Old but Powerful Song…

GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN ME
GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN ME
GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN ME
THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD

SATAN’S LIKE A ROARING LION
ROAMING TO AND FRO
SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR
THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO
MANY SOULS HAVE BEEN HIS PREY
TO FALL IN SOME WEAK HOUR
BUT GOD HAS PROMISED US TODAY
HIS OVERCOMING POWER

GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN ME
GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN ME
GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN ME
THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD

Little Blessings…

Little Blessings in life must never be over looked. As I posted last week about our sound mixer for diversity gave out. After spending more hours looking over it I found that the internal amp can’t support what we want to do and use it for (at only 150w vs. using 500W). It seemed to be a big issue last week however God said He was bigger and He sent a blessing trough a member in the church body for us to be able to do what we need for upgrading our media for Diversity. So this morning I set forth to get what was needed to replace and upgrade our mixer… In the end the company gave me a discount of $400 off. Again this afternoon God sent another blessing in the fact that we got a big discount on paint. A savings of $200 off. Some would say wow I got lucky today, but luck had nothing to do with it. God’s sends blessings in all different sizes, shapes and colors and even trough great people. We can’t forget to Give thanks to HIM. One of the biggest Blessings I have gotten over the years was the birth of my children. I was reminded just last night how much Love God has for us. While putting Emily to bed she made my heart stop when she looked at me while walking out of the room and said “Daddy, I love you.” She has said this many times before but boy it was one of those times in life that just warms your heart. The Heart and Love of a Children for their Father… It is a great reminder that we can’t forget even the little blessings in life. And how Great our Father almighty really is. How simple but powerful are the words “Daddy, I love you.”

In His Grip,

Pastor J

The Bench Driving God….

This morning seemed to go very well. I am not about numbers but we had more students then last week. We had Q&A with the students and spoke about where are we going in life and what we are passionate about. It was great to see everyone thinking and even hearing the heart of a few. I must say It has been a blessing to have our new “Lead Worshiper” Pastor Brain join us the past few weeks. Worship has been a great time to come face to face with our Father and set our hearts on Him!
Forgive me but somthing that gets me is the term I have heard so many times in the Church body and within the Christian body for years. “The Lord Showed Up, Today” In the context of Sunday morning worship, sunday school or even within a small group or bible study. Sometimes I want to shake people and say It’s not that the Lord showed up, it’s that you woke up on Sunday morning and came to church. For years during my 11 years in ministry (Praise God It will be 12 years come this Aug) I have told the story of The Bench Driving God;
There was this young couple driving in a pickup with a bench seat. They were so ”IN-Love” They had to sit right next to each other in the truck. While the man drove the girl had to be right next to him at times it look like she was right on top of him in his seat. Years later driving the same pick up you see the girl or the mans wife now married on the other side of the seat. There being a big gap in the middle (for another person to be able to sit in the middle of the two of them). The wife ask her husband, ”Honey, Whatever happen to the younger days when we were ”IN-Love” and we sat together.” The husband replied “Sweetie, I have not moved, I still in the same seat.”
Is’t it the same with us in Christ?!? We become so passionate for Christ and become “IN-Love” with Him over the years we start to move away from Him and one day we wake up to the fact that something happened…GOD has always been there… Hello… The Past few weeks We have been talking about the Soundtrack of God and the Story of God and Hello everything is the story of God and like it or not we are in the Story of God. One day we are going to wake up and notice that there is something bigger then me (like the story I told this past week at Diversity about taking my mom to the airport) I woke up that day to the fact that there is something bigger then me. GOD never left! He is still driving that pick up. It’s we who have moved. It’s us who make the choice to come to church to meet with Christ. And It’s us who need to make that choice to wake up to the Story of God. What a great reminder of this truth. Okay I will get off my soap box and stop preaching now. :) God is good!

