Good morning,

 

Welcome to another Service at Blogstream Community Church!  It is both a privilege and a pleasure to be with you once again, to share God's word and God's love with you as a community of both seekers and believers.

 

 

Announcements

 

Prayer Requests and Praise Reports have been moved to our sister blog:

Sweet Hour of Prayer.  Please bookmark it or follow this link (http://sweethourofprayer.blogstream.com/) to keep updated on current prayer requests.

 

If you are interested in helping with the Prayer Blog, please contact L.Cat or PraywithHope.

 

 

Last month I received a big shock when the evening custodian asked me if I had seen my obituary in the paper earlier that week.  I said something along the lines of “You’re Kidding Me!”  I checked the paper and, to my surprise, there it was:  “Ronald Asher” had died in Steelville, MO.  Obviously, it wasn’t me, and as far as we know no relation to our family.  It did get me thinking though.  What would my obituary say?  What would I want it to say?

An obituary is usually a pretty drab and boring document.  Your entire life wrapped up in a few words.  If a stranger wrote my obituary, would they say I was a grumpy, mean-spirited old man who finally went, finally died of his orneriness?  Would I be described as a person who looked at life as a challenge and was determined to wring the last ounce of joy out of it before kicking the proverbial bucket?

For the Christian, it comes down to Paul’s words found in Romans 5: 1-5:  

1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have^[a] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

All of us who go by the name Christians have the assurance through the Holy Spirit that we are at peace with God.  Life’s tribulations produce perseverance…and perseverance produces character…and character produces hope. 

Character is defined as the pattern of behavior or personality found in an individual or group; moral constitution.  It is how we live in a difficult time that speaks of our character.  How we react in a crisis doesn’t necessarily make our character; rather, it reveals it. Adversity usually offers a choice: character or compromise.  If we choose character, we grow…we mature in our faith…we reflect the image of Christ in our lives.

The twelve step programs have a step where you take a fearless moral inventory of your life.  In it, they look at their life, their choices, how their addiction has affected them and their world.  Their shortcomings are revealed. 

We need to do a spiritual inventory too.  We need to look at every aspect of our life and look for cracks in our character.  How did we react with family, friends, our acquaintances?  Would they listen if we started telling them what Christ has done for us?  Our character is our witness.

The late G.B. Williamson told his classes at Nazarene Bible College two personal anecdotes from his own life.  He had just purchased a new car and the gas station attendant (yes…people were once paid to pump your gas) accidentally let the gas slosh out on his car.  G.B. made an angry retort to the attendant.  Later that night, G.B. came out of a store to his car.  Snow was falling heavily by then.  He noticed an elderly couple in the car next to him, trying to clean the windshield with their wipers and defroster. He stepped over to their car and cleaned the windows off.  The couple inside the car smiled and waved their thanks.  

After telling these events, he asked the class: Who would have been more receptive to the message of Christ: The attendant who was hollered at or the couple who was helped.  Character counts.

Would my obituary contain good words about my character?  I hope so.  I would like to be remembered as someone who made a difference in someone’s life. It’d be great to be considered a hero.  But above all else, I’ll be happy…indeed honored…if my obituary reads…Not Perfect But FORGIVEN…and that my friends are what give me HOPE.

Shall we pray:  Heavenly Father. Thank You for the peace that we experience when our sins are forgiven.  Search us O Lord…point out our flaws…Help us to overcome them…Draw us ever closer to You.  We pray…in the name of Jesus…Amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good morning,

Welcome to another Service at Blogstream Community Church!  It is both a privilege and a pleasure to be with you once again, to share God's word and God's love with you as a community of both seekers and believers.

Announcements

Prayer Requests and Praise Reports have been moved to our sister blog:

Sweet Hour of Prayer.  Please bookmark it or follow this link (http://sweethourofprayer.blogstream.com/) to keep updated on current prayer requests.

If you are interested in helping with the Prayer Blog, please contact Bookworm or PraywithHope.

Father we open our hearts and our ears and our eyes to learn your truth for us today. Thank you for your word and thank you for caring for us enough to spend time with us. In Jesus’ name, amen.

A GUIDELINE FOR PRAYER

Matthew 6: 9-13

9"This, then, is how you should pray:
" 'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us today our daily bread.
12Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.

“Child of mine,” the Father says,

“Will you come and sit with me?

Will you tell me all about your life

And how you have come to love me so?”

“But Father, I know not what to say,” this child replies,

“I know not how to pray

Nor talk to a God who created as well as

 Holds the universe in His Hands.”

“My child,” the Father said”

“It is quite easy; let me give you some tips.

First of all remember to give reverence to my name;

Second, pray with me, asking that soon my throne will be established on earth.

And also when you are praying for yourself and for others,

Remember to come seeking what my plan may be

So that your plea may be one with my plan

And then truly my will can be accomplished on earth.”

“But Father, how could I ever know your heart’s desire and plan;

For my own life or especially for another?”

“Trust me, my child,” the Father said, “I will not let you down.”

