Gooooooooooooood Morning! :D

Well good morning!  the alarm goes off and the first thing you think is, noooooo I just went to sleep!  Well that's what it feels like, right?  We stumble around trying to find where that clock is, and by the time we do everyone in the house is surely up by now.  One would think.  But no, they are just as asleep as you were, but now you get to wake them...and well you become a living alarm clock.  


Does that seem to picture your daily routine?  Praise the Lord, thats not everyday.  But in life God has a way of giving us wake up calls, where at first, we are startled, even alarmed, and confused.  But as time goes by we clean up, wake up...we see that it was just the start of a beautiful day!  


So get up get walking your road in life...just don't walk it alone....take Jesus with you.  And if you left home without him, or never even had him...well this is a good day for you too.  Realize that none of us, no not one get do this world alone.  That hard as you try you fall short, and well God is a perfect God, and with those standards, none of are going to make it...and you see a long time ago, God well he saw that he loved us sooooooo much that he wanted to make a clear path back to him so we could be with him for ever...so he did something drastic, he sent his son  Jesus to pay the penalty for the mistakes, or sins that we do and have done, and to die a horrible death in our place...but thats not where it ends.....he, Jesus, being God in the flesh, well he came back....from the grave...sounds like a great movie, right?!?  Only this is real!!  Yeah!!  Once you realize this, and accept that fact, put on your coat of salvation....then go and walk your road!....thats it for today, from portfmc

What? A gift? Whats that?

What are your gifts?  Some people either confuse natural talent and abilities with spiritual gifts or think that gifts are just for leadership?!?

Let me just say that talents and abilities are things that we can either be born with or God can give us, however, these are things that we can do for God or we can do for ungodly purposes.  Gifts on the other hand are things that we wouldn't naturally be able to do, but for some reason in the right setting (spiritual), it all comes together.  But because of that reason, many people will often try to plug into to service in a church in an area they feel comfortable in, but might not have any gifting in...the result is they get frustrated and walk away...Does that sound like something you have done?  When all you really needed to do is find a service that highlights the gifts that you have.  Now spiritual gifts are given to all believers, not just pastors or lay leaders.  And we are told in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 that every gift is important, and that we all need to use the gifts that we have to build the body of Christ, which is the church.  There is no gift that is greater or less than any other gift.  The important thing to remember is to do that gift in the spirit of love...So, what are your gifts?  Do you know?  Find out, ask your pastor and plug in!

God's Spirit and gifts

Well, we begin a study in the morning about "spiritual gifts."  this is exciting due to the fact that my church is moving into the realm of full active body.  I have found that most Christians think that gifts are just for some, and never for most?!?  However, scripture states that gifts are for all believers for the edification of the body of believers.  This week we are looking at what gifts are not.  Next week we are discovering our gifts, and the members are taking a spiritual inventory.  The following week, we will learn how to empower our gift, I am going around and plugging everyone....awesome!

Power in Prayer

In Acts chapter 2 there is this incredible picture of the disciples after Jesus died and rose from the dead.  They were all meeting in prayer in an upper room.  While they were praying the amazing power of God showed up!

Just some things I want to point out is that when they started to pray (vs 1-2) they prayed "until", some people will ask, "how long to we pray?" or "God's not listening to me..."  I know that waiting on an answer is not always the easiest thing to do.  There are times, and sometimes these are times of great difficulty, that I just want God to ride in and save the day, or move his hand in heaven and just make everything alright, ya know?  The amazing thing in my life, well at least now is that I can look back and see all the wonderful times God did answer, just not always right when I wanted (a little kid..give it to me now!!!!!!), right?  but in his time they are answered in just the right way for me.  I love what it says in these verse because they prayed and prayed and prayed some more...they kept praying until...until what?....until God answers!

It also states that they continued to meet with other Christians, for fellowship and prayer.  Some people think that they don't need to go to church, "it's boring", or "all they want is $", right?!?  Well the word in the bible for church really just means "people" or an assembly of people.  This happens anytime people of like faith get together.  In this passage  it states that they would eat together.  When is the last time you saw people at your house or when was the last time you invited someone at church home for fellowship?  Someone might just really need that.  See, if you are on the outside looking in,  there is more then old songs and boring lectures....or at least there should be.  Its about being part of something larger than yourself, strength, love, fellowship, happiness, excitement, well you get the idea.

check out your local church, and if you don't have one...come to ours



Prayer...24/7