My boys are growing up with a different image of serving Jesus. In their minds a person who loves God (and follows His commands) knocks on doors. They wait to see if someone comes and if no one does they leave a flyer.
Other than myself, my son Aaron has left more flyers than anyone I know. Even full grown men who love Christ and work for Him when the opportunity arise can't compete. I know that this is no contest. Aaron does not think along these lines. Usually, I do not either (but let a father be proud.)
Why wouldn't a person want to spread the word about the most important thing in the universe? Some people still do not understand the mystery of Christ. God chooses through His great mercy and grace to spread that knowledge by proclamation. So be it-let us proclaim.
New Heights set a goal of a 100,000 touches by April 17th, 2011. It looks like, we are on track to reach more like 200,000 touches. A touch is as Stan would say (Stan's the guy who runs the Anime shop in our focus area-you probably don't know him and he's not the most authoritative source to quote but when you're right you're right) Anyway, Stan says a "Premeditated act of decency makes the world go round." So get decent-Proclaim the gospel.
What about those who don't want to here it? Well, I say whisper when they are around. If they are on their way to hell and they don't want to hear the alternative-or believe in hell at all-then why ruin what little bit of enjoyment they have left by preaching and annoying gospel to them? However, we must speak even when people don't want to hear-but no necessarily to those who don't want to hear. Talk to someone who knows enough to listen.
By the way, there are those who are supposedly listening but really they are just trying to drain the strength of your resolve. Probably best to let them go as well... Look for people who are genuinely interested in something better. They are ripe. How do you find them? Tell everyone and the one's who are genuinely interested will float to the top...
So, we flyer. We put the word out. We knock on doors and talk to anyone who will listen. Sometimes some of us do it instead of say...eating. How important is it? I can not adequately express!
The harvest is ripe-I pray the Lord of the harvest send more workers. I pray He continues to send us.
God Bless your labors for Him.
Pastor Daniel Stevenson
www.newheightsfellowshipchurch.org
BTW Community movie night 02/25/11 7 PM different movies for adults/children/youth.
Fore more information get our number from the link above and give us a call or show up.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Time keeps on Slipping away
It's late. In fact, it's tomorrow. Tomorrow will be lost in recovery. Today, got out of hand. I have a wonderful family and we always block out time to be together and it's important. However, try as I might I did not get my papers written the way I would have liked...
Isn't it interesting how when you look back you can't believe how fast the time has gone but when you consider what you are trying to cram into a day you think about how little time there is. We get time perceptions all screwed up that's for sure.
Anyway, so here I am too tired to find my way to my tooth brush and pillow in that order and I'm writing this to whoever you are...
Let God do something amazing in your life. He wants to redeem your days. Then at the end of a long day, whether it's filled with shouting or hugging you will be able to say this day was valuabel for the Lord.
I will cram more into each day than is humanly possible. I believe that there is more to life than meets the eye-even the trained eye-even the faith-powered eye. God alone can see certain things!
So, write papers and do your job and love your kids and hug your wife and wash teh dishes on borrowed time cause there simply is no other way. Let God redeem the day. Don't waste these precious moments which He paid such a high price for...
The bus comes early. Where's my tooth brush. If I don't get some consistent rest I won't need bags for my next vacation cause I'll store my cothes in the bags under my eyes...
Not funny? Well, maybe tomorrow then...
Pastor Dan Stevenson
www.newheightsfellowshipchurch.org
Isn't it interesting how when you look back you can't believe how fast the time has gone but when you consider what you are trying to cram into a day you think about how little time there is. We get time perceptions all screwed up that's for sure.
Anyway, so here I am too tired to find my way to my tooth brush and pillow in that order and I'm writing this to whoever you are...
Let God do something amazing in your life. He wants to redeem your days. Then at the end of a long day, whether it's filled with shouting or hugging you will be able to say this day was valuabel for the Lord.
I will cram more into each day than is humanly possible. I believe that there is more to life than meets the eye-even the trained eye-even the faith-powered eye. God alone can see certain things!
So, write papers and do your job and love your kids and hug your wife and wash teh dishes on borrowed time cause there simply is no other way. Let God redeem the day. Don't waste these precious moments which He paid such a high price for...
The bus comes early. Where's my tooth brush. If I don't get some consistent rest I won't need bags for my next vacation cause I'll store my cothes in the bags under my eyes...
Not funny? Well, maybe tomorrow then...
