“Wow, this is one of the biggest decisions of my life!” “Will the water be cold?” “I wonder if this blue thing will really keep me modestly covered after it is wet.” “Do I really know enough to follow through on this commitment?” “They really won’t care if I drip water all over the carpet once we get out of the baptistery?” “Hey, I wonder how they change the light bulbs way up there at the top of the auditorium.” “I bet it will feel awesome to have my sins washed away!” “Did I leave the iron on?” “Maybe I should get a puppy.” “How did they say that Holy Spirit thing worked again?”
Can you remember the nervous excitement you felt as you surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus in the waters of baptism? How many thoughts flashed across your mind as you gave yourself to one of the biggest moments and decisions of your life? It is hard to focus on one thing, isn’t it—even during something as special and important as entering into a bond of covenant with the maker of the universe? No wonder the Christian walk is sooooo difficult!!!
It may be that you are reading this article right now in the midst of communion or the sermon because your mind wandered and you were just looking for something to occupy your thoughts. It is so tough to stay on task—AND we have an enemy who exploits this weakness in order to harden us so that we will not become what the Great Sculptor desires to craft us into for His service and our benefit!
We will see in the sermon this morning that God desires to use ordinary lumps of clay like us to accomplish awesome things within His Kingdom! However, this will not happen by chance or accident.
Notice what Jesus says in the midst of explaining the parable of the sower & soils:
And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns;
These are the ones who have heard the word, and the worries of the
world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desire for other things
enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. (Mark 4:18-19)
We must be on our guard so the struggles and trials of this life do not chip away at the dream and plan God has for each one of us. We were created for a purpose to accomplish the good works He has prepared beforehand in Jesus that we should walk in them.
I am glad you are here this morning! I rejoice that of all the things you could give your time and energy to at this particular time, you have chosen to be with a body of fellow believers who are striving to become more of what God wants us to be. May we help each other be disciplined & focused in our thoughts and soft & moldable in our hearts so our God can handcraft us into the works of art He desires to make of each of us!
Day of Fasting & Prayer
Remember, Friday, September 7th through Saturday, September 8th is a time of Fasting & Prayer for our whole church family to participate in. Please sign up in one of the foyers for a time to come to the building to pray so we have a 24-hour vigil offered up before our God and Father. The purpose of this is to seek God’s direction for this body of Christians as we begin a new chapter in our history so we become all God desires this part of the body of Christ to be and fulfill every good work He has prepared for us to accomplish.
To listen to sermon, click Man, The Sculpture.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Sunday, August 19, 2007
A God who is in Control!
Suppose you had it in your mind that you were going to destroy Christianity. What would you do to turn people away from following Jesus and the teachings of the Scriptures?
In 361 A.D. a new emperor took over control of the Roman Empire. He came to be known in history as Julian the Apostate because of the many things he tried to do to stop the spread of Christianity. One of his strategies was to recall several bishops who had been sent into exile because of controversial views they held (teachings of Arianism) so that they would stir up trouble within the ranks of the Church. His hope was that people would become so frustrated with the bickering going on that they would turn back to the pagan religious views that were prominent before Constantine became emperor and used Christianity to bring unity to the Roman Empire, turning it into a “Christian Empire”. Interestingly, this actually led to the final defeat of Arianism as it led many Christians to revisit their differences. It is amazing how God works, isn’t it?
Julian was not finished. He passed a law to bar Christians from being employed in the teaching profession in an attempt to make Christians dependent upon pagan schools and the curriculum that would come with this. Julian even tried to have the Temple rebuilt in an attempt to invalidate the teachings of Jesus! However, it was abandoned after a fire and earthquake halted the work from being accomplished. Coincidence? Julian only reigned 2 years as emperor before he died.
