A New Anointing

Our annual leadership retreat begins tonight.  This year we titled the retreat, "A New Anointing".  We are asking God to give New Life leaders a new anointing, a new heart and mind, a new ministry, and at least one new person reached for Christ by every leader.

As I was thinking about God's anointing, I remembered David's anointing in 1 Samuel 16.  In 1 Samuel 16, God sends Samuel to the house of Jesse to anoint a new king over Israel.  Here's a few leadership lessons from this story.

1. Leaders have to forget the past and get going with the future.  God is ready to anoint a new king and Samuel is still grieving over Saul.  If I want to experience God's anointing for ministry, I need to be living in the present with a focus on the future.  Are you focused on the past, the present, or the future?

2. Leaders must have the "right stuff" in their hearts.  1 Samuel 16:7 reminds us that God isn't impressed by outward appearance, he looks at our hearts.  Remember the movie, Captain America.  Why was he chosen?  He had a kind heart!  I loved that about that movie.  God looks at our heart.  Matthew 5:8 says, "The pure in heart shall see God."  What about your heart?  Do you have the "right stuff"?

3. Leaders are often prepared / trained in "small beginnings".  David became a great king, but he began as a shepherd boy out in the field.  As a shepherd, David learned of God's faithfulness.  Plus he learned to be faithful and to gain confidence and courage in God's provision.  Is God preparing you for something bigger by training you in "small beginnings".

4. God's anointing brings the presence of the Holy Spirit.  In church ministry, you can do everything right and still not much happens.  Why?  Because it takes a move of God's Spirit to transform a heart or restore a family to God.  The truly important things in a person's life can't be changed without God's Spirit at work.  Are you asking God for a new anointing?

I'm looking forward to a new anointing in 2014.  I need God's presence to empower me and to direct me.  Through him, I can do all things (Philippians 4:13)!  Without Him, I can do nothing (John 15:5)!  See you tonight or see you Sunday!  Pastor Tom

People of God - People of Presence

Exodus 6:7 reads, "I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians." The Hebrews were in slavery 430 years in Egypt.  Then God sent Moses and set the people free (Exodus 16:35).  God's presence was with the people in the desert wanderings for 40 years -- a pillar of fire in the night and a cloud by day.  

Hit the rewind button some 500 years and Abraham is just appearing on the scene of God's redemptive story.  Adam and Eve and Noah and the Ark are long gone (like 800 plus years past, Genesis 7:6).    God's story is just beginning.  Adam, Eve, and Noah are just one act in a grand play.  Now Abraham takes center stage. 

Genesis 12:4 tells us that Abraham was 75 years old when he set out to follow God's call.  The preceding three verses are pivotal.  In Genesis 12:1-3, Abraham receives the call to leave his country and head out to the "promised land"(12:1).  God promises to make him into "a great nation" (12:2) and to bless him and make him a blessing to all peoples on the planet (12:3).  The second part of 12:3 reads, "and through you all the people of the earth will be blessed."  Imagine that - God was choosing Abraham and promising to make him a great nation so that "all peoples" (literally all ethnic groups) would be included in God's plan and promise of blessing.

The rest is history so to speak . . . Israel does become a great nation and in Christ Jesus, the church becomes the people of God witnessing to the power and presence of God in the world today.  In 1 Peter 2:9, Peter writes, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."  You might think Peter is referring to the Israelites, but no . . . he is referring to the church (the people of God). 

The biblical pattern is clear - 1) God is a people choosing God, 2) God blesses his people so that they might be a blessing, and 3) the presence and the people of God belong together.  I began with a passage from Exodus so I will leave you with Exodus 33:14 says -  "The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

I'm grateful that God has a people called the church.  We are far from perfect and more importantly we are dependent on God's presence in our lives.  As I look at how God has worked in the past, I am reminded that God still has a people today--a people of the presence.  May God help each of us to cherish the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and seek to share him with those we meet.  Pastor Tom

Christianity teaches that God 

people of God

presence of God 

The Holy Spirit is . . .

Last week we began a series entitled, "The Holy Spirit is . . .". The goal of the series is to talk about the Holy Spirit and how He works in our life to help us to grow spiritually. I hope you will join us on Sundays to share in the series.

We began the series focusing on Adventure. If you have time, take a look at Genesis 12:1-3. Genesis records the call of Abraham. God called Abraham to an adventure. He called him to leave his familiar country and move out to his promised land. Obtaining your promised land is not always about finding a new location. Your promised land is your God-given dream. What has God promised your life? What is your dream? Whatever it is, God wants you to trust him to accomplish the dream. God wants us to believe and not give up!

This Sunday, we are going to talk about "Life-change" from Romans 8. When I think of the Holy Spirit, I think of life-change. God wants to transform your life and He has given us the Holy Spirit to work out that change. Join us on Sunday. See you there.

Pastor Tom