For the last couple of years my church has been moving from place to place and renting space for us to meet in every week. Back in May we opened our own building. Last night my pastor was talked a little about how he believes our building is a big picture of what Christ can do in someone.
Two years ago our building was a PGA Superstore and before that a Home Depot Expo Design Center and something else before that. Recently though it had been abandoned, stripped down, graffitied and had a thin fence put around it and stamped as an eyesore. My pastor mentioned that they when they were looking for a permanent place that they were not necessarily looking for a plot of land to raise a new building but to simply look for what God wanted. He said when they saw it they knew that is where God was calling us. However, the building had to be completely reworked on the inside and reconfigured and rezoned and recreated which took a very long time and effort among many people.
Our new church building is just like every person. It used to be something cool and then hard times hit, we hit a wall, we made a wrong turn or decision and all that's left is still a building but empty, cold and a shadow of what it used to be. When Christ comes into our lives though we are reworked. It starts in the inside and we are recreated and made into something new and the best part is is that it doesn't take a long time, it's instant. We become a light to the world and a beacon for what Christ can do in each of us. No matter where we are or what shape we are in God can take us, make us new and create something bigger, better, stronger and for Him.
August 22, 2011
August 8, 2011
"God is Able"
These are the lyrics to a new Hillsong Live song that we sang at Passion yesterday. This song is hope. This song is power. This song is about how He will always be what you need. It's a great way to worship the Lord.
God is able
He will never fail
He is almighty God
Greater than all we seek
Greater than all we ask
He has done great things
Lifted up
Defeated the grave
Raised to life
Our God is able
In His name we overcome
For the Lord
Our God is able
God is with us
God is on our side
He will make a way
Far above all we know
Far above all we hope
He has done great things
Lifted up
Defeated the grave
Raised to life
Our God is able
In His name we overcome
For the Lord
Our God is able
God is with us
He will go before
He will never leave us
He will never leave us
God is for us
He has open arms
He will never fail us
He will never fail us
Lifted up
Defeated the grave
Raised to life
Our God is able
In His name we overcome
For the Lord
Our God is able
For the Lord
Our God is able
For the Lord
Our God is able
be for God because He is for you!
-Pew
August 1, 2011
"You Are More"
God is good - He has done so much. Isn't it an honor that we get to be part of His bride? I'm so glad we have the opportunity to honor Him with our words.
"There's a girl in the corner
With tear stains on her eyes
From the places she's wandered
And the shame she can't hide
She says, how did I get here?
I'm not who I once was.
And I'm crippled by the fear
That I've fallen too far to love
But don't you know who you are,
What's been done for you?
Yeah don't you know who you are?
You are more than the choices that you've made
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes
You are more than the problems you create
You've been remade.
This is not about what you feel,
But what He felt to forgive you,
And what He felt to make you loved.
"There's a girl in the corner
With tear stains on her eyes
From the places she's wandered
And the shame she can't hide
She says, how did I get here?
I'm not who I once was.
And I'm crippled by the fear
That I've fallen too far to love
But don't you know who you are,
What's been done for you?
Yeah don't you know who you are?
You are more than the choices that you've made
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes
You are more than the problems you create
You've been remade.
This is not about what you feel,
But what He felt to forgive you,
And what He felt to make you loved.
You are more than the choices that you've made
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes
You are more than the problems you create
You've been remade.
Powell
May 24, 2011
Thoughts on Forgiveness
Hey guys,
I know nobody's checked the blog in a while, but I wanted to post a thought I had during church the other day to garner some comments if you do happen to log on.
We were talking about forgiveness in church, and how it is freeing to forgive people for wrongs they've committed against you. I notice that of all people, I have the hardest time forgiving myself. In fact, I find myself repeating in my mind regrettable decisions I've made, encounters I've had, and other experiences that have done damage to me. I'm coming to realize that although it sounds like humility in my head, it is really a form of ingratitude for and inacceptance of the Lord Jesus' sacrifice for me, and a lie I've been told.
I'm having a hard time reconciling my automatic thoughts with my belief that I am also forgiven.
I wonder if you struggle with this too?
