Thursday, October 9, 2008
Move Completed
The transfer to WordPress is completed, so this will be my last post on Blogger. I was able to move all the archives so all the old postings are there. Hopefully WordPress likes my computers better. So jump on in and set the new address to your favorites. See you there!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
The Move Is On
After a couple of weeks fighting to get on my blog, I'm moving Be Refreshed to WordPress. It will take me a couple of days to get it up and running, but hopefully I can take my whole archive with me. Check out the new and improved and hopefully accessible Be Refreshed at
See you there soon! Go ahead and save the new site under your favorites or just make it your homepage:)
Be Refreshed!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Blog Down
Hey Friends.
I apologize for no new postings lately. For some reason my laptop or home computer cannot access my Blogger account to update. Sorry about that. I haven't had much time to try and crack through though. I'm on my secretary's computer now just to apologize.
Keep the faith and try to go on with your normal lives if possible.
Be Refreshed!
I apologize for no new postings lately. For some reason my laptop or home computer cannot access my Blogger account to update. Sorry about that. I haven't had much time to try and crack through though. I'm on my secretary's computer now just to apologize.
Keep the faith and try to go on with your normal lives if possible.
Be Refreshed!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Fall In
Fall officially rolled in a little after noon today. The forecast is around 80 all week so the transition should be easier. What a beautiful summer though.
Week three of The House God Loves yesterday was "What Prayer Accomplishes." Prayer brings Power. Prayer brings Brokenness. Prayer helps us Overcome.
I bookended the sermon with two Scriptures:
1. James 5:17-18 17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
2. Acts 4:13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
God isn't looking for the next superstar, He's looking for people just like us who are available. Elijah was a man just like us. (James 5) Peter and John were unschooled and ordinary (Acts 4). But as they prayed, were filled with the Holy Spirit, and sought God's kingdom, God did the miraculous. God's looking. Are you willing to pray?
Be Refreshed!
Proverb of the Day: Proverbs 22:11 He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend.
Scripture of the Day: 1 Corinthians 1:26 26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
Quote of the Day: "The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men---men of prayer." E. M. Bounds
Week three of The House God Loves yesterday was "What Prayer Accomplishes." Prayer brings Power. Prayer brings Brokenness. Prayer helps us Overcome.
I bookended the sermon with two Scriptures:
1. James 5:17-18 17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
2. Acts 4:13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
God isn't looking for the next superstar, He's looking for people just like us who are available. Elijah was a man just like us. (James 5) Peter and John were unschooled and ordinary (Acts 4). But as they prayed, were filled with the Holy Spirit, and sought God's kingdom, God did the miraculous. God's looking. Are you willing to pray?
Be Refreshed!
Proverb of the Day: Proverbs 22:11 He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend.
Scripture of the Day: 1 Corinthians 1:26 26 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
Quote of the Day: "The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men---men of prayer." E. M. Bounds
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Blog On
A busy week has kept me from the blog recently. A R.R. campout, a funeral, meeting out of town, etc. Excuses, excuses.
Week two of The House God Loves this Sunday was "When God Says No." There are two extremes in prayer. One being a "God's gonna do what God's gonna do" and it really doesn't matter how or if I pray. The other is making God our bell boy who does whatever we tell Him to. A healthy middle is a sovereign God who answers prayer. But why does God say "No" sometimes? Here are a few reasons.
-Did we even pray? We have not because we ask not. (James 1:2)
-Did we pray with wrong motives. James 4:3 "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."
-Does your prayers match your life? Isaiah 58:1-5
-Sin has consequences. Grace wipes away the stain of sin, but not all consequences disappear. 2 Samuel 12:13-14 Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 14 But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will die."
-Did we give up too soon? Luke 18:1-7
-Did we pray in faith? James 1:6-8
-Were we using a cheap formula prayer? Acts 19:13-16
-Does God have a greater plan? "Three times I [Apostle Paul] pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Cor. 12:8-9
Be Refreshed!