This morning we begin a short, 4-week series called “Human Clay” in which we will be looking at God as our sculptor, we as the sculpture, this world as His studio to mold us into what He desires, and finally, whether we will be the work of art He has made us to be so He can hang us in His gallery. Throughout this series it should be evident that our great Sculptor has things totally under control! He has a great plan that will not be thwarted, even though He has given His creation free will. May it never happen, but we could even go so far as to have a “Julian the Apostate” moment in which we strive to work against the will of this great Sculptor and He will continue to bring about what He desires. So, will you submit to His handcrafting in your life? Will you bring your free will in line with His intentions? “Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker—an earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth! Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’ Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands?’”—Isaiah 45:9
A Day of Fasting & Prayer
As we continue to strive to write a new chapter in the history of the Garden Ridge congregation, it is important to make sure we are following the direction our Father in heaven wants us to go. Friday, September 7th through Saturday, September 8th will be a day of fasting and prayer for our church family. We will be asking you, as a church family, to take part in a vigil of prayer (signing up for a specific time to come and pray here at the building and/or lifting up this body and the direction God is calling us to go throughout the 24-hour period we are setting this up for). We will also be putting out sheets of butcher paper in the foyer for you to write things you believe we should focus upon as we strive to know the will of God and obey Him. These sheets will be hung in the room of prayer (Modular 1) for those who come to pray to stir thoughts and ideas to pray for. Each week, more information will be given concerning this to help you be prepared for this very important event in our church’s life.
To listen to sermon, click The Sculptor.
In 361 A.D. a new emperor took over control of the Roman Empire. He came to be known in history as Julian the Apostate because of the many things he tried to do to stop the spread of Christianity. One of his strategies was to recall several bishops who had been sent into exile because of controversial views they held (teachings of Arianism) so that they would stir up trouble within the ranks of the Church. His hope was that people would become so frustrated with the bickering going on that they would turn back to the pagan religious views that were prominent before Constantine became emperor and used Christianity to bring unity to the Roman Empire, turning it into a “Christian Empire”. Interestingly, this actually led to the final defeat of Arianism as it led many Christians to revisit their differences. It is amazing how God works, isn’t it?
Julian was not finished. He passed a law to bar Christians from being employed in the teaching profession in an attempt to make Christians dependent upon pagan schools and the curriculum that would come with this. Julian even tried to have the Temple rebuilt in an attempt to invalidate the teachings of Jesus! However, it was abandoned after a fire and earthquake halted the work from being accomplished. Coincidence? Julian only reigned 2 years as emperor before he died.
This morning we begin a short, 4-week series called “Human Clay” in which we will be looking at God as our sculptor, we as the sculpture, this world as His studio to mold us into what He desires, and finally, whether we will be the work of art He has made us to be so He can hang us in His gallery. Throughout this series it should be evident that our great Sculptor has things totally under control! He has a great plan that will not be thwarted, even though He has given His creation free will. May it never happen, but we could even go so far as to have a “Julian the Apostate” moment in which we strive to work against the will of this great Sculptor and He will continue to bring about what He desires. So, will you submit to His handcrafting in your life? Will you bring your free will in line with His intentions? “Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker—an earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth! Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’ Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands?’”—Isaiah 45:9
A Day of Fasting & Prayer
As we continue to strive to write a new chapter in the history of the Garden Ridge congregation, it is important to make sure we are following the direction our Father in heaven wants us to go. Friday, September 7th through Saturday, September 8th will be a day of fasting and prayer for our church family. We will be asking you, as a church family, to take part in a vigil of prayer (signing up for a specific time to come and pray here at the building and/or lifting up this body and the direction God is calling us to go throughout the 24-hour period we are setting this up for). We will also be putting out sheets of butcher paper in the foyer for you to write things you believe we should focus upon as we strive to know the will of God and obey Him. These sheets will be hung in the room of prayer (Modular 1) for those who come to pray to stir thoughts and ideas to pray for. Each week, more information will be given concerning this to help you be prepared for this very important event in our church’s life.
To listen to sermon, click The Sculptor.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
How Big is Your Solution?
Last week we saw how the Law demonstrates the nature of God and was given to the Israelites so they would understand how to live as a holy nation. This morning in our sermon time we will see that the bottom line of God giving the Law was so we could have relationship with Him. This is really what the whole story of Scripture is about! Yet, it seems to be one of the hardest things to maintain!