Powell
I know nobody's checked the blog in a while, but I wanted to post a thought I had during church the other day to garner some comments if you do happen to log on.
We were talking about forgiveness in church, and how it is freeing to forgive people for wrongs they've committed against you. I notice that of all people, I have the hardest time forgiving myself. In fact, I find myself repeating in my mind regrettable decisions I've made, encounters I've had, and other experiences that have done damage to me. I'm coming to realize that although it sounds like humility in my head, it is really a form of ingratitude for and inacceptance of the Lord Jesus' sacrifice for me, and a lie I've been told.
I'm having a hard time reconciling my automatic thoughts with my belief that I am also forgiven.
I wonder if you struggle with this too?
Powell
March 6, 2011
Lord, I Need You
Lord, I come, I confess
Bowing here I find my rest
Without You I fall apart
You're the One that guides my heart
Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour I need you
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You
Where sin runs deep Your grace is more
Where grace is found is where You are
AND WHERE YOU ARE, LORD, I AM FREE
Holiness is Christ in me
Teach my song to rise to you
When temptation comes my way
AND WHEN I CANNOT STAND I'LL FALL ON YOU
JESUS, YOU'RE MY HOPE AND STAY
-"Lord, I Need You" by Passion
February 23, 2011
Abba, Father
After taking a couple days to think of what title for the Lord I connect with the most it would have to be Abba. A little background, the word Abba is derived for Aramaic and is "baby-talk" for daddy, like dada or moma would be. It used often in the New Testament, Mark 14:36 for example.
The thought of God being our Heavenly Father is something that is hard to grasp. I have heard many of sermons talking about such a subject. To quote A.W. Tozer, "What I believe about God is the most important thing about me." I look at God as a big guy in the sky who I can always run to whenever I'm in need and who will comfort me, as my earthly father would. The Lord is always looking out for me and truly wants what is best for me. He wants my love and He wants me to show Him love and respect.
There have been times when I have been on the brink and seriously in distress when all I want is my father or mother because I know that whatever is happening to me they will show me the love that I crave. I desire, excuse me, I want the desire to feel that way toward my God all the time. In our times of pain He can make it better. He can provide everything we need. He can give us that hug that we always need when we have screwed up and are ashamed to even talk to Him. He will discipline us when we get out of line, only because He loves us (Hebrews 12:6). He will guide us to the way of righteousness. We are undeserving as sons and have spoiled the rights as sons, much like the prodigal son, but yet as we return bloody, ashamed, full of sin and discouraged our God is there to hug us, love on us and show us the way. Our Abba. My Father.
The thought of God being our Heavenly Father is something that is hard to grasp. I have heard many of sermons talking about such a subject. To quote A.W. Tozer, "What I believe about God is the most important thing about me." I look at God as a big guy in the sky who I can always run to whenever I'm in need and who will comfort me, as my earthly father would. The Lord is always looking out for me and truly wants what is best for me. He wants my love and He wants me to show Him love and respect.
There have been times when I have been on the brink and seriously in distress when all I want is my father or mother because I know that whatever is happening to me they will show me the love that I crave. I desire, excuse me, I want the desire to feel that way toward my God all the time. In our times of pain He can make it better. He can provide everything we need. He can give us that hug that we always need when we have screwed up and are ashamed to even talk to Him. He will discipline us when we get out of line, only because He loves us (Hebrews 12:6). He will guide us to the way of righteousness. We are undeserving as sons and have spoiled the rights as sons, much like the prodigal son, but yet as we return bloody, ashamed, full of sin and discouraged our God is there to hug us, love on us and show us the way. Our Abba. My Father.
"Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir." - Galatians 4:7-8
Pew
February 9, 2011
John 3:36
"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." - Jn 3:36
This sentence didn't quite make sense in my English major brain. On the one side of the sentence, all we have to do is believe, and on the other, we have to obey. In other words, the sentence only makes sense if obedience follows belief.
I think obedience does follow belief. Once we've come into contact with the Creator of the universe (and we have), understood Him to be what He is (and we have), accepted His Son as our savior and acknowledged that He lives in us (and we have), the overwhelming value of that sacrifice gives immediate rise to the sheer desire, need, compulsion to obey what he asks of us.
