Category: God

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God

Life Pointe Church Sunday Morning Tossed Salad

1.  The Information Booth was up and looking nice (as usual), but the ‘small screen’ was dark due to a glitch with Pastor Paul‘s laptop. We couldn’t get the image of the laptop screen to appear on the monitor. Next week the Information Booth itself will take a one-week hiatus, but have no fear for it shall return triumphantly for our first Sunday morning services of 2008.

2.  The hot new Life Pointe Church tee-shirts are in, and they look fantastic !  Look for me to appear LIVE and in living colour in my new ‘CHURCH ROCKS !‘ tee-shirt next Sunday morning !

3.  I read the Advent message on stage at both services this morning. It’s the 4TH Sunday of Advent, and today we lit the candle for Love. God’s Love has gotten Him into a lot of trouble. His passion for Israel has led Him to make promises to them that will cost Him dearly. They are about to get a sign from Him that they weren’t even asking for – the birth of God Himself among them. Jesus’ nickname is Immanuel – a Hebrew way of saying ‘God is with us’. Even in a manger. Even in a ministry marked by rejection. Even on a cross. His Love has brought Him down. Down to us. We have found that this act of God in Love for Israel was also a sign of His love for the whole world. He came down to raise up all of us.

4.  Pastor Paul did this week’s teaching. It was all about ‘Leaving The Good For The Best’. Getting to the best requires obedience. It also requires leaving what is comfortable. If you are comfortable then you are simply not living the Life that God wants you to live. The Holy Spirit gives us the best chance of making it in Life. Jesus had to leave in order to give us the best. Jesus died for us. He made us, and then He paid for us on that bloody cross. He died so that we can live.

5.  Los Santoyos – Jesse, Reina, y Diego – were the subjects of this week’s likeus.tv message series video on the ‘big screen’. Jesse led his family from their comfortable Life in Chicagoland, and he brought them to us here in Homestead Florida. We are so glad that Los Santoyos are part of our loving Life Pointe Church family !

Categories
Food God

Life Pointe Church Sunday Morning Tossed Salad: Special Wednesday Night Edition

1.  TONIGHT we had our Volunteers’ Christmas Dinner at the original church on Old Dixie Highway for all of those that serve on Sunday mornings at Life Pointe Church. There were over 100 servers in attendance, and we served ourselves to about 100 pounds of delicious food courtesy of Pollo Tropical (Chicken On The Grill !).

2.  Pastor Paul was the Master Of Ceremonies, and he did a fantastic job welcoming us, thanking us, blessing the food, and then entertaining us like only he can. The after-dinner entertainment included a fun ‘Christmas wish’ game and a festive Christmas sing-along. Paul likes to talk about me and my fantastic journey. I like it when he talks about me. I’m proud of my new Life and all of my loving friends at Life Pointe Church.

3.  I instantly spotted and identified Venus’s gourmet banana nut bread before she revealed to me the obvious – that it was indeed made by her and pulled out of the oven right before she left her home. I suggested to Venus that the banana nut bread would be a perfect snack for the Hospitality team on Sunday morning.

4.  Jesse and Terry were taking pictures of the festivities, and I tried hard to sneak myself into a few of their snapshots that I wouldn’t otherwise be in. Some people hide from cameras, but I seek them out. I’m looking forward to seeing the lovely picture of J.T. & Anne … and ME !

5.  After seeing all of the little kids running around and laughing and yelling and screaming on stage and elsewhere I now have an even bigger appreciation for the fine work that the ‘Kids Life’ leadership does each and every Sunday morning. I don’t know how you all do it, but keep doing it.

Categories
God Music

My Fantastic Journey: It’s In The Lyrics

“Hotel Aquarium” – Falling Up

Is this another complication I face ?
Here is the mistake coming back to catch me.
To you I hold.

Now I know that I’m alive.
All the loneliness is filled by you inside.
And as I finally breathe the air.
You open up my eyes. Now I’m alive.

The lesson in breathing is never using control.
Seconds to misplace. I’ve never been so unsure.
To you I hold.

Now I know that I’m alive.
All the loneliness is filled by you inside.
And as I finally breathe the air.
You open up my eyes. Now I’m alive.

To the heights there is hope.
It’s been waiting all along.
To the heights there is hope.
Waiting.

Now I know that I’m alive.
All the loneliness is filled by you inside.
And as I finally breathe the air.
You open up my eyes. Now I’m alive.

Categories
God

Life Pointe Church Sunday Morning Tossed Salad

1.  Someone messed with ‘Paul‘s thermostat’ at the movie theatre again. It was approaching 80°F by the time that 8 AM rolled around, and I was already looking for the roll of paper towels to mop up the sweat that was drowning my face. The A.C. never really recovered as the morning progressed, as it was actually quite comfortable for the 10:30 AM service instead of temperatures that are more suitable for Eskimos.

2.  Every time Jonathan and Lilian’s likeus.tv video pops up on ‘the small screen’ at the Information Booth I try to pause myself so that I can stand there and watch and hear their story again. I love their story. I love them. You can see their video story as well as all of the video stories of our current message series (including my own) over at likeus.tv.

3.  I got the chance to talk for a few minutes with Pastor Nathan Griffis of InDependence Church in Weston Florida. He attended both of our services this morning, and he also did this week’s Advent teaching. Way back on my 4TH Sunday morning at Life Pointe Church (on Sunday February 11TH 2007) Pastor Nathan was the special guest speaker at that morning’s service. His sermon that morning was so powerful that it totally blew me away at such an early and fragile stage of my venture on this fantastic journey. In fact I took a huge step on this journey after hearing him speak. He inspired me to fight for what’s important – true happiness in my Life. I didn’t have that before my ‘Awakening’. It is now abundant.

4.  Pastor Travis spoke all about conviction at this morning’s services. It is a gut-level response to what you know is right and good, and it comes from a Life that is congruent with the Good Word of God and the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that gives us the ability to carry out the heart of Jesus Christ.

5.  Pastor J.T. Johnson was the subject of today’s likeus.tv video. His story was fascinating, and he made a few points in it that hit home for me and (recurring trend) gave me the chills and a few tears. But those chills and tears were good and full of joy, as they were sent to me from The Lord My Savior. He is guiding me nowadays. The World is no longer my ruler. God is my Director, and he will lead me to the Promised Land. I will follow Him. Let us all follow Him !