Monday Morning Perspective

We are winding down with our 40 days of prayer and fasting emphasis at Fairview. As I write this Monday morning while drinking my coffee for day #34 without the flavor added, and no I'm not used to it this way and yes I'm going back to it next Monday morning, I'm just thinking that if you ever want time to slow down then go on a fast. Kidding, not kidding. It's actually been great on many levels. I've developed some new habits, holy habits if you will. After 40 days, it should be a habit. I've struggled some, not only with the lack of flavor in my coffee, but also every food or food group I decided to fast has shown up in abundance around me. Every day I decided to fast for the day proved to be challenging unless I was extremely busy. I've struggled at times yes, but all in all its been extremely positive and worthwhile. More focused time in prayer and the Word, less aggravation over things that don't really matter, more peace, more awareness of things I believe God wanted to show and reveal to me. In other words, the positives far outweigh the negative! I hope you can say the same. It's been so fun hearing your stories and your items of fast. Finish strong this last week. I'm so proud of our church family, how I love you and am grateful for each of you! 

Now about yesterday! Phenomenal on every level! It was such a treat to have Joe Sawyer with us! He and his wife Karen are family to us. They mean more to us than they'll probably ever know. They've mentored us from the day we met them and from the day we met them they felt like family. They've taught us so much about the abundant life following Jesus and so much of His Word. Not just about His Word and truth from it, although they've taught us much of that. They've taught us to love His Word and hunger for it. That's one thing I hope to pass to others before I leave this earth. The testimonies have been timely and challenging. Our band has never been better! They set the bar high yesterday for the weeks to come. Those songs, their spirit, their energy gave us a taste of heaven and left us longing for more. Keep bringing it Cross Talk! 

My husband's message was short, ok shorter. Haha. But each thought was special. Yes, money does talk. Just what is it saying about us? That we spend more on ourselves than others?  That we spend more on vacation than we give in the entire year? 

He challenged us that when we get more it's not to raise our standard of living so we can spend more. When we get more,  we should practice giving more. Again, I love his honesty and transparency. Continue to pray about our offering next week and the part you will play in kingdom giving. It will be a special time as we all don't give equally, but we all give sacrificially. 

Monday Morning Perspective

We exist for those not yet here. Without sacrifice, there is no blessing. That was the jist of the message. It was powerful as we looked at a familiar Old Testament story to some of us, in a fresh and relevant way. Genesis 22:1-18 is the story when God called Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. It didn't make sense. It seemed to go against everything God had promised, but Abraham immediately obeyed. 

The illustrations Eddie used to bring this to life were next level. I loved how he talked about the professor who talks arrogantly about half his class failing his tests yet God gives us tests and tells us they'll be hard but come to Him and He'll help us. Also the man who talked about his great grandfather planting peach trees that he would never live to see the fruit, but wanted others to enjoy the fruit of his labor. And lastly, only those actually playing on a team can truly enjoy the wins they experience because they know the sacrifice that went in to making wins possible. He concluded by saying that we can come to church and never sacrifice by giving a dime and serving, but we'll also never know and experience the true joy and blessing from the sacrifice. 

Abraham knew what God had promised and he may not have known how God would bring it about if he sacrificed Isaac, but he knew God would not break his promise. He believed God and he was obedient and God blessed!

What a great day it was at church. People surrounded our 1st time tent which is so special! We baptized 4 students. Had one of our student D groups go and meet at the home of one of their members who was recovering from surgery so she could be a part of the group...just how cool is that?! We heard another amazing testimony from one of our members of how faithful God had been to his family as they had practiced stewardship through the years. God is doing so much! I'm constantly in awe that He allows me to be a part of serving at this place for such a time as this. Be blessed today and bless others!