“And now a few other things, my child,” the Father said,

“Please recognize that I do want to meet your daily needs;

Sometimes I know there may be a bit of discrepancy between your choice and mine,

But I will care for you.

And another thing we need to share about is the issue of forgiveness.

It is my desire, my child, that you confess your sin -

Not only asking for forgiveness but accepting it as well.

And there is a very important part in this practice of forgiveness,

I need you to forgive those who commit sin against you.

Oh yes, I know you hurt because of their sin -

But remember that I hurt too because of your sin;

Yet I allowed my Son Jesus to really anguish and then die

So I could truly get rid of your confessed sin forever.

So yes, forgive, as you have received forgiveness from me.”

“Oh Father,” I cried, “How can I forgive?”

“Oh Jesus,” I cried, “How could you die for me?”

“Oh Spirit,” I prayed, “Can you truly help me to live like Jesus?

Help me, I pray, to forgive others.”

“Thank you, my child,” the Father said,

“A good start you have made.

One more thing I ask of you - and I promise I will help if I am asked;

When you come into life situations - those things that would tempt you to do wrong,

That ask you to come and follow them; come and try, it’s okay.

Ask me to help you turn and go the other way,

Ask me for strength to say no to wrong;

And I will give you wisdom and guidance to rather walk in my way.”

“Oh, Father,” I responded, “What an awesome God you are;

You are Almighty, All-powerful, pure, holy and without sin,

Yet you have been merciful to me and granted forgiveness,

You have promised to always be with me,

You have promised to always take care of me,

And you have assured me you sincerely want to talk with me.

May all praise, glory and honor be yours now and forever - Amen.”

Lord, I pray that you will truly find each one of open to the presence and guidance of your Spirit each day as we live for You here on this earth. Amen

- J. Friesen 2008    

Good morning,

Welcome to another Service at Blogstream Community Church!  It is both a privilege and a pleasure to be with you once again, to share God's word and God's love with you as a community of both seekers and believers.

Announcements

Prayer Requests and Praise Reports have been moved to our sister blog:

Sweet Hour of Prayer.  Please bookmark it or follow this link (http://sweethourofprayer.blogstream.com/) to keep updated on current prayer requests.

If you are interested in helping with the Prayer Blog, please contact Bookworm or PraywithHope.

I Have Decided to Follow Jesus/Amy Grant

Walking By Faith

JESUS SAID TO HIM, "THOMAS, BECAUSE YOU HAVE
  SEEN ME, YOU HAVE BELIEVED.  BLESSED ARE
  THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN AND YET HAVE
  BELIEVED."
                          (JOHN 20:29 *NKJ ) 

   Good Morning ,
       Not seeing and still believing is what being a true
   Christian is all about.  FOR WE WALK BY FAITH,
   NOT BY SIGHT.  ( 2 CORINTHIANS 5:7 )

       Now walking by faith my dear friend, is believing with
   all of your heart, mind and soul that God will Guide you
   and Protect you.   Also believing that He is there to
   Comfort, Bless and Love you, and knowing that He is
   here performing Miracles all over the Earth each and
   every day as well.

       Further, by believing that if you ask God to take control
   of your life and will, your life will vastly improve!  It is by
   seeing the beauty that surrounds us in this World, and
   how perfectly everything works together, and knowing
   that all of this could not have happened by accident!
   For: BY FAITH WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE WORLDS
   WERE FRAMED BY THE WORD OF GOD, SO THAT
   THE THINGS WHICH ARE SEEN WERE NOT MADE
   OF THINGS WHICH ARE VISIBLE.  ( HEBREWS 11:3

       No, we can't see God standing on the street corner
   touching lives, healing people and caring for them, but
   those with faith know that He is there!  So don't ever be like
   doubting Thomas, instead know that God is watching over
   you right know!   Therefore My Friend, have a wonderful
   day knowing that you are in good hands indeed!

       Let us pray!

        Thank you most blessed Heavenly Father for your

    ever presence.  I am not alone, but in the arms of

    my Father.  You comfort me when I need comforting,

    and you scold me when I need scolding.  Thank you

    for this love.

       In Jesus Name, Amen

Open the Eyes of my Heart, Lord

Good morning,

 

Welcome to another Service at Blogstream Community Church!  It is both a privilege and a pleasure to be with you once again, to share God's word and God's love with you as a community of both seekers and believers.

 

 

Announcements

 

Prayer Requests and Praise Reports have been moved to our sister blog:

Sweet Hour of Prayer.  Please bookmark it or follow this link (http://sweethourofprayer.blogstream.com/) to keep updated on current prayer requests.

 

If you are interested in helping with the Prayer Blog, please contact Bookworm or PraywithHope.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conformists or Nonconformists

 

 

On July 11^th, I celebrated my double nickel birthday.  My 55^th birthday caused me to reflect on the history I’ve lived through.  It ranged from the drop and cover drills of the Cold War to Vietnam, 9/11 and two Gulf Wars.  I thought about the celebrities who died either from natural causes, drug overdoses, automobile or plane crashes.

