This is a devotional from the archives at PurposeDrivenLife.com. Jon Walker writes a daily devotional on the site that is free to everyone. Check it out!


Let God Run Wild
By Jon Walker

“… God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV)
As my six-year-old tried to open a package, I sat patiently waiting for him to ask me for help. It was one of those protective, hard plastic packages that some manufacturers use – you know, the kind that are nearly impossible to open short of using a small explosive.

I knew my son wouldn’t be able to open the package on his own, but I make it a general rule never to grab things out of my son’s hands – like one child might disrespectfully snatch something away from another. Sure, I’m bigger than him, and I could’ve taken it out of his hands, but I wanted him to make his own choice about whether or when he would ask me for help.

It didn’t take long before he looked up at me, and I said, ‘Do you want me to help you?’ He said yes and handed me the package. I knew it would require more than my hands (or teeth) to open it, so I found some heavy scissors and squeezed hard to cut through the plastic.

Today, you may be holding a package in your hand, and wrapped in its hard plastic shell is something Jesus called the “abundant life.” You’re straining to get inside the package, using all the means and schemes you can think of to break through to the abundant life.

God is patiently sitting next to you, waiting for you to abandon your independent attempts to create the abundant life, waiting for you to let him loose in your life, waiting for you to say, “I can’t, but, God, you can.”

In that moment, God becomes your strength, “so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV)

What now?

• Let God run wild – Accept the powerful love of God in your life and allow his grace to run free in your life.

• Stop trying to open the package – Give the package to God and let him open the abundant life for you. Ask God to show you what package you’re struggling to open, and when he does, hand the package to him.

• Trust God with your needs – God knows you need to open the package. What makes you think you have to open it on your own? Why do you believe that your efforts to open the package will produce a better life for you than if you allow God to open the package? (What is your behavior saying about your beliefs?)


© 2007 Jon Walker. All rights reserved.

Each night at our home, our ritual is that Dad gets the priviledge of tucking the kids into bed. That is not always the easiest of tasks, and it doesn't always come at a good time (sometimes i am busy doing something that seems to be so important at the time) but it has somewhat become the norm and expected practice and pattern in our home.  The process of getting kids down to sleep begins with Anna and then the other two are usually vying for the last position to say that they stayed up the longest.  Every night, we sort of recap their days followed by a time of scripture memory, prayer and sometimes singing a song. With Anna, she will not close her eyes until we have sung the "B.I.B.L.E" followed by "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star".

Each night there seems to be a story or two that I can take from our time together that makes me run with different emotions. The other night while talking with Caleb about his memory verse, (Romans 3:23-"for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God") I was just reminded again of God's patience with me while I was growing up (and my parents). WOW! Did I make mistakes! And Caleb will too. I just need to be reminded of that in the parenting role.

Thinking about patience in the parenting process, I want to be a better parent! I hope you do as well.  The prayer I read this morning reminded me of God's patience with me, and I would like to share it with you:


Dear God, Thank you for having a purpose for my life and for telling me what Your expectations are through the Bible. I know You must be disappointed with me many times, when I fail to meet Your expectations of me. I can identify with that from a human standpoint. When I expect a family member to be responsible and to do something that they do not do, or when they make wrong choices in life, I am very disappointed. Sometimes I feel frustrated or angry and other times heartbroken. Help me to be kind-hearted and long-suffering with them, like You are with me. Guide me to handle those disappointments with integrity; to remain quiet when I should and to speak up when I should. Please give me the thoughts, words, and actions You want me to have. And God, please forgive me for disappointing You. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

-by Os Hillman 

As we were finishing up at bath time last night, I was wrapping the towel around our little girl when she looked at me and mumbled something.  I didn't understand so i asked her, "what did you say?"  She again mumbled those same words which i still did not understand.  I asked her one more time as she stood there, "Honey, what did you say?"  In her broken English, looking up at me she said, "Rock me Daddy! Rock me!" I picked her up in my arms, all wrapped in that towel and began singing to her and rocking her back and forth as we made off toward her bedroom to get ready for bed. As I sang, she sat and listened and readied herself for a night of rest.  It was a sweet time, one that I will always remember and maybe her as well.  Don't be afraid to ask your Heavenly Father for a sweet embrace.  He is willing and waiting just as I was with Anna Grace.

Mark 10:16 says, "And he took the children in His arms, put his Hands on them and blessed them."

As we are developing a core team who will help us plant Heritage Community Church, ministry to our children is happening.  Each time we are together, Mrs. Brooke is providing take home materials to help families talk about God's Word during the week.  Please take advantage of those opportunities and let's "live out a legacy of Faith."

Join us this next Sunday night at 5:00 pm at Wildwood middle school.

Blessings,

Pastor Sidney Brock

I thought it'd be good from time to time to offer some albums that I think are definitely worth buying. The first one is the band Leeland titled Sound Of Melodies. This has to be one of the best albums from the last year! You can easily listen to every track without ever pressing the skip button. The lead singer and writer of most of the songs is Leeland Mooring. He was only 17 when this album was recorded. You won't believe that when you hear him sing!

"Leeland is the best thing I have heard in a long, long time," says Grammy Award-winning artist Michael W. Smith. "I can't stop singing the songs in my head. Great melodies. Great band. Great voice."

So check out Sound of Melodies on iTunes by clicking on one of the links in this blog or by clicking the album art above.