The devil has all kinds of strategies he uses to work against what God desires, but probably one of his most effective is to get us so focused upon our own problems that we lose focus on anything else. It works something like this: take a book and open it somewhere in the middle and lay it across your face. What do you see? Not much more than the book, right? Now, take that same book and hold it out at arms length. What do you see? If the book represents your problem, the problem is still clearly in focus, but there is so much more one can see as well. This is called keeping things in perspective. There is a much larger picture than the struggles or trials we face, but the devil wants us to think we are alone in what we are dealing with and everything is about our problem or trial or struggle. He wants to see us discouraged so we will trust less, serve less, and live with less contentment and joy.
Revelation 5:1-4 shows a similar situation:
And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” And no one in heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book, or to look into it. And I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look into it;
John was caught up in the moment and so focused on the problem that he could not see the solution!
Fortunately, the passage goes on to say:
And one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”
His message to John was, “Step back and take another look!” There is One who is in complete control and He will handle the situation in His own time and own way. The whole message of Revelation is to maintain hope because we have a Lord who has overcome so that we can ultimately dwell with Him for eternity! HE is seeking a relationship with US! Will we see past the schemes of the devil and realize the big picture is truly beautiful—problems and all?
To listen to sermon, click A Church Jesus can be Part of.
The devil has all kinds of strategies he uses to work against what God desires, but probably one of his most effective is to get us so focused upon our own problems that we lose focus on anything else. It works something like this: take a book and open it somewhere in the middle and lay it across your face. What do you see? Not much more than the book, right? Now, take that same book and hold it out at arms length. What do you see? If the book represents your problem, the problem is still clearly in focus, but there is so much more one can see as well. This is called keeping things in perspective. There is a much larger picture than the struggles or trials we face, but the devil wants us to think we are alone in what we are dealing with and everything is about our problem or trial or struggle. He wants to see us discouraged so we will trust less, serve less, and live with less contentment and joy.
Revelation 5:1-4 shows a similar situation:
And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” And no one in heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book, or to look into it. And I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look into it;
John was caught up in the moment and so focused on the problem that he could not see the solution!
Fortunately, the passage goes on to say:
And one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”
His message to John was, “Step back and take another look!” There is One who is in complete control and He will handle the situation in His own time and own way. The whole message of Revelation is to maintain hope because we have a Lord who has overcome so that we can ultimately dwell with Him for eternity! HE is seeking a relationship with US! Will we see past the schemes of the devil and realize the big picture is truly beautiful—problems and all?
To listen to sermon, click A Church Jesus can be Part of.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Drawing Near to God
Has this ever happened to you? You are driving down the highway listening to your favorite station on the radio, a song comes on, and before it finishes the reception starts to go out. Static starts to overcome the music and lyrics. You really want to hear the song because it is one of your favorites, but no matter how hard you try to tune it in better, adjusting all the fine tuning knobs, it is no use—you are moving out of range. It is not that the station stopped broadcasting. It is not that your radio quit working. The trouble is that you have moved too far away from the station to get clear reception.
Our relationship with God works much the same way! He is our source of guidance, power, strength, and everything else that would help our lives become a beautiful melody of songs. However, too many times the music and lyrics are hard to hear because we have moved too far away and all people hear is static. James reminds us that when we draw near to God He will draw near to us (James 4:8). He includes through verse 10 how this will happen, and begins with cleansing our hands and purifying our hearts! In other words, he admonishes Christians to fine tune their lives by dealing with both the sin that is now in their lives (cleansing their hands) and the intentions that are in their hearts (purifying their hearts).
This morning we will consider why God gave the Israelites the Law and how it was part of their call to become a holy nation. As He sought to draw the people near to Him at Mt. Sinai, it was only going to happen if they lived according to the nature and will of the One True God! His calling for them to be a Holy Nation was so He could dwell in their midst and be near to them! It is sin that puts a separation between God and man, and only when we have made a determination to turn back and draw near to Him will we be able to receive the power that has been made available for each of us. Then our lives can truly be a beautiful song that plays without static or interruption as we travel down the highway of this life!
It Is Coming!!!