 

As I thought about all this I remembered a music group that was formed in England in the late 50’s that would influence a generation of youth growing up in the 60’s.  They called themselves at various times the Quarrymen, Johnny and the Moon Dogs.  Eventually, they changed their name to the Beatles and rocked the world.

 

The year was 1963.  The United States was still recovering from the shock of President Kennedy’s assassination when they appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show.  During 1963-1964, they appeared on his show three times launching the Beatle Phenomenon.

 

Boys were wearing their hairstyles.  Their records, concerts, posters and movies made them millionaires. The Beatles set the trend for 1960’s.  Teens who were sick of the hypocrisy of society became rebels.  They declared they were sick of the establishment and adopted themes of “Do your own thing…If it feels good, do it.” 

 

A drug culture developed that preached situational ethics.  Free love…Sex without responsibility…drugs will give you peace and help you discover yourself.  But a void remained that all the drugs, rebellion, or free love couldn’t fill.  Although they preached nonconformity, they conformed to each other and an ideal outside the Biblical norm.

 

The problem is still with us today.  It doesn’t receive as much publicity as it used to in the 60’s.  In fact, the pulpits of some churches seldom if ever mention it.  The Bible calls it sin…and sin hasn’t experienced a wage cut. It’s the same: “The wages of sin is death.”

 

The answer to the problem of sin is another rebel.  His name is Jesus.  He said; “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” He wants us to rebel against the world and its teachings.  Paul wrote: “Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.”

 

The world is defined here as a society organized apart from God.  Its thoughts and values are in direct opposition to God.  It demands conformity. This conformity is a gradual process where we are squeezed into its mold and shape.  The corrosive forces of the world try to erode and destroy the imprint of God’s grace on His followers.

 

Christianity demands that we be nonconformists. “Let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you.”  Simply, we need to rebel against sin and accept the transformation that God works in our hearts through Christ.

 

The secret to spiritual victory is to allow and seek that day by day transformation by which the mind of Christ becomes our own. As the caterpillar sheds its cocoon to become a butterfly, we need to shed the philosophy and practices of the world to become “holy and acceptable to God.”

 

Where are you in your spiritual journey?  Are you still seeking inner peace in the world?  It will never satisfy the deepest needs or longings of the human heart.  Only Jesus can satisfy.

 

“Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold.”  Acknowledge your sins.  Ask Him to Forgive You.  Then Accept His forgiveness through Jesus. “Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.”

 

Shall we pray:  Lord, Thank You for Your love and for giving us a way out of our sins through Your Son, Jesus.  Forgive us our sins and shortcomings.  Help us live a holy life.  Help us serve You better each day. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

 

Welcome to Blogstream Community Church. We trust that you will be encouraged and blessed in your walk with God as you worship with us.

 

If you have prayer requests please contact Praywithhope – June or Bookworm/Library Cat; check Sweet Hour of Prayer Blog for updates on requests.

 

 

Lord as I come into Your presence today I open my heart to You for a special touch of encouragement for my life. Thank You for guiding me through Your word. Amen.

 

 

SANCTIFICATION: LIVING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GOD

YOU HAVE CHOSEN CONVERSION – TO BELIEVE IN CHRIST

WOW!      YOU ARE NOW PREPARED TO DIE!

BUT

ARE YOU PREPARED TO LIVE?

THAT IS THE QUESTION.

As a Christian we have made a choice to be set apart for God.

Psalm 4:3

You can be sure of this:
      The Lord set apart the godly for himself.
      The Lord will answer when I call to him.

I Corinthians 6:11

 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

So what is sanctification?

It is not perfection. It is a paradox – a great paradox, this proper relationship with God. It is the biggest obstacle and the clearest evidence of one’s relationship with God. All of one’s best efforts to live this life is the biggest obstacle one faces yet to live this life with God’s empowerment is the clearest evidence of being a Christian. Many try to live an acceptable life for God on their own effort and this is actually rebellion against God.

Titus 3:4-8

But—“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” 8 This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.

God invites us to a partnership where He is the CEO. He desires our cooperation. Our conversion cost Christ His life; and now we have the power to live the sanctified life through the resurrection power that raised Christ back to life. The Holy Spirit is God at work in our life.

Philippians 2:12-13

Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Romans 12:1-2

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

God is now the source of one’s life. And in the world today, especially here in America, we want to be independent of anyone else and the one we most exclude is God and He is actually the one who we need the most.

Oh you say – I cannot live that life – me – no way –

DO YOU KNOW BETTER THAN GOD?

How about Moses, David, Peter, Saul/Paul?

Nothing is beyond God.

So God is the CEO – now what? How does one live life with God as CEO? The CEO gives us guidelines. We are to love God first and love our neighbor as ourself.  Our attitude needs to change within. We need to have a new appetite. We may need to change the books we read, the movies and TV that we watch, the video games that we play, the friends that we keep so that we are feeding our spirit healthy as opposed to feeding it poison. Healthy food spiritually will promote a sanctified life; poison will kill it.

The choice is up to each one of us – you may be prepared to die but are you really prepared to live?

 

Lord – help each one of us to allow you to direct our lives that we may allow You to be seen in and through our lives here in this world. In Jesus’ name, amen.