In His Grip,

Pastor J

Half Day

Well with taking some time off at the start of the week on Tuesday to head to the beach I am trying to play get up to date and put in a half a day today at the church to get some things done that didn’t get done before now. I was reminded last night of a child’s heart and the love one can have for God. It’s a joy to seem my kids grow each day also sad to see them grow up so fast they aren’t my babies anymore. One day I will be posting how my grandkids are growing up… Oh how scary.

Diversity last night seem to go better I felt then last week. However our new prayer request will be updating our sound system. I don’t think it can keep up with this high-tech world and boy I am sure having some age on it (20 years or so) does not help. My guess is we have a internal board inside of it may be going bad or one of the tubes have broken… Yes I said tubes. (See I was not lieing it is old.) Oh well Life goes on and God’s at work in the mighty lands of Pineora…. Time to push play and say yes to the story of God and connect for life change.

In His Grip,

Pastor J

PS: So I don’t understand but it seem my Twitter account has been hacked again…

~Get A Way~

“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).



Sometimes we have to get away or as like to say GET-A-WAY from the things around us to have a time to listen to God. Better yet a time to enjoy God and the story that is all around is. Debbie and I got to just that today with a short trip to the beach. It was hot and boy when you have no A/C in the car it does not help but past the hottest of getting there. Once we where there how great it was to put our feet in the water. I am a lake boy and love water at times I feel I am a fish. It seem when I am around water I get stronger and feel I can feel the hand of God coming down and picking me up. Even with 100s of people at the beach today I felt it was just me and God. I have to say Emily and seemed to enjoy it aswell. I think she has a little bit of Daddy in her when it comes to water. All I needed was a boat. What a great time we had as a family and got to enjoy some time with some great people. God is Good..

In His Grip,

Pastor J

Happy Father’s Day!!

A Dad is respected because he gives his children leadership.
A Dad is appreciated because he gives his children care.
A Dad is valued because he gives his children time.
A Dad is loved because he gives his children the one thing they treasure most – himself.

It’s Friday Praise God!

Fridays are great days at least when you have had a busy week. Thursday Debbie and I headed out of town to take a short, short trip to shell bluff. It was great to be able to get Debbie’s van however that was about the only reason i can say I was glad to go. One of the greatness things in life some times are the little things to having an ice maker to being able to enjoy a good cup of coffee each morning while I read some good truth in the word of God. Or even from having A/C during this hot summer, or one I am a fan of having fast internet to work with. As I was moving some things around today in my office I came across a photo I took a few years ago from my time I went to Kingston, Jamaica. One would think it would be one of the best trips ever, with nice hotels and nice places to dine on the beach front. However the place I went was not a 4 star hotel or even the cleanness beaches. During my time there, there was a war going on. Houses where little tents, you would see buses and cars turned over and on fire. When I got to the church I was to help minister to it was nothing but dirt, mud, and a few weeds in the middle of 100s of brick homes (at least that what they call them) really it was a few blocks for walls and the roof was made out of sheets. I was not sure what I was getting myself into. I drove up and found 100s of children running out under wood tables that lined the streets and out of these house looking things. They were hungry for Love. Hungry for someone to spend time with them. One little boy I met there had a steak knife he would carry with him everywhere. He said he was scared he would die before he got older. He was only 7. Oh the stories I had during my time there. Oh the people I met. At times like these you want to ask God WHY? How can this be a part of your great story? On the last day I was there packing up the van to head to the airport all the children started to sing “Jesus loves all the little children”. I have grown up hearing and singing this song in church but never did I hear it the way i did that day. With all their hearts they sang out. They sang loud and together some couldn’t sing at all but it didn’t matter. They gave life to the story of God! They have nothing but yet give God everything. That day I woke to God’s story is bigger than myself and will always be. I also woke to the face that if we don’t “push play” when things get hard in life and move forward with the story of God someone else will and we will be left behind.
In His Grip
Pastor J

Welcome to the Story of GOD!

