is not unjust to forget your labor of love. Thank you!

And when I though it couldn’t get any better, a member I’ve been praying for, Joseph Brown, came to our afternoon service. I did everything I could to fight back the tears. But I broke down during my remarks at the end of the service. It was really good for us, as a church, to see him and he looked real good. I proud of the church I pastor because when he came through the door they showered him with love and affection. That’s the kind of church I want to pastor. Praise God!

Many former members came to the afternoon service as well. Some with a church home and others without. Just about every person who walked through the door was amazed at the new look and it took them 5 minutes (no exaggeration) before they took a seat. One lady was so encouraged that she held my hand with tears in her eyes, only to say, “I knew you were the one God called to pastor this church. I’m coming home!”

I told her to pray for us and asked if she was committed to a church. Her response; “Not, really!” I then told her she’s always welcomed to come home.

I’m still riding on cloud nine from our worship experience. God is truly doing something wonderful, new, and exciting in our church. I’m just making myself available to be used by God. Keep praying for us.

Finally, sermons are now online at www.fgmbc.org “Good Life Media Ministry” tab and click on sermons. Progress!

Until next time, be blessed!