Monday Morning Perspective

Yesterday was another one of those Sundays that I wished the whole world could sit under my husband's preaching! I've sat under him for 30 years and haven't tired of it yet. I've never walked out thinking the message was anything less than great. He's hit lots of home runs thanks to Jesus and now because of last week's message and then yesterday, he's hit back to back grand slams. It's hard to blog after those messages because it seems to cheapen it, so I would not only now but every week, encourage listening for yourself. If you can't be with us, thankfully, you can listen online. Technology has it's good points!

So as we continued Finish the Foundation, we camped out in the Old Testament book of Numbers chapters 13 and 14.  I agree with my son, Stephen, who said in proclaiming his love for the message, "I'm an Old Testament junkie"! I still remember the day he called and said he had fallen in love with the OT. So many treasures there...it's pure GOLD! Anyway, the entire story of taking the promised land is worth reading! Eddie challenged us throughout the message to see through the eyes of faith and not fear. God had said He had given them the land. But on the banks of the Jordan, after all He had done, the people began walking by sight instead of faith. And God removed His hand from those who chose not to believe Him and follow Him and He will still do that today in the lives of people and churches. 

Those who looked through the eyes of fear brought God to their level. They underestimated what God could do and what their decision would mean. It brought discouragement and discontentment and led to defeat. 

Those who looked through the eyes of faith saw opportunities instead of obstacles and gained courage and God's   blessing. 

Eddie gave a great word on the vision God continues to give him for our church. He quoted JD Greer who said "a successful church isn't measured by seating capacity but by sending capacity". It's great to fill up the building we have now and have multiple services, but the greatness is going to be in raising up people to go, as Eddie said, "across the world and across the street". 

In closing, Eddie shared four important things to remember...

1. The spies all saw the same thing, they just saw it differently. 

2. Some chose the comfort zone over the end zone which is a boring place to be. 

3. God shows His will but allows our choice to stand. 

4. Their perspective defeated them, not their problem. 

So after pondering this one again and writing it out, I again feel like taking a few hallelujah laps! I hope you are as encouraged and motivated as I am to believe God and walk it out in faith and claim whatever land God has shown you. Opportunities are greater than any obstacles. Let's take the land around us for His glory and do something mighty for the kingdom!

Monday Morning Perspective

So this was a rather crazy weekend weather wise. It had the same feel as when we await a snowstorm coming. Lots of weather forecasts and warnings about what was coming. Only this time it was rain and potential flooding. Not nearly as exciting but enough to keep us glued to the forecast and watching out of windows. And the rain came! Lots of rain! We didn't get the worst of it like our friends on the coast and in the midlands did, but it was still pretty bad. Saying all that just to say, like with snow, when the weather is threatening we always wonder what that will mean for Sunday morning worship. We watched packed out stadiums of people sitting in rain to watch their teams play and you just have to wonder, would people do that for church. Many don't even want to get out and drive to church with a mild rain, and honestly, I don't like it either. However, we serve at a church where people don't seem to look for excuses to miss and stay home. Most seem to love coming to church and hate when they have to miss. I'm so thankful for that. So, needless to say we had a really good crowd at both services and they brought energy and enthusiasm with them! It was a great day! Worship was intense and powerful yesterday. You could feel the Spirit and He was moving and working. We had two students saved who professed their faith and I always love our reaction, which is a raucious applause! How encouraging for those who step out in faith! 

As for my husband...he was totally on fire! Our daughter said it best when she said she felt like running laps. I so could've joined her in that. Eddie took us to Matthew 16 and preached a powerful word on the church and who Jesus is. He gave us background. He gave us a Greek  lesson. He challenged us with questions about who Jesus is to us and challenged us in our zeal for the church and our understanding that the one thing Jesus claimed ownership to was His church. We don't own it. We don't build it. It's His. We are called to be faithful to Him and serve, to be living stones. 

He concluded by encouraging us that even when it appears that the Enemy is winning, he won't succeed. Jesus has already won. His power can't be denied. There is no perfect church but we have a perfect Savior. 

This really is a poor attempt to shed light on an incredible message. If you missed it, please watch online. It's so much better than what can be written about it.