Holding on to what we DON'T need!

I have always been a person who relates stories of real life to how God loves us and cares for us. I suppose that shows in my sermons as well. But last night I got to thinking how so many times we so desperately hold on to something that is not good to us. Whether it be relationships, belongings, bad habits, even money.Last night I was standing in the kitchen after I had gone grocery shopping. When I buy meat the first thing I do when I get home is divide it all up in to me size portions and wrap it and put it in the freezer. Well, I had just finished the chicken. I had cut the fat off and put it in the garbage which was getting full. All of the sudden I hear Issie growling like I have never heard before. I turn around and see that she has a piece of this raw chicken in her mouth and she is trying to eat it. Jake is trying to get it from her and she is not happy. I barely touched her and she screamed at me and clawed me. I was truly worried how I was going to get this raw meat out of her mouth. Eventually, I quickly managed to pick her up by the scruff on the back of her neck and pry the raw chicken from her jaws while she growled at me and had a death grip on my hands with her claws. She was not happy.Ten minutes later... she did it again.God takes things from us or at least attempts to do so when they are harmful for us. We kick and scream and cry about it because we think we want it but God knows we don't need it. And then what do we do? We get it back. We go through this cycle of constantly having things we don't need. And all the while I can imagine that God is laughing and shaking his head thinking why don't they just believe me when I tell them they don't need something?

God's Plans

So I will confess that I started the morning out a little bummed that everyone had cancelled on me. Originally, my two best friends, TyLacey and Becky, were going to come to Bushnell today and stay until tomorrow when Don was coming. Well, due to various circumstances, no one is able to come this weekend. HOWEVER, God had a different plan. I received a call this morning from a man named Joe. He is the director of a Christian group called Live Offensively. If you want to check our their website it is www.liveoffensively.com. Well, they are coming to Cornerstone and due to some allergies, they were hoping to find a place to stay. Anyway, the four guys are going to stay at the CCC and the three girls are going to stay at the manse. You see, everyone cancelled on me this weekend because I have to spend the weekend getting ready for company next week! God is so good. Amen! Never doubt that there is a plan.

Do you have Jesus?

Do you have Jesus in your life and in your heart? I sure hope so. I am glad that I do for so many reasons. But right now, one of those reasons is that I know where I will spend eternity. I have been healed by the power and the touch of Jesus Christ. I know I will have an everlasting life with my Father in Heaven. But most of all, I don't need to get use to this HEAT! :)

The sermon this week is Mark 5:21-43! The Healing Touch of Christ.

Storms

One question:
What storms have you been through?

Think about this. Answer if you would like.

Disruptions in life

The manse has been vacant for some time. Due to this, other creature's in God's kingdom have made it home. Now, I am not a fan of the huge jumping spider I saw outside by the back door last night. Or the couple that I have seen in the house. I tend to eliminate them (thought I couldn't get my shoe to last night's spider quick enough and therefore it was able to escape). However, once in a while I am surprised by what I find. Last night as I was walking around the manse looking at the flowers that had been planted before my arrival, I spotted a nest. I don't know whether it was a duck nest or a goose nest, but it was clear that it had been made by one of my feathered friends that live in the pond across the street. In the middle of the nest was an egg. It saddened me to see this egg knowing that it's mother would never return to it to keep it warm until it was able to hatch. Why? Because there was a disruption in life. The mother probably thought that this was a good place to go since she never saw anyone around. THEN! All of the sudden, change begins to happen and there is a lot of activity going on all around her. People coming in and out, a huge moving van pulling up with 15 people surrounding it and then a week of two toddlers playing outside in the lawn. She had no choice but to abandon her post as a watchful mother and leave her youngster behind.
I wonder how many times God feels this way. God has made us a cozy little nest for us to rest in. He keeps us warm and waits for us to come out of our shell. Then, just before we fully give ourselves to Him, something happens. Life takes a different turn or we choose to take a different path. Maybe as children and young adults, we fall into the wrong crowd. Maybe we simply choose not to listen to what God is telling us or calling us to do. Either way, there is a disruption in life. HOWEVER, no matter what direction we choose to take, unlike the mother bird, God never abandons his post or leave us behind. At times, it is more like we leave God behind.
Where in your life are you leaving God behind? Choosing to give in to the various disruptions that take place and not focusing on God?

Planting Seeds

How many of you have ever planted a garden? I have tried to plant a small garden at the manse. so far, I seem to have more weeds growing than anything else. Anyone else ever have that happen? I am not a fan of weeding. Personally, I would prefer that I could just plant the garden and walk away for a couple of months and then come back and reap the harvest. Yet, I know it does not work that way. There needs to be much tending for anything to happen. I think faith works like this as well. Especially when we share our faith with others. We want to just tell someone about Jesus and then walk away and come back later and see that the person is living for Christ. Sometimes we do that with our children as well. Monday through Saturday needs to have the same message as Sunday morning. There needs to be watering and weeding taking place all week. Maybe that is an even bigger challenge that planting the original seed.

This weeks sermon is about planting the seed of faith. The biggest thing we have to remember is that God is in control of all of it.

What are your thoughts? Does anyone have any stories about the weeding to share?

Good Morning First Presbyterian Church of Bushnell! I am so happy to be here, sitting in my office, and beginning my preparations for writing Sunday's sermon. I am beginning a blog for all of you Internet savy people who would like to communicate electronically about how my sermons are going, ideas I have, or just talk about Jesus!

So, here goes! This Sunday is Trinity Sunday. The Scripture passage that the sermon will be revolving around is John 3:1-17. This is the story of Nicodemus not understanding how a person can be born again.
So, my question for you is: What does it mean for you to live in the Spirit of God?
I will share my thoughts later this week.

Blessings,
Pastor Elissa