That's not to say that our flesh on its own is capable, or that there aren't any other links in the chain between belief and obedience. But it is necessary for us to recognize, like Jonah, that there is no hiding, no ignoring our duty to listen and obey Christ, as believers and followers of Christ.
Powell
This sentence didn't quite make sense in my English major brain. On the one side of the sentence, all we have to do is believe, and on the other, we have to obey. In other words, the sentence only makes sense if obedience follows belief.
I think obedience does follow belief. Once we've come into contact with the Creator of the universe (and we have), understood Him to be what He is (and we have), accepted His Son as our savior and acknowledged that He lives in us (and we have), the overwhelming value of that sacrifice gives immediate rise to the sheer desire, need, compulsion to obey what he asks of us.
That's not to say that our flesh on its own is capable, or that there aren't any other links in the chain between belief and obedience. But it is necessary for us to recognize, like Jonah, that there is no hiding, no ignoring our duty to listen and obey Christ, as believers and followers of Christ.
Powell
February 7, 2011
Exodus 12
As we know, Jesus is in the Old Testament.
("He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself." -Luke 24:44)
"and when he sees the blood on the litnel and on the two door posts , the Lord will passover the door and not allow the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you." (Exodus 12: 23)
This is foretelling the justification we receive as children of God and believers in Christ.
("Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." -Romans 5:9)
When God sees Christ's blood that has covered us and our sins, the wrath that we deserve passes us and we are not destroyed, but delivered into a better land. It is nothing we did, but in fact, what Christ accomplished on the cross. Dying the death we should have received, and because of his blood we are free.
Walker
("He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself." -Luke 24:44)
"and when he sees the blood on the litnel and on the two door posts , the Lord will passover the door and not allow the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you." (Exodus 12: 23)
This is foretelling the justification we receive as children of God and believers in Christ.
("Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." -Romans 5:9)
When God sees Christ's blood that has covered us and our sins, the wrath that we deserve passes us and we are not destroyed, but delivered into a better land. It is nothing we did, but in fact, what Christ accomplished on the cross. Dying the death we should have received, and because of his blood we are free.
Walker
February 2, 2011
Exodus 2
When they [Reuel's seven daughters] came to Reuel their father, he said, 'Why have you come back so soon today?' So they said, 'An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and what is more, he even drew the water for us and watered the flock.' - Exodus 2:17-18
There are three separate instances in the first two chapters of Exodus where Moses demonstrates his penchant for delivering people. The first is when he kills the Egyptian, the second when he confronts the two Hebrews for beating up on each other, and the third is when the shepherds tried to drive these girls away from their well.
This week we're talking about spotting how our desires get in the way of God's desires, and becoming willing to subordinate our desires to His.
But this part of Exodus (and my own experience) gives me the impression that God uses some of our desires, our penchants, our predispositions, to His own glory. Some get in the way (the weeds and thorns from Mark), but not all of them are weeds.
In other words, God has built in you a foundation for greatness, one that is not unattractive. There is something already in you that He can use! He put it there himself. We simply have to make a decision between living through Jesus and letting Him guide us in the way He pleases, or butting heads with our in-born purpose for the rest of our lives.
Either way will be difficult, but we can handle it. If God is for us, who can be against us?
-Powell
There are three separate instances in the first two chapters of Exodus where Moses demonstrates his penchant for delivering people. The first is when he kills the Egyptian, the second when he confronts the two Hebrews for beating up on each other, and the third is when the shepherds tried to drive these girls away from their well.
This week we're talking about spotting how our desires get in the way of God's desires, and becoming willing to subordinate our desires to His.
But this part of Exodus (and my own experience) gives me the impression that God uses some of our desires, our penchants, our predispositions, to His own glory. Some get in the way (the weeds and thorns from Mark), but not all of them are weeds.
In other words, God has built in you a foundation for greatness, one that is not unattractive. There is something already in you that He can use! He put it there himself. We simply have to make a decision between living through Jesus and letting Him guide us in the way He pleases, or butting heads with our in-born purpose for the rest of our lives.
Either way will be difficult, but we can handle it. If God is for us, who can be against us?