Music is what brings movies alive. Ever hear the song Jesus loves me put with the last battle clip of Lord of the Rings… Yeah it just doesn’t go. Like it or not everything is the story of God and we are in the story of God. One of the great things about God’s story is it never ends. Being part of it beings meaning to life and we can replace having to face controling our own story and give it to God. For there is rest in His arms. CAN’T you hear the soundtrack of the Story of God playing all around us. From the wind to the water to the birds and even the trees. Everything is singing His praise for HIS glory not for us, all to Him!

Tonight we kick off part 1.

In His Grip,

Pastor J

It Came.... It Went!

So the Weekend came and went.. Just as I was starting to enjoyed my saturday afternoon in a blink of an eye here we sit on Tuesday. I am still wrapping my mind around sunday and boy I don’t know what happen to monday… Anyone see it? It seems time is starting to fly as years go on. One person once told me as you age so does your mind and it’s not so much you miss the days of the week it’s you forget them. Well if that’s true I guess I am on the path of forgetting the days of the week. Hey I am doing good to remember where I put my car keys and glasses are, as of late. Speaking of forgetting things I was watching a short clip today on youtube from the movie “Passion of the Christ”. If it’s a movie you have not seen please do. It is always good to keep fresh in our minds the pain Christ felt not just in body but in mind. While watching this clip I was reminded of mary who washed the feet of Jesus.

..and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with
her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on
them. Luke 7:38

I have always wonder as Christ was on the cross as blood was falling, bugs I sure would there. In all that blood, dirt, and sweat I bet Jesus could smell the perfume that was poured on His feet. Now thats Passion!

In His Grip,

Pastor J

Good Morning Coffee…

I will have to say the past week I have really been enjoying my morning cup of coffee. I sure not good for me to have in the first place but boy don’t I enjoy it. Along with my coffee I have listening to a CD I have by Chris Tomlin, Worship. It is a great way to prepare the day. I was talking on making time for God the other day and today I am reminded how we need to not just make time for God but we need to prepare our hearts and minds for Him as well. There are many of ways I am sure to do this but for would be to listen to a good worship CD. Back in High School before I went of to College I was given the Audio Bible Old and New Test for a gift. I have used it many of times to over the years (some not as much as I would have liked) but I find that listen to God’s word helps me come Face to Face with God and lets me focus on Him and only Him.

In His Grip,

Pastor J

~How Sweet~

Emily does not feel good tonight as it's been a long week of packing for our move and the heat is not working out to well as it's been nothing but HOT and even HOTTER... While rocking her tonight before bed she asked me to sing that "Jesus Jesus Song Daddy" I asked if she meant "Jesus Loves Me" She said "No... the Jesus Jesus Song!" I found out she was meaning "There's something about that name". A powerful hymn I have always sung to her from the time she was a baby. A song written many years ago by the Gaithers, (And I might add, whom I'm a big fan of).
I once heard many years ago the statement: "The older generation had Hymns, This generation took them away, the next generation is bring them back." How true is that.... You can so see that being true if you have live any bit of time in the world. I will soon do a blog post on this topic in the weeks coming... God is Good!

Pastor J

~Good Stuff~

One day, a man went to visit a church. He got there early, parked his car,
and got out. Another car pulled up near and the driver got out and said, "I
always park there! You took my place!"


The visitor went inside for Sunday School, found an empty seat and sat down.
A young lady from the church approached him and stated, "That's my seat! You
took my place!"

The visitor was somewhat distressed by this rude welcome, but said nothing.

After Sunday School, the visitor went into the sanctuary and sat down.
Another member walked up to him and said, "That's where I always sit! You
took my place!" The visitor was even more troubled by this treatment, but
still He said nothing.

Later as the congregation was praying for Christ to dwell among them, the
visitor stood up, and his appearance began to change. Horrible scars became
visible on his hands and on his sandaled feet.

Someone from the congregation noticed him and called out, "What happened to
you?"

The visitor replied, as his hat became a crown of thorns, and a tear fell
from his eye, "I took your place."



Humm I hope this makes you think.

In His Grip,
Pastor J