Review, Reflect, Relax (Sunday, June 27, 2010)

28 Jun Review, Reflect, Relax (Sunday, June 27, 2010)

I just walked in the door from the first night of our 2010 Sonquest Rainforest Vacation Bible School. It was a great start to our new schedule of beginning on Sunday night. Our online preregistration was WAY up from previous years and I’m looking forward to seeing how the Lord works in the lives of these young people and those leading and teaching them about Jesus this week.

This morning was in some ways a pleasant surprise in that there weren’t quite as many people gone as I had anticipated.  However, there were still many, many who were out traveling today.  (In fact, after just a cursory count, I told one of the staff members that there were probably more out traveling today than were in worship on my first Sunday at Temple almost 9 years ago.  I guess that’s not a bad thing, and should actually be seen as a positive.) Anyway, while there were many out traveling today, there were still a great number of guests and folks who we only see from time to time who were there today, and I’m very thankful for every single person who was there to worship Jesus at Temple today.

I want to tell those who are in the first service what I told the staff guys tonight-the past two weeks I have sensed the most open spirit and the greatest level of excitement in that early hour of worship that I have in the past several months.  I know that the Lord has great things for you guys in the weeks and months to come.  Be faithful. Invite your friends.  Engage in the worship and listen to what the Lord has to say to you.  I’m excited to see what the Lord does amongst us.

During the second hour there was a great sense of heaviness today.  I know that this morning’s message was for some a strong word, while for others it could be a great encouragement.  I wonder if the Lord was really dealing with folks and some were hesitant to be obedient to Him. If that is the case, I want to encourage you to do what He says.  You will be the better for it and we as a church body will be strengthened as well.

If you were out traveling today or for some reason you weren’t able to be in one of the services today, I want to encourage you to take about 30 minutes and listen to today’s message.  It’s a very simple message on what it means to really be a Christian, but I believe that through it Jesus can encourage and exhort us to make sure that we’re not just a Christian in name, but where it really matters, in nature as well.

I’m looking forward to what the Lord is going to do this week during Vacation Bible School.  I know that the Lord has used many VBS’s over the years to sow the seed of the gospel and see it come to full bloom in the lives of many young people, and I’m praying for a great harvest this week.

Have a restful night and a wonderful week serving and living for Jesus.

HIS.

Pastor Brad