-Powell
February 1, 2011
Psalm 73
A nice musical representation, and straight from scripture, of a lot of what we talked about last night:
I can't explain why I suffer though I live for You
Those who deny You they have it better than I do
Cover my eyes now so that my heart can finally see
That in the end only You mean anything
Who have I in heaven but You
Nothing I desire but You
My heart may fail but not You
You are mine forever
I've had enough of living life for only me
And reaching just for the things that keep destroying me
So sick of envying the lives of so many I see
Somehow believing that they have what I need
My God's enough for me
This world has nothing I need
In this whole life I've seen
My God's enough, enough for me
And reaching just for the things that keep destroying me
So sick of envying the lives of so many I see
Somehow believing that they have what I need
My God's enough for me
This world has nothing I need
In this whole life I've seen
My God's enough, enough for me
I can't explain why I suffer though I live for You
Those who deny You they have it better than I do
Cover my eyes now so that my heart can finally see
That in the end only You mean anything
Who have I in heaven but You
Nothing I desire but You
My heart may fail but not You
You are mine forever
"Psalm 73 (My God's Enough)" by Barlow Girl
January 29, 2011
Humility
'As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good - except God alone." - Mark 10:17-18
I find it absolutely awesome how Jesus answered the rich young man's question. Jesus starts by stating that no one is good, implying that even he is not deserving of such a title, except for God himself. If you read on Jesus then answers the man's actual question (sell everything and give to the poor). The fact that Jesus first throws out the point that, even though he is holy and the Son of God, he is still a man and not necessarily worthy of being called good. In our journey to become better men of God I hope that we can embrace humility like Jesus did. I pray that we realize our place in the eternal equation and that we can be more like Christ when someone gives us a title we do not necessarily deserve.
-Pew
I find it absolutely awesome how Jesus answered the rich young man's question. Jesus starts by stating that no one is good, implying that even he is not deserving of such a title, except for God himself. If you read on Jesus then answers the man's actual question (sell everything and give to the poor). The fact that Jesus first throws out the point that, even though he is holy and the Son of God, he is still a man and not necessarily worthy of being called good. In our journey to become better men of God I hope that we can embrace humility like Jesus did. I pray that we realize our place in the eternal equation and that we can be more like Christ when someone gives us a title we do not necessarily deserve.
-Pew
January 26, 2011
Anger
I read Mark 3 this morning and a word and action stuck out to me as being a quality that a man of God should be able to have and control:
" Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”
Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.
He looked around at them in ANGER and, deeply DISTRESSED at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus."
Mark 3:1-6
We all know that God is about love and the greatest commandment is to love the Lord with all our hearts and then to love one another as we would love ourselves. However, I believe that righteous anger is necessary as well. The only other time I remember Jesus being angered was when he went to town on the goofs in the temple by flipping tables and literally throwing them out of the temple. Anger is an emotion that I feel quite often I just wish that the anger was directed toward unholiness and stubborness towards God, whether that unholiness is in myself or others. Christ knew when anger was appropriate and I pray that we can properly learn how to do the same.
-Pew
January 24, 2011
Phone Numbers
Nathan Pew - 678-372-1208
Bobby Wood - 770-855-1760
Alex Mincey - 678-756-0958
Jason Mincey - 678-612-7946
Robert Walker- 404-273-1937
Matt Staley - 678-640-6770
Nathan Powell - 770-789-0425
Bobby Wood - 770-855-1760
Alex Mincey - 678-756-0958
Jason Mincey - 678-612-7946
Robert Walker- 404-273-1937
Matt Staley - 678-640-6770
Nathan Powell - 770-789-0425
January 18, 2011
Man Group 2011
Hey guys!
I'm really excited about the new year. At the end of this one, we will definitely be better men than we are now. I'm planning on the first meeting taking place next Monday at 7:30 at my house. Call if you have any questions - 770-7890425. P.S. if you want to get ahead, start reading Mark.
Powell
I'm really excited about the new year. At the end of this one, we will definitely be better men than we are now. I'm planning on the first meeting taking place next Monday at 7:30 at my house. Call if you have any questions - 770-7890425. P.S. if you want to get ahead, start reading Mark.
Powell
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