Proverb of the Day: Proverbs 17:3 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.
Scripture of the Day: 1 John 5:14-15 14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
Quote of the Day: "It is not enough for the believer to begin to pray, nor to pray correctly; nor is it enough to continue for a time to pray. We must patiently, believingly continue in prayer until we obtain an answer. Further, we have not only to continue in prayer until the end, but we have also to believe that God does hear us and will answer our prayers. Most frequently we fail in not continuing in prayer until the blessing is obtained, and in not expecting the blessing. Those who are disciples of the Lord Jesus should labor with all their might in the work of God as if everything depended upon their own endeavors. Yet, having done so, they should not in the least trust in their labor and efforts, nor in the means that they use for the spread of the truth, but in God alone; and they should with all earnestness seek the blessing of God in persevering, patient, and believing prayer. Here is the great secret of success, my Christian reader. Work with all your might, but never trust in your work. Pray with all your might for the blessing in God, but work at the same time with all diligence, with all patience, with all perseverance. Pray, then, and work. Work and pray. And still again pray, and then work. And so on, all the days of your life. The result will surely be abundant blessing. Whether you see much fruit or little fruit, such kind of service will be blessed.: George Muller
Week two of The House God Loves this Sunday was "When God Says No." There are two extremes in prayer. One being a "God's gonna do what God's gonna do" and it really doesn't matter how or if I pray. The other is making God our bell boy who does whatever we tell Him to. A healthy middle is a sovereign God who answers prayer. But why does God say "No" sometimes? Here are a few reasons.
-Did we even pray? We have not because we ask not. (James 1:2)
-Did we pray with wrong motives. James 4:3 "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."
-Does your prayers match your life? Isaiah 58:1-5
-Sin has consequences. Grace wipes away the stain of sin, but not all consequences disappear. 2 Samuel 12:13-14 Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 14 But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will die."
-Did we give up too soon? Luke 18:1-7
-Did we pray in faith? James 1:6-8
-Were we using a cheap formula prayer? Acts 19:13-16
-Does God have a greater plan? "Three times I [Apostle Paul] pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Cor. 12:8-9
Be Refreshed!
Proverb of the Day: Proverbs 17:3 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.
Scripture of the Day: 1 John 5:14-15 14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
Quote of the Day: "It is not enough for the believer to begin to pray, nor to pray correctly; nor is it enough to continue for a time to pray. We must patiently, believingly continue in prayer until we obtain an answer. Further, we have not only to continue in prayer until the end, but we have also to believe that God does hear us and will answer our prayers. Most frequently we fail in not continuing in prayer until the blessing is obtained, and in not expecting the blessing. Those who are disciples of the Lord Jesus should labor with all their might in the work of God as if everything depended upon their own endeavors. Yet, having done so, they should not in the least trust in their labor and efforts, nor in the means that they use for the spread of the truth, but in God alone; and they should with all earnestness seek the blessing of God in persevering, patient, and believing prayer. Here is the great secret of success, my Christian reader. Work with all your might, but never trust in your work. Pray with all your might for the blessing in God, but work at the same time with all diligence, with all patience, with all perseverance. Pray, then, and work. Work and pray. And still again pray, and then work. And so on, all the days of your life. The result will surely be abundant blessing. Whether you see much fruit or little fruit, such kind of service will be blessed.: George Muller
Monday, September 8, 2008
Back to Church
Here's how good the Back to Church picnic was yesterday...
I took my camera to the picnic but I was so relaxed in my chair that I couldn't muster up the energy to stand up and go take pictures. Now that's a good picnic. Low 70's, mostly sunny, soft breeze, lots of great food, football, volleyball, inflatable jump house, more food, my best friends.
Good times.
We started our fall sermon series yesterday, "The House God Loves." Our theme verse is Matthew 21:13a where Jesus says, "It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer,'"
Mark Twain said, "Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it." I think sometimes many Christians fall into the same boat with prayer. We can talk about it and know we need to do it, but do we actually do it? To help us do something about it, here are our prayer opportunities for this church year.