Relevant Magazine is one of the best resources available for young Christians! The magazine, website, and podcast are all musts for anyone interested in music, movies, and more for our culture. You'll find music and movie reviews, interviews with artists, and tons of articles on stuff YOU care about!

"RelevantMagazine is twentysomething Christians. We want to break stereotypes, challenge status-quo and enact change through the media."

Check out the website by clicking here.

Check out the free podcast here.

Subscribe to the magazine here.

Well the time is here, and we are now "Gathering" each Sunday night at 5:00 pm for worship and bible study.  

Our first Gathering was this past Sunday night, and it was such a sweet time.  We are so excited about what God has in store for those that will join us in the journey of  "tilling the ground" and "planting seeds" in the Northern Lake and Sumter County areas.  One person sent an email today commenting on our time Sunday night, they said,


"You asked during the service what the definition of home is.  I have been thinking about that the last few days.  Home is the place I kick off my shoes and I can be myself, I can take a deep breath and I feel comfortable.  We were in agreement that the first service this past week was home, we just 'took our shoes off' and worshiped in a way that we felt very close to God.  We are very excited to be on the road to great things in Christ with Heritage Community."


This was an encouragement to our team as we do believe that God will use us to help others  "Live out a legacy of Faith" as well as leave a lasting impression for generations to come!

If you are interested in Heritage Community Church, please join us this Sunday at 5pm at Wildwood Middle School.

I don’t know about you, but I love fall.  Forget about the New Year, this is the time of year for change for me. Now that Kyle is in school, I get to experience that “back to school” adrenalin rush all over again.  If only it were cool enough to throw on a sweater and see a few leaves on the ground, I would be in heaven!
 
In my last blog I shared how I felt completely overwhelmed by all the things going on in this world.  I wasn’t sure how my life was going to make a difference in the Kingdom.  There are many things I would personally like to see change… the environment our kids have to grow up in, the media and the things they dwell on… the list goes on and on.  I have been asking God, "what can I do?" I found this story in a motivation catalog called Successories, which for me, was an answer to prayer. 
 
An old man walked up a shore littered with thousands of starfish, beached and dying after a storm.  A young man was picking them up and flinging them back into the ocean.  “Why do you bother?” the old man scoffed.  “You are not saving enough to make a difference.”  The young man picked up another starfish and sent it spinning back to the water. “Made a difference to that one,” he said.  You make a difference every day. (Imagine God saying that to you)
 
Though I have been battling some mood swings… which I blame on hormone issues, (don’t we always ladies?) God has definitely shown me the Power of Positive.  Dan got me an iPod and I have been getting up and working out to DC Talk and Big Daddy Weave to start my day.  Then when I get to work, I turn on the Z and surround myself with positivity. 
 
I have been feeling the Holy Spirit reminding me to share these positive thoughts with others.  I’ve started sending the little stories like the one above to some of my co-workers who have a lot of daily challenges in their jobs.  A couple of ladies and I have been meeting weekly during our lunch break to petition God on behalf of our businesses, our community and those in our lives.  We have been asking for big things, and others have noticed changes in the areas we keep bringing to God.  Pastor Sid is right; we need to keep knocking at His door!  If someone comes to my mind, I try to contact them that day to see why God put them on my heart.  I don’t always know if I am encouraging them, but they sure are encouraging me! This Sunday is a big day in the life of Heritage Community Church.  Our families will join together on a weekly basis to encourage one another in our growth in Christ.   Isn’t that exciting?  What is God going to do next?  How will you make a difference?


-Terra Machande

With Labor Day just behind us, I thought this was a great devotional from Robert Siegel about working like we are working for the Lord.



I was recently having lunch at a fast-food restaurant and happened to watch the busboy clearing and wiping tables. Suddenly he stopped and stared at a glass door across the room. Taking a fresh rag out of his pocket, he walked over and rubbed hard at a nearly invisible smudge on the glass. Then he went back to wiping tables.

I was impressed.

I figured this guy had the lowliest job in the place, but he practically owned the restaurant. That is, he was treating the restaurant as if it were his own, as if he were responsible for every detail looking good and working well. It won't be long before he's a manager, I thought. Perhaps he'll really own the place someday.

By imagining the restaurant his own—what we might call minding his own business—he revealed his personal initiative and drive to those around and above him. He turned a possibly boring, menial job into one with some excitement.

We're all familiar with business owners or CEOs who hurry—to do any small task, no matter how humble, needed by the business. Their minds are occupied with the whole operation, intent upon it—hardly bored.

The busboy reminded me of the young manager of a local restaurant where I occasionally order take-out. This man—no older than five or six others also working the counter and the large, open kitchen—picked up my name from the order slip and greeted me by it the second time I came in. It's no surprise to me that he is manager: this small personal courtesy keeps me returning there. It makes personal an otherwise impersonal transaction, and makes the already excellent sandwiches taste even better.

Jesus said to his disciples, "He who is greatest among you shall be your servant" (Matt. 23:11, RSV). He later demonstrated what he meant by washing their feet, a job usually reserved for servants. Both the busboy and the young manager are servants: serving the customer, serving their fellow workers by their example, serving the owners, and serving themselves as well. Their personal drive and leadership in serving the business will advance their careers.

They will become "great" through serving.

Taking ownership and leadership in what we do should involve taking an even longer view. In our work, we are serving others and ourselves, but ultimately we are serving God and God's plan for the whole creation. If we do everything as for him, the New Testament tells us, we make noble and splendid the most humble task.

By Robert Siegel. © 2001 - 2007 H. E. Butt Foundation.