Six weeks from today (September 16th) we will begin a series of sermons that is my absolute favorite material to teach or preach. We will be looking at how God introduces Himself through the book of Genesis. This is a series meant to increase faith and empower this church family so we are better equipped to share who God is and what He desires from us as we live in a relationship of covenant with Him. Please be praying for this series and YOUR involvement in it!!! This will be a great time to invite those who do not know God so they can see how awesome and beautiful God’s plans are for our lives. It will also be a time to instruct those who already have a deep abiding faith in God as to how the Scriptures can be shared with the lost. Get excited about this! This will be a fun series to study together and a good time for growth in our spiritual walks!!!
To listen to sermon, click What is a Holy Nation?
Our relationship with God works much the same way! He is our source of guidance, power, strength, and everything else that would help our lives become a beautiful melody of songs. However, too many times the music and lyrics are hard to hear because we have moved too far away and all people hear is static. James reminds us that when we draw near to God He will draw near to us (James 4:8). He includes through verse 10 how this will happen, and begins with cleansing our hands and purifying our hearts! In other words, he admonishes Christians to fine tune their lives by dealing with both the sin that is now in their lives (cleansing their hands) and the intentions that are in their hearts (purifying their hearts).
This morning we will consider why God gave the Israelites the Law and how it was part of their call to become a holy nation. As He sought to draw the people near to Him at Mt. Sinai, it was only going to happen if they lived according to the nature and will of the One True God! His calling for them to be a Holy Nation was so He could dwell in their midst and be near to them! It is sin that puts a separation between God and man, and only when we have made a determination to turn back and draw near to Him will we be able to receive the power that has been made available for each of us. Then our lives can truly be a beautiful song that plays without static or interruption as we travel down the highway of this life!
It Is Coming!!!
Six weeks from today (September 16th) we will begin a series of sermons that is my absolute favorite material to teach or preach. We will be looking at how God introduces Himself through the book of Genesis. This is a series meant to increase faith and empower this church family so we are better equipped to share who God is and what He desires from us as we live in a relationship of covenant with Him. Please be praying for this series and YOUR involvement in it!!! This will be a great time to invite those who do not know God so they can see how awesome and beautiful God’s plans are for our lives. It will also be a time to instruct those who already have a deep abiding faith in God as to how the Scriptures can be shared with the lost. Get excited about this! This will be a fun series to study together and a good time for growth in our spiritual walks!!!
To listen to sermon, click What is a Holy Nation?
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Can it Get Any Better Than This?
As each of my three children were born into the world I thought, “Lord, what am I going to do now?” “You mean these little things are entrusted to me to train up in all your ways?” While it was incredibly exciting to have new babies to hold, it was a bit unnerving to realize the amount of planning and effort and patience and faith it was going to take in order to help them develop into all their Father in heaven had created them to be. Thus, we began a journey together that included a lot of winding turns with some very high highs, some incredibly low lows, and a lot of places in between. The goal in sight was to introduce our children to their true Father in a manner that produced trust in Him and a level of intimacy that led them to surrender their wills to Him in a bond of covenant love.
Our task is by no means over, but imagine the joy Deeann and I felt as we witnessed the spiritual birth of the third of our three children. I was brought back into focus in my own faith walk with God when two minutes out of the waters of baptism Whitney said to her mother in an expression of pure joy and relief, “Now I don’t have to worry if Jesus returns tomorrow!” Have I been living with this kind of anticipation? Have you?
One of the greatest dangers to our spiritual walk is the slow hardening of our hearts. If we are not careful we can become so caught up in the things of this world that we forget to focus on the things of the world beyond this one. The author of Hebrews warns about this four times in chapters 3 & 4 of his book, three times quoting the same verse found in Psalm 95:7—“Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts . . .” He also quotes Psalm 95:11 twice which warns, “As I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest.” Isn’t it interesting that this warning comes a mere ten verses after the author of Psalm 95 says this, “Come let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before Him with thanksgiving; and extol Him with music and song.” How do you move from praise and worship to a threat of not entering His rest?
This morning we are going to look at having a heart of flesh rather than a heart of stone. We have an enemy who is trying to harden us so that we lose the awe of a God who is working daily in our midst; an enemy who would rather me worry about some temporary problem of this world rather than rejoice in the victory I have for eternity; an enemy who would strip away the joy of my salvation and my contentment in each day because he gets me focused on the wrong things. When he is successful, my faith walk and the kingdom of God suffer. Consider the benefits of being soft hearted this morning and throughout this week so that we soar like eagles (as God has created us to do) and enjoy the activity of our God as He works among us to mold us and give us a heart of flesh!
