Search & Rescue

What exciting days we are living in. Oh, I know it's a little scary, but yet it is thrilling to realize that the Bible prophecies concerning the "last days" seem to be unfolding before our very eyes. The peace we have as Bible believers is that God will protect and deliver us from the destruction of those end times. However, as the time of the end draws near, we should be experiencing some great evangelical results. Even though we are living in times when it seems that more and more people are becoming more and more agnostic or atheistic... people still need the Lord.

As the "church" we sometimes forget who the enemy is. We cannot expect people to act "saved" until they are! Lost people are not the enemy, Satan is. Our "Mission" is search and rescue, that is to search for and rescue the lost.

In Luke 15, Jesus tells three separate parables illustrating this great truth. However, a major point is made before He ever begins teaching. In verse 1 it says that "tax collectors and the sinners" drew near to Him. In other words, Jesus attracted people who were not religious. In fact, it was in response to the criticisms from the religious crowd that Jesus responded with the three parables of Luke 15.

The point is simple... we are to be building relationships with people outside the "church" so that we can show them the love of Christ. I know we need intimate and personal relationships with fellow believers, but it shouldn't stop there. We need to be building intimate and influential relationships with people who don't believe, so that they can see our "light", taste the "saltiness", observe our "good works", so that they can see Jesus through our lives.

The days of door knocking are pretty much over. People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care. Don't get me wrong, we should prepare ourselves to tell people the "good news", and we should pray for opportunities to share the gospel. But the greatest opportunities come by "receiving sinners and eating with them". See Luke 15:2

Whens the last time you wept and prayed for someone who was lost? How many times a day do you wonder about someone, where they will spend eternity? We have grown cold and insensitive to the LOST, and that's why we are Losing the battle.

So, I encourage you to volunteer again for Search and Rescue. Join us Sundays from now through May 3rd... or listen online to the series, Search & Rescue. May 3rd will be Search & Rescue Sunday, and we are praying that lost people will be rescued before it's too late. Not just here, but all over the world. Please feel free to join us by praying for someone you feel may be lost, and also ask God to here the prayers of our members who are praying specifically and intentionally for lost people over the next six weeks.

See you Here, There, or In The Air!
'cause Jesus is coming soon,
Pastor Mike

The Secret to Success

We have just finished a series entitled, The Quest for Success. We have been talking about God's desire for us to experience the blessings, prosperity, and success He has ordained for those who listen to and follow His principles. We may not experience success the way the world defines it, but what God offers us far exceeds anything this world has to offer. I challenge you to meditate on Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:1-3, Matthew 5:1-11, and 3 John 2. Our concluding message this past Sunday was; The Secret to Success. In Philippians 3:12-14 the Apostle Paul shares his most valuable secret to success. "I follow after", "I reach for", "I press toward the mark for the prize". Calvin Coolidge once said, "Nothing can take the place of Persistence and Determination". I call it F.O.C.U.S.

Fix your heart and mind firmly on succeeding!

Order your life according to God's Principles!

Choose your companions carefully!

Understand how the enemy works!

Stay with it!

Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl.

One was an optimistic soul.

The other took a gloomy view

and said we'll drown without more ado!

And so, with a final sigh,

he kicked up his legs and said goodbye.

The other frog said with a steadfast grin,

"I can't get out, but I won't give in".

"I'll just swim around untill my strength is spent."

"At least I'll die the more content."

And so he set out to fulfill his scheme

and as he struggled he churned the cream.

The more he swam his legs aflutter,

the more the cream turned into butter.

When at last on top of the butter he stopped,

out of the bowl he gladly hopped.

Now the moral here is easily found;

If you can't get out just keep swimming around!

Hang in there baby, sooner or later the victory comes to the one who thinks they can!!!

Success stories come in all shapes and sizes. They come from different backgrounds, circumstances, and situations. But one thing every success has in common... Determination, Persistence, FOCUS!

Keep swimming and God's blessings,

Mike Stone

Time Is Ticking Away

Well, we are just about to finish our current series; The Quest for Success. I continue to pray that God is impressing upon all of our members hearts that He has some great plans for us, our home, finances, jobs, and our church this year. There are some exciting things that will be coming our way in the coming months. I'm so excited about what I believe God is going to do.

I encourage you t o be present at church on Sunday and Wednesday, that is the best way to stay connected and keep the vision and dream alive and well. Pray for our church, the leaders, the community, and the kingdom of God to be advanced.

And now it's Daylight Savings Time again. I'm reminded just how fast time is ticking away... and we need to be more zealous, serious, and about His business than we ever have before! I love the challenges and days we are living in. There will be some great outbreaks of revival and God moving in these last days. Besides, it won't be very long and we'll hear the trumpet sound and be out of here!!! As one evangelist used to say; "Gabriel's going to toot, and I'm gonna scoot!" So, even though the economy looks bad and times may seem tough. Even though we wonder if this is it, and we may even be a little scared about. Cheer up!!! God is in control.

So, pray hard, love deep, and live every day to the fullest!!!