:[onelife]:

In the parable of the talents, a manager hands three of his employees varying amounts of money. He gives Ray-Ray five hundred dollars, Ted two hundred dollars, and Bubba one hundred dollars. Each employee does something different with the money and when the manager returns he wants to know what happened with his money. Ray-Ray and Ted both doubled their money through wise investments. Bubba however did nothing with his money. He stuck it in the bottom of the sock drawer. The manager was so disappointed in Bubba he took his hundred and gave it to Ray-Ray.
We have one life to live. God gave us this life and we must make the most out of it. This life comes with a body we must take care of and talents and skills we must use for good. Don't be passive, seeing life pass you by. Be aggressive, take charge, do what you know is right!
Are you like Bubba and sticking your life in the bottom of the sock drawer doing absolutely nothing with it? Or are you investing your life wisely like Ray-Ray and Ted? Evaluate yourself before the manager comes back to check up on us.

Winterfest 2006

We are headed to Knoxville, TN on March 10 thru 12th, 2006.
Payment schedule is pretty simple... $27 every first Wednesday of the month between Ocotber and Feburary. Total Cost: $135.

Those that have helped with findraisers, make sure to get a post card from Ms. Michal to know your new balance.

My Praize 2005

phobia pt. 1

I went online to see the different types of phobias out there. Well i got about fifteen pages of phobias all from A-X (there are no phobias starting with Y or Z according to this list.) Some of them seem silly, like the fear of trees? Dendrophobia. Or what about the fear of puppets? Pupaphobia. (Actually one of our LOYC teens hates Kermit the Frog with a passion.) Take the test and see who well you know your phobias...

take the test....
1. testophobia
a. squids b. playing sports c. taking tests

2. xanthophobia
a. pills b. the color yellow c. taking showers

3. verbophobia
a. taking action b. eating green veggies c. words

4. venustraphobia
a. the planet venus b. trash c. beautiful women

5. lachanophobia
a. vegetables b. milk c. being late

6. nelophobia
a. all music by Nelly b. glass c. using a computer

7. opthalmophobia
a. big mammals b. the hippo c. being starred at

8. philemaphobia
a. kissing b. reading c. asking permission

9. vestiphobia
a. clothing b. spiders c. chalk

10. panophobia
a. bread b. everything c. taking pictures

answers:
1. c; 2. b; 3. c; 4. c; 5. a; 6. b; 7. c; 8. a; 9. a; 10. b

2 Corinthians 4.18
18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Fear deals with ignorance, false pretensions. When you focus on what you can see instead of what you know to be true.

Hebrews 12:2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Fear comes when we stop looking to God and start looking at the situation around us.
Fear is the opposite of Faith.

Just like being afraid of beautiful women or being afraid of glass may seem ridiculous, being fearful of our situations is not right. If we trust GOD and His word.

Truth University: Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.

you talking to me? (pt. 3)

As a quick recap, when we first started talking about prayer, we agreed that God wants open communication with us and we need and open communication with Him. Why? Because talking with God benefits us and not talking to God hurts us.

So moving on from that thought, we must talk to god no matter what!

Life gets hard at times. It also gets very good at times. And we sometimes, depending on our mood or our circumstances, will put off talking to God. But because of the first two points, we must never stop talking to God. Never!

(When Others Stop) Joshua was with Moses like an assistant. Whenever Moses went to pray, Joshua would follow as well. However, when Moses would finish praying, Joshua would stay behind. (Exodus 33.11). Just because others stop, doesn’t mean you have to. Moses was the spiritual leader, but Joshua needed more from God. I may sometimes offend you, the Pastor may sometimes rub you the wrong way. No matter what others do, do not let them stop you from talking with God.

(When Others Want To Stop You) Hannah was a woman who wanted a baby. She was made fun of by her family. When she went to church to pray, she was so passionate, so into talking with God, that the priest, the Pastor of the church, thought she was drunk. He told her to stop. Hannah explained what she was doing and the Pastor prayed for her and she got her baby. (1 Samuel 1.10-17). Hannah prayed when she was totally hurt and she also prayed when she was extremely happy (1 Samuel 2.1-10). When others want to stop you from talking to God, you must not give up!

(When You Want To Stop Yourself) There was a man in the Bible who went to Jesus and said, “If you want to heal my boy I know you can.” And Jesus replied, “If? All you need to do is believe.” And the man said something very powerful. The man quickly replied, “I believe. Help me with my doubt.” There are times when we want to stop ourselves from talking to God. We don’t “feel” like it. We begin doubting the benefits. We start to question if it is worth it. That is when we say, “God, I believe, but you must help me with my doubts.” And you push through.