Pastor Dan Stevenson
www.newheightsfellowshipchurch.org
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Integrity in the Underdog Church-wake Up!
Underdog
Why does the church keep acting like the underdog? I'm wondering why since we have God on our side we don't just go for it? Old, established churches, gather (and sometimes don't) and they are completely sold on hearing what the pastor has to say (and sometimes they aren't.) They take it with them but sometimes seem to reach a point where it isn't relevant (the teaching) through out the rest of the week. How can this be?
Compartmenalization:
Segmenting your life is dangerous. It seems almost necessary in this day. We want to believe that much of what we do does not change who we are. We don't know who we are in many cases and we are deathly afraid of finding out. Non-Christians probably should be. In some way who you are will reflect where you are headed and when Hell is the destination, the reflection isn't pretty.
Doubt equals fearing your reflection
Maybe Christians have the same problem. Christians are going to heaven. That was settled at Calvary. However, all it takes it doubt (and there seems to be plenty of that) and we could start fearing the reflection.
Cat:
I used to have a cat that would bat the cat in the mirror. It was cute. Not so much so in humans who are afraid of the reflection and try to preemptive strike it by not looking. Take a long look at who you are. It is who God made you to be-or at least it is how far you have come...
Self-exmination:
Anyway, all this seems to lead people to avoid self-examination. Probably because they are afraid of what they will find. Avoiding self-examination naturally leads to segmenting your life. See, I was getting back to it all the while...
We segment our life because we don't want to admit that that crap we are taking in is affecting us. We watch criminals perpetrate horrid crimes (fictitious or real) on TV and think-that is not real and its not me so I am fine...But what you watch is you. Not that you are criminal or even "like them." However, you have chosen to put that stuff in your head.
Recycling Bin:
On the computer, whatever you put in the "recycling bin" remains on your computer. The idea is that some people make mistakes and then want to un-delete something that they have sent to the recycling bin. It works. I have done it. In the mean time your hard drive is still partially filled with the junk that you have plans to be rid of. It still affects your hard drive-say if it has viruses in it.
The only way to stop this is to quarantine any infected files. I am not a computer person per se. I do not need any more details than what I have on how this works. However, the point is, that what's still there is still there.
The only way to get rid of it is to delete it-"actual and whole."
The same is true with our lives. When we put junk in our heads which it's really easy to do...Then the only way to be rid of the evil influence of it is to delete it "actual and whole." Problem-This is not within our ability. We can delete the source-we stop watching. However, forgetting is only questionably under our control.
Born again:
God can, However. He can help you erase the junk you've put in. So, repent. Turn from the junk that you are putting in and pray to God that you know you need healing from it. Stop watching evil and pretending that it doesn't effect you. Stop trying to compartmentalize it. This same principle applies to the mundane. Mundane is not inherently evil but is essentially uselessness compared to usefulness and so can be evil to those who are supposed to be useful.
God initiated an invasion and we are supposed to be part of it. The scheming enemy is focused in purpose to keep us from our potential. He wants to distract even divide. He seems to be succeeding since the church is acting like the underdog.
Wake up!
But we are not the underdog. You can actually do whatever you choose to do for God! You can change the wold for the better or for the worse now that you have Christ. You do not have to allow age, sex, race, nationality, economic status, or anything else to get in the way. Do not be divided against yourself. Decide now that nothing and no one will stand in your way from passionately living a life of purpose and love for the God who loved you that much to give his self for you-"actual and whole."
Integrity:
Integrity is being actual and whole. While division within yourself may seem useful now to allow you to dabble in things you should not-It is ultimately draining and weakening to the point of uselessness and the enemy knows this. So, stop. Be one person, know yourself, and your destination. Let that be the purpose of your life. Reaching new Heights in Christ!
You are not the underdog here! You have already triumphed (in Christ) over everyone of these distractions and hardships. They will one day all be permanently deleted. How can you do for Christ what you have never done before? Are you old and tired? Giving, working, and especially loving are energizing! Get alive and then live alive until it's time to go home...
God Bless you as you pursue Christ.
Pastor Dan Stevenson
www.newheightsfellowshipchurch.org
Why does the church keep acting like the underdog? I'm wondering why since we have God on our side we don't just go for it? Old, established churches, gather (and sometimes don't) and they are completely sold on hearing what the pastor has to say (and sometimes they aren't.) They take it with them but sometimes seem to reach a point where it isn't relevant (the teaching) through out the rest of the week. How can this be?