To listen to sermon, click Developing a Heart Like God's.
Our task is by no means over, but imagine the joy Deeann and I felt as we witnessed the spiritual birth of the third of our three children. I was brought back into focus in my own faith walk with God when two minutes out of the waters of baptism Whitney said to her mother in an expression of pure joy and relief, “Now I don’t have to worry if Jesus returns tomorrow!” Have I been living with this kind of anticipation? Have you?
One of the greatest dangers to our spiritual walk is the slow hardening of our hearts. If we are not careful we can become so caught up in the things of this world that we forget to focus on the things of the world beyond this one. The author of Hebrews warns about this four times in chapters 3 & 4 of his book, three times quoting the same verse found in Psalm 95:7—“Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts . . .” He also quotes Psalm 95:11 twice which warns, “As I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest.” Isn’t it interesting that this warning comes a mere ten verses after the author of Psalm 95 says this, “Come let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before Him with thanksgiving; and extol Him with music and song.” How do you move from praise and worship to a threat of not entering His rest?
This morning we are going to look at having a heart of flesh rather than a heart of stone. We have an enemy who is trying to harden us so that we lose the awe of a God who is working daily in our midst; an enemy who would rather me worry about some temporary problem of this world rather than rejoice in the victory I have for eternity; an enemy who would strip away the joy of my salvation and my contentment in each day because he gets me focused on the wrong things. When he is successful, my faith walk and the kingdom of God suffer. Consider the benefits of being soft hearted this morning and throughout this week so that we soar like eagles (as God has created us to do) and enjoy the activity of our God as He works among us to mold us and give us a heart of flesh!
To listen to sermon, click Developing a Heart Like God's.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
The Image of Christianity
And they’ll know we are Christians by our . . . LOVE?!?!? Unfortunately, the image of Christianity in the media and beyond is often times not very positive. For instance, in the cartoon series called The Simpsons, there are characters named Ned & Maude Flanders who live next door to Homer and his family. They are born-again Christians who constantly espouse a cheerful disposition and offer platitudes of faith that are often irrelevant to the everyday living of Homer and his family. In one particular episode, Homer has not seen Maude for a while and speaks to her when he sees her in her backyard. He says, “I haven’t seen you in a couple weeks. Where have you been?” Maude replies in a cheery voice, “Oh, I’ve been away at a Bible camp—learning how to be more judgmental.” OUCH! So, this is what America finds to be humorous? Is this what people see when they gaze upon Christianity? It would not have comic value if people could not relate to its basic truth.
Jesus calls us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (READ Matthew 5:13-16). These are distinct qualities that should draw people to God (Did you catch the end of V. 16?) Salt can certainly induce more thirst, and light illuminates and attracts. However, how often do we carry out our mission too well? Have you ever had salt in an open wound? Have you ever had to close your eyes to the light or turn away because it was so bright it hurt?
What do people see when they look at your life? Would you say they get a clear picture of Jesus, or is the image distorted? One of the main things Jesus says demonstrates we are His disciples is our love for one another (John 13:35). Will we be a body that goes beyond mere words and puts our faith into practice by putting the love of Jesus into action? It is really not that hard if we will just make time for it. How long does it take to call up someone on the prayer list to give them some personal encouragement? Would a 20-minute visit to the hospital be difficult to fit into this next week? How about spending some time singing at the Nursing Home? Do you have a neighbor who is dealing with a loss or significant struggle? A plate of cookies and a hug sure go a long way in providing relief.
Instead of getting mad about the media portrayal of Christianity, perhaps we should change the image so the world finds no humor in it! This morning as we consider the attire of the priest and what it says about the ministry we have, may we always bathe all we do in tender, compassionate love so that men may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven!
To listen to sermon click Garments of a Preist
Jesus calls us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (READ Matthew 5:13-16). These are distinct qualities that should draw people to God (Did you catch the end of V. 16?) Salt can certainly induce more thirst, and light illuminates and attracts. However, how often do we carry out our mission too well? Have you ever had salt in an open wound? Have you ever had to close your eyes to the light or turn away because it was so bright it hurt?