Six Flags 2005

Six Flags 2005

you talking to me? (pt 2)

why should we talk with GOD? is it a waste of time? is it just an exercise in stress relief? is it no different than yoga, meditation and the new age stuff?

talking with GOD is different from all the above, because He is real and talking with Him benefits us. God gives us direction, counsel, ideas, peace, encouragement, strength, courage, power, and so much more.

and just like talking with Him benefits us, not talking to Him hurts us. we are at a disadvantage when we don’t communicate with GOD. we come out short, left wanting and lacking.

2 Chronicles 16.12
12In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa came down with a severe case of foot infection. He didn't ask GOD for help, but went instead to the doctors. 13Then Asa died; he died in the forty-first year of his reign.

Asa was king, he tried to do everything right. There were a couple of things he did not do right. But all in all, he did good. But for some reason, near the end of his life he got a disease and the Bible says “He didn’t ask God for help.” And the next line says, “Then Asa died.”

Or what about Joshua? In Joshua 7.6-10... Joshua send the men to fight a war and they lose. And Joshua goes to God and asked him why did they lose. And God said, “Because you didn’t ask me first.” So then after talking with God, they go again, and they win.

And then there is the parable of the pesky widow. She bothers the judge, is persistent and consistent. Daily, nightly going to him. And this judge finally decides to grant her wish. And Jesus says, how much more our heavenly Father will give us what we need.

Talking with God benefits us.

How much are we missing from not talking to GOD? Asa died, Joshua lost a war, probably lost men’s lives. What are we losing? What are we missing?

you talking to me?

how do we communicate?
we have the internet to send email
pen and paper to write letters
sign language
the telephone
smoke signals
and in the movies, some aliens can communicate via telepathy

there are plenty of ways to communicate with each other, but how do we communicate with GOD?
the way to talk to GOD is through prayer, and since he is everywhere at all times, you can tlak with GOD whenever, wherever

which sparks another question, why don’t we communicate with GOD more often?
are we too busy with our lives? too busy communicating with others?

in psalms 139 david describes the omnipresence of GOD:
You know when I leave and when I get back; I'm never out of your sight.
I look behind me and you're there, then up ahead and you're there, too-- your reassuring presence, coming and going.
This is too much, too wonderful-- I can't take it all in!
Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight?
If I climb to the sky, you're there!
If I go underground, you're there!
If I flew on morning's wings to the far western horizon, You'd find me in a minute-- you're already there waiting!

GOD is everywhere, and he wants to have a relationship with us. he wants to have open communication. give and take. back and forth. daily.

BASICS:_salvation (pt. 2)

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

Colossians 2. 6-8

Since Salvation is a starting point, we shouldn't remain there. We gotta move forward! Colossaians says "continue" in Him, "rooted and built up" in Him.

1. A seed has potential. So does a runner at the starting block. The only way to release that potenial in a seed is to plant it in good fertile soil-- the source. God is our source and we are a seed. We need to plant ourselves in good fertile soil. In HIM! In our church!

2. Then the seed pushes the tap root down into the soil. It anchors itse;f. We need to anchor ourselves in GOD.

3. Then that tap root starts sprouting secondary roots. These secondary roots help in finding nutrients and in stability. When we anchor ourselve sin GOD through prayer and Bible reading and participating with other believers, we are stabilizing ourselves.

4. Then that seed pushes upward and we see growth. But up until this point, all that was happening could not be seen. And many times, when we are mobing forward, it is a personal time with GOD. Then others begin to see the growth.

5. Maturity and growth continue until ther eis a strong, vibrant tree. And when hardhsips come, strong winds draought... because the tree (and hopefully you) have planted ourselves with a strong anchor that gets it's source from deep within the ground (GOD), the tree nor you will be shaken or wither.

:[winterfest 2006]:

It's been decided... We are going to Smoky Mountain Winterfest! Start the money saving now.
Check out last year's evening services here.

Israel Houghton leading praise and worhsip, Karen Wheaton ministering, Reggie Dabbs speaking, the Katinas in concert and much more.

BASICS:_salvation

But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,"[a] that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."[b]

Romans 10.8-11

Salvation has been made into this complex, hard to attain, even harder to hold onto notion... but it isn't even a notion. It is a thing. A very possessable, accessible thing. This "thing" is acceptance and forgiveness from GOD and entrance into enternal life with Him.

How easy is it?

Numero Uno: Confess with your mouth that "Jesus is Lord." This takes control of the body and all it's desires that aren't in line with the Word.

Numero Dos: Believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. This takes control of your emotions/ feelings. It also aligns your faith in the true God.

Anyone who deos these two things, according to Romans 10.8-11, is saved!