Compartmenalization:
Segmenting your life is dangerous. It seems almost necessary in this day. We want to believe that much of what we do does not change who we are. We don't know who we are in many cases and we are deathly afraid of finding out. Non-Christians probably should be. In some way who you are will reflect where you are headed and when Hell is the destination, the reflection isn't pretty.
Doubt equals fearing your reflection
Maybe Christians have the same problem. Christians are going to heaven. That was settled at Calvary. However, all it takes it doubt (and there seems to be plenty of that) and we could start fearing the reflection.
Cat:
I used to have a cat that would bat the cat in the mirror. It was cute. Not so much so in humans who are afraid of the reflection and try to preemptive strike it by not looking. Take a long look at who you are. It is who God made you to be-or at least it is how far you have come...
Self-exmination:
Anyway, all this seems to lead people to avoid self-examination. Probably because they are afraid of what they will find. Avoiding self-examination naturally leads to segmenting your life. See, I was getting back to it all the while...
We segment our life because we don't want to admit that that crap we are taking in is affecting us. We watch criminals perpetrate horrid crimes (fictitious or real) on TV and think-that is not real and its not me so I am fine...But what you watch is you. Not that you are criminal or even "like them." However, you have chosen to put that stuff in your head.
Recycling Bin:
On the computer, whatever you put in the "recycling bin" remains on your computer. The idea is that some people make mistakes and then want to un-delete something that they have sent to the recycling bin. It works. I have done it. In the mean time your hard drive is still partially filled with the junk that you have plans to be rid of. It still affects your hard drive-say if it has viruses in it.
The only way to stop this is to quarantine any infected files. I am not a computer person per se. I do not need any more details than what I have on how this works. However, the point is, that what's still there is still there.
The only way to get rid of it is to delete it-"actual and whole."
The same is true with our lives. When we put junk in our heads which it's really easy to do...Then the only way to be rid of the evil influence of it is to delete it "actual and whole." Problem-This is not within our ability. We can delete the source-we stop watching. However, forgetting is only questionably under our control.
Born again:
God can, However. He can help you erase the junk you've put in. So, repent. Turn from the junk that you are putting in and pray to God that you know you need healing from it. Stop watching evil and pretending that it doesn't effect you. Stop trying to compartmentalize it. This same principle applies to the mundane. Mundane is not inherently evil but is essentially uselessness compared to usefulness and so can be evil to those who are supposed to be useful.
God initiated an invasion and we are supposed to be part of it. The scheming enemy is focused in purpose to keep us from our potential. He wants to distract even divide. He seems to be succeeding since the church is acting like the underdog.
Wake up!
But we are not the underdog. You can actually do whatever you choose to do for God! You can change the wold for the better or for the worse now that you have Christ. You do not have to allow age, sex, race, nationality, economic status, or anything else to get in the way. Do not be divided against yourself. Decide now that nothing and no one will stand in your way from passionately living a life of purpose and love for the God who loved you that much to give his self for you-"actual and whole."
Integrity:
Integrity is being actual and whole. While division within yourself may seem useful now to allow you to dabble in things you should not-It is ultimately draining and weakening to the point of uselessness and the enemy knows this. So, stop. Be one person, know yourself, and your destination. Let that be the purpose of your life. Reaching new Heights in Christ!
You are not the underdog here! You have already triumphed (in Christ) over everyone of these distractions and hardships. They will one day all be permanently deleted. How can you do for Christ what you have never done before? Are you old and tired? Giving, working, and especially loving are energizing! Get alive and then live alive until it's time to go home...
God Bless you as you pursue Christ.
Pastor Dan Stevenson
www.newheightsfellowshipchurch.org
Friday, February 4, 2011
Little things
There's an epidemic in our midst. It seems that people regularly bring up concerns or tell someone something that they just think they should know without thinking about the ramifications. These are little things that make no difference in the grand scheme of things but here's how they drain the strength out of everyone involved.
But first, a quick plug for being the church...Why doesn't the church stop playing like we are the underdog and start playing like we are the favorite to win it. If I had to put money (and I think gambling is a sin when a person does it hoping for gain) I would bet on the power packed, children of God over the earthy lost folks of this world every day. In fact the way I see it-Only one horse will even finish the race. So, if you're a believer, rock the pillars! Let's get moving and live out that which we know to be true-We are God's awesome agent of power in this lifetime!
