GREAT WEEKEND...

How was your weekend? We had another tremendous Sunday at the COC! Something seems to be happening that we have no control over!? We went from running around 350ish on an average the three months prior to the new year to over 400 the first two Sundays of January to over 450 the last two!? WHAT'S UP WITH THAT!? I can only trace this back to ONE THING - JESUS!!!!! He's definitely doing some AWESOME things - and we are thrilled to be along for the ride! A.P.R. Series was fun - and people have really responded the their GENEROSITY JOURNEY! In response to this Series - we also are launching our 2nd FINANCIAL PEACE UNIVERSITY Class this coming Sunday and have had to cap those who have signed up - a great response!! All in all - GOD IS DOING SOME PRETTY REMARKABLE STUFF down here in 'Copa!

I am looking forward to another GREAT WEEKEND as I prepare to bring a C.O.R.E. Vision Message (Gather+Grow+Give=GO! / The Discipleship Process!) I will bring to you on Friday another SUNDAY SNAPSHOT into the topic!

Family is doing good -fighting the COLD JUNK - but WE WILL SURVIVE!
Caleb is a "HANDFUL!"
Isaac believes he is "The Man!"
Momma still is smokin' hot!!

Have a great TUESDAY everyone - we'll talk some more later this week!

ONE WEEK ALREADY!?!??!

Well... Hello again BLOGGER WORLD! A friend of mine told me the key to BLOGGING was "CONSISTENCY" - I obviously have proven that that's not possible with me! But...it will not stop me from trying!! My GOAL is to post 2-3 times a week, so hopefully it's not like a resolution that is quickly forgotten in the next month or so, we'll make a better effort next week!

First thing first - I had a chance just last night to 'lead' a friend to Christ! It was an amazing experience! That alone COMPLETES the week! I am very excited about this weekend! We are closing our A.P.R. (Generosity Series) - and GOD has done some pretty amazing things the last 3 weeks! We started the new year with just over 400 in attendance and haven't dropped! As a matter of fact...last week - we saw over 450 in attendance at the COC - it continues to climb and we can take NO CREDIT for that - it's hard enough just staying out of GOD'S way as He builds this Church! It's great to be along for the ride!

SUNDAY SNAPSHOT...
We are closing the A.P.R. Series with the Topic...REWARDS! The gifts, blessings, and amazing things that GOD Returns on our Investments in Him and His Kingdom! In Luke 6:38 - God throws us a 'glimpse' of the possibilities of Generosity..."If you give, you will receive! Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over!" Actually in verse 25, He tells us..."OUR REWARD WILL BE GREAT!" All of that said, coming from GOD! Now just think about that thought for a moment - the PROMISE FROM GOD, that the RETURN from our GENEROSITY will be 'Running Over' and 'Great!' Some promises are broken - I get it, but this is a GUARANTEE from God Himself! Contrary to what E.F. Hutton thinks...When GOD talks, people should listen!

WHY THEN...WOULDN'T MORE PEOPLE INVEST?
That would then be my question!

Ella Wilcox weighs in as to WHY...
"There are two kinds of people on earth today,
Just two kinds of people, no more I need to say.
Not the good and the bad, for 'tis well understood'
That the good are half-bad and the bad are half-good.
NO! The two kinds of people on earth I mean -
Are the people who lift, and the people who lean."

ARE YOU LIFTING? - or - ARE YOU LEANING?

Giving had never been about our ability! It's ONLY about what God can do, and it's ALWAYS more than your can imagine! ~Randy Alcorn~

RANDOM THOUGHTS ON A FRIDAY...

Well...Post #2 is coming at'ya! Today is definitely much more stress-free than most Friday's! Sitting here thinking about my boyz a bit (as I listen to the Chipmunks - Movie Soundtrack mixed with Happy Feet/High School Musical Trax as well) - MAN they are getting BIG! Sorry about that 'scary' snapshot into the soul of the Pastor - but yes - it's true...my MUSICAL GENRE is very variety filled!

Just about to JUMP IN WITH JESUS as I read some of the 'WORD!' Doing my best to read a compilation of books periodically throughout the year. I am not a typical reader, who reads until a book is finished - I usually read and take notes for Illus's and Ideas for Messages! Right now I am re-reading a couple of my favorites...The Pursuit Of Holiness (Bridges) & Too Busy Not To Pray (Hybel) - and starting another Lucado project...Facing Your Giants - getting some GREAT STUFF for a Series we're gonna do at the Church of Celebration in March called SOUL STEALERS (we're gonna launch a new ministry - CELEBRATE RECOVERY). Gonna start a Leadershp Study with my Pastoral Team in the next week...Today Matters (Maxwell).

Excited about the weekend - HOT DATE with Ginger on Saturday! Looks like it will be her favorite...On The Border accompanied with a movie...National Treasure!

SNAPSHOT FOR SUNDAY...

Randy Alcorn writes (Money/Possessions & Eternity)… “Materialism can never be corrected by high-sounding courses in ethics or the campaign speeches of politicians calling on us to restore the moral fiber of our nation. Moral fiber must come from somewhere. It must be cultivated in our education institutions, beginning with the home. Moral fiber cannot simply be grabbed out of the sky in the midst of a moral vacuum. Materialism can only be corrected by a different view of God. This in turn can only come from a belief in and study of the Scriptures, which tell us about God, and which alone give us the context to truly understand the critical God-related subjects of man, money, and possessions. -- If God is not the LORD over EVERYTHING you own, then He is not your Lord! No one can enthrone the true God unless you dethrone your other gods!"

DOES THIS MEAN I'M A "BLOGGER?"

Well...I guess that I have taken a drink of the Kool-Ade! I am officially a "BLOGGER!" I thought it might be interesting to give this thingy a go! Just to be up-front and official - many of my posts will be FULL of BOLD PRINT / ALL CAPS / with tons of EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!!!!!! It by no means indicates that I am SCREAMING AT YOU, it only means that I am a very EXCITED / ENERGETIC / ENTHUSIASTIC Personality! So...with that said - HERE WE GO!!!! Let's see if we can keep this thing rolling steadily as opposed to a once a month gig!

Today has been a GOOD DAY - finished the last Message in a GENEROSITY Series that our Church has been doing called - A.P.R. (10% Varied). Today we talked about REWARDS that come from GENEROSITY! Jesus gave a pