Absolutely one of the most awesome days in recent memory at New Horizon!
• Today was Part 4 of Miracles and we dealt with Mark 4 where Jesus calms the storm.
• Bottom line - we ALL have control issues! Everyone of us wants to be in control, and when things spin out of control we'll do whatever we have to do to get things back under control. We'll expend money, time, energy and relational capital...we'll do WHATEVER we think will get things back under control.
• BUT...sooner or later we all face a storm that we just can't control. The really big one hits...the Category 5...the perfect storm...and it rocks your world.
• And here's the kicker - sometimes when those really big storms blow up it's because GOD LEADS ME INTO THE STORM!! Not because I sinned...not because I missed God's will...not because God is mad at me...but because God TAKES ME INTO IT.
• But I need to remember that when I'm in the storm, I'm not there alone. Jesus goes into the storm with me. And even though I'm freaking out, he never panics because the situation is always under his control.
• Why does God lead me into the storm? To teach me that no matter how out of control my situation may seem to be, it's never out of his control. And if I'll trust his ability to control the situation I don't have to be afraid!
• Earlier this week as I was preparing I felt God calling an audible on our planning for this service. We hadn't planned for it, but I really felt God prompting me to call people forward to pray for miracles in people's lives today. HUGE props to our staff, Programming teams, Welcome team, and especially to our various leaders and prayer team members who stepped up at the last minute to make this part of the service happen.
• Scripture says we should pray for each other (James 5:16) so that's what we did. We asked people who were going through a storm to come forward to be prayed for by our leaders and prayer team members. And in BOTH SERVICES the response was incredible!
• And NO IT WAS NOT WEIRD TV PREACHER STUFF! Nobody got knocked over or slapped on the forehead. We just prayed for people and asked God to do something miraculous in their lives.
• And if you still think that's weird, maybe it's because you've never been around a church that was willing to ask God to do something miraculous.
• Oh yeah, and a WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE SURRENDERED TO CHRIST TODAY!!! I don't have the final numbers, but just from my own observations I would say somewhere between 40-50 people today!!! AWESOME!!!
• Amazing, amazing day! Can't wait to hear all that happens because of what God did today!
• Remember - sometimes God calms the storm...sometimes he calms his child. And each one is equally miraculous.
• Once again, New Horizon, I love you guys and count it my great privilege to be your Pastor. Can't wait to see what God does next!!!
I think as Christian we sometimes fear inviting the Holy Spirit into the church because of the things we've seen on TV. None the less, the Bible says to lay hands on the sick, this is for those that "believe". I thank God that He is the same forever.
Posted by: Lori | June 06, 2010 at 08:25 AM