We will we will rock the house! Unless of course you think that the God of the world paid such a steep price to set us up to lose. Nope, I don't think so either.
Where was I? Oh, yeah. I was illustrating the epidemic. So, someone says something that perhaps should not have been said or should have been said differently. They meant no harm 9as far as anyone knows.) Then someone spends some time thinking about it and decides something simply must be done-This is the start of the fatigue-they are tired now and even saddened by the necessity of confronting the person and trying to figure out how to do it in a loving way. Maybe they do or maybe they don't. Anyway, after whatever time of preparation they go to the person- that is if they don't harbor ill feelings (very tiring) or spend some time gossiping to someone else about the whole thing (Tiring for the person and the audience.)
So, they go to the person who unintentionally misspoke and they confront them. The mis-speaker does not see it coming because they (allegedly) meant no harm. They are caught off guard but perhaps apologize (tiring) or defend themselves (tiring) or promise to think it over (tiring.) The bottom line is that all this effort went forth from one comment that was made in a somewhat carefree manner (notice I did not say careless.)
What stinks about the whole thing is that at some point everyone gets tired-hard feelings develop-and in the mean time no one has been doing what they were made to do. Relating to God and enjoying the reassuring nature of his presence-Read evangelism and discipleship.
Evangelism is when someone tells someone else the good news about Jesus and asks them to believe and live the same. Discipleship is done by Jesus and occur rs when a person who is plugged into Christ lives for Christ a little more every day. If teaching someone how to say something or that they have misspoken in some small way is part of helping someone to be more like Jesus then we are missing the big picture.
The power of God is set aside for those who are spreading the Gospel. Jesus sat down at the right hand of the power of God and lo He is with us even unto the end of the age---If we are spreading the good news-Matthew 28:18-
So stop fretting the little stuff and get busing telling people the big thing. Really, do we have time for all this nitpicking if we are busy doing the right thing? It sounds like persecution to me...
Pastor Dan
www.Newheightsfellowshipchurch.org
But first, a quick plug for being the church...Why doesn't the church stop playing like we are the underdog and start playing like we are the favorite to win it. If I had to put money (and I think gambling is a sin when a person does it hoping for gain) I would bet on the power packed, children of God over the earthy lost folks of this world every day. In fact the way I see it-Only one horse will even finish the race. So, if you're a believer, rock the pillars! Let's get moving and live out that which we know to be true-We are God's awesome agent of power in this lifetime!
We will we will rock the house! Unless of course you think that the God of the world paid such a steep price to set us up to lose. Nope, I don't think so either.
Where was I? Oh, yeah. I was illustrating the epidemic. So, someone says something that perhaps should not have been said or should have been said differently. They meant no harm 9as far as anyone knows.) Then someone spends some time thinking about it and decides something simply must be done-This is the start of the fatigue-they are tired now and even saddened by the necessity of confronting the person and trying to figure out how to do it in a loving way. Maybe they do or maybe they don't. Anyway, after whatever time of preparation they go to the person- that is if they don't harbor ill feelings (very tiring) or spend some time gossiping to someone else about the whole thing (Tiring for the person and the audience.)
So, they go to the person who unintentionally misspoke and they confront them. The mis-speaker does not see it coming because they (allegedly) meant no harm. They are caught off guard but perhaps apologize (tiring) or defend themselves (tiring) or promise to think it over (tiring.) The bottom line is that all this effort went forth from one comment that was made in a somewhat carefree manner (notice I did not say careless.)
What stinks about the whole thing is that at some point everyone gets tired-hard feelings develop-and in the mean time no one has been doing what they were made to do. Relating to God and enjoying the reassuring nature of his presence-Read evangelism and discipleship.
Evangelism is when someone tells someone else the good news about Jesus and asks them to believe and live the same. Discipleship is done by Jesus and occur rs when a person who is plugged into Christ lives for Christ a little more every day. If teaching someone how to say something or that they have misspoken in some small way is part of helping someone to be more like Jesus then we are missing the big picture.
The power of God is set aside for those who are spreading the Gospel. Jesus sat down at the right hand of the power of God and lo He is with us even unto the end of the age---If we are spreading the good news-Matthew 28:18-
So stop fretting the little stuff and get busing telling people the big thing. Really, do we have time for all this nitpicking if we are busy doing the right thing? It sounds like persecution to me...
Pastor Dan
www.Newheightsfellowshipchurch.org
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