What do people see when they look at your life? Would you say they get a clear picture of Jesus, or is the image distorted? One of the main things Jesus says demonstrates we are His disciples is our love for one another (John 13:35). Will we be a body that goes beyond mere words and puts our faith into practice by putting the love of Jesus into action? It is really not that hard if we will just make time for it. How long does it take to call up someone on the prayer list to give them some personal encouragement? Would a 20-minute visit to the hospital be difficult to fit into this next week? How about spending some time singing at the Nursing Home? Do you have a neighbor who is dealing with a loss or significant struggle? A plate of cookies and a hug sure go a long way in providing relief.
Instead of getting mad about the media portrayal of Christianity, perhaps we should change the image so the world finds no humor in it! This morning as we consider the attire of the priest and what it says about the ministry we have, may we always bathe all we do in tender, compassionate love so that men may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven!
To listen to sermon click Garments of a Preist
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Are We All Talk
Isn’t it great that we all have value? Paul puts it this way in the book of Ephesians: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” To be God’s workmanship is one thing; to actually fulfill the things He has called us to be and do is another. Take the election and inauguration of the ninth president of the United States, for example.
William Henry Harrison prepared a tremendously long inaugural address and, even though the weather was sub-freezing, he stubbornly spent close to two hours reciting every word of his address. The most prominent result of Harrison sharing his presidential philosophy was to catch pneumonia. Within thirty days Harrison was dead.
William Henry Harrison holds two records in America: one for the longest inaugural address and another for the shortest presidential term. Sadly, as a result of this, it has been said that Harrison talked more and did less than any other President throughout history.
How sad it would be if that was the analysis of the ministry accomplished by the Garden Ridge family. This morning we will see that God has called us to something special as His people. God will walk with us; work with us; even fight for us in order to empower us as tools, ministers and ambassadors in His hands. Are we prepared to fulfill His desire for our lives this week? You have been created for good works which were prepared beforehand by God Himself—AND THAT IS NOT JUST TALK!!! Will we commit to accomplishing His will as we serve as priests in His service?
Who Is God And What Does He Want?
Be praying about the Sunday sermon series we will begin in September that has a two-fold intention: (1) To reach the lost with an introduction of God according to the way God is introduced in the book of Genesis, and (2) To help those who are not comfortable with sharing the Good News of who God is recognize how easy it is to follow the Bible and show the reality, the power, and the relevance of God and His ways for our world today. This might just be the most important series of sermons I have an opportunity to preach here at Garden Ridge, so make plans to attend and start inviting your friends, family and neighbors to come hear these messages.
Click to listen to sermon, Where Are We Going?
William Henry Harrison prepared a tremendously long inaugural address and, even though the weather was sub-freezing, he stubbornly spent close to two hours reciting every word of his address. The most prominent result of Harrison sharing his presidential philosophy was to catch pneumonia. Within thirty days Harrison was dead.
William Henry Harrison holds two records in America: one for the longest inaugural address and another for the shortest presidential term. Sadly, as a result of this, it has been said that Harrison talked more and did less than any other President throughout history.
How sad it would be if that was the analysis of the ministry accomplished by the Garden Ridge family. This morning we will see that God has called us to something special as His people. God will walk with us; work with us; even fight for us in order to empower us as tools, ministers and ambassadors in His hands. Are we prepared to fulfill His desire for our lives this week? You have been created for good works which were prepared beforehand by God Himself—AND THAT IS NOT JUST TALK!!! Will we commit to accomplishing His will as we serve as priests in His service?
Who Is God And What Does He Want?
Be praying about the Sunday sermon series we will begin in September that has a two-fold intention: (1) To reach the lost with an introduction of God according to the way God is introduced in the book of Genesis, and (2) To help those who are not comfortable with sharing the Good News of who God is recognize how easy it is to follow the Bible and show the reality, the power, and the relevance of God and His ways for our world today. This might just be the most important series of sermons I have an opportunity to preach here at Garden Ridge, so make plans to attend and start inviting your friends, family and neighbors to come hear these messages.
Click to listen to sermon, Where Are We Going?
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