Sundays:
-Prayer in Sunday School Classes
-Anointing with oil during worship
-Open altars
-Prayer and Praises in p.m. services
-Monthly suppers for Eight where you pray for each other in your homes
Mondays: Ladies prayer at 8:30 a.m.
Tuesdays: All church prayer 7-8 p.m.
Wednesdays: Praise and prayer twice a month at 7 p.m.
Prayer and Bible study the other two nights
Thursdays: Open Sanctuary from 6-8 a.m.
Proverb of the Day: Proverbs 8:17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. [wisdom]
Scripture of the Day: Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Quotes of the Day: "I have seen many men work without praying, though I have never seen any good come out of it; but I have never seen a man pray without working." Hudson Taylor
"This much is sure in all churches, forgetting party labels; the smallest meeting numerically is the prayer- meeting. If weak in prayer we are weak everywhere." Leonard Ravenhill
"Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going on of late - and how little revival has resulted? I believe the problem is that we have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply will not work. To pray for revival while ignoring the plain precept laid down in Scripture is to waste a lot of words and get nothing for our trouble. Prayer will become effective when we stop using it as a substitute for obedience." A. W. Tozer
"If you are strangers to prayer you are strangers to power." Billy Sunday
I took my camera to the picnic but I was so relaxed in my chair that I couldn't muster up the energy to stand up and go take pictures. Now that's a good picnic. Low 70's, mostly sunny, soft breeze, lots of great food, football, volleyball, inflatable jump house, more food, my best friends.
Good times.
We started our fall sermon series yesterday, "The House God Loves." Our theme verse is Matthew 21:13a where Jesus says, "It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer,'"
Mark Twain said, "Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it." I think sometimes many Christians fall into the same boat with prayer. We can talk about it and know we need to do it, but do we actually do it? To help us do something about it, here are our prayer opportunities for this church year.
Sundays:
-Prayer in Sunday School Classes
-Anointing with oil during worship
-Open altars
-Prayer and Praises in p.m. services
-Monthly suppers for Eight where you pray for each other in your homes
Mondays: Ladies prayer at 8:30 a.m.
Tuesdays: All church prayer 7-8 p.m.
Wednesdays: Praise and prayer twice a month at 7 p.m.
Prayer and Bible study the other two nights
Thursdays: Open Sanctuary from 6-8 a.m.
Proverb of the Day: Proverbs 8:17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. [wisdom]
Scripture of the Day: Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Quotes of the Day: "I have seen many men work without praying, though I have never seen any good come out of it; but I have never seen a man pray without working." Hudson Taylor
"This much is sure in all churches, forgetting party labels; the smallest meeting numerically is the prayer- meeting. If weak in prayer we are weak everywhere." Leonard Ravenhill
"Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going on of late - and how little revival has resulted? I believe the problem is that we have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply will not work. To pray for revival while ignoring the plain precept laid down in Scripture is to waste a lot of words and get nothing for our trouble. Prayer will become effective when we stop using it as a substitute for obedience." A. W. Tozer
"If you are strangers to prayer you are strangers to power." Billy Sunday
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Feeling the Palin
I never watch either political convention and rarely discuss politics, but last night was fun watching the coming out speech for Sarah Palin.I'll still leave the politics aside, but do you know Sarah's religious roots? She was born into a Catholic family but they moved to an Assemblies of God church when she was young and she was baptized in water there when she was 12 or 13. She attended an A/G church till the last few years and now attends either an A/G church or a Bible church depending whether she is at home or at the capitol. An interesting side story in another election cycle.
Be Refreshed!
Proverb of the Day: Proverbs 4:26-27 26 Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. 27 Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
Scripture of the Day: Acts 2:42-43 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
Quote of the Day: "They get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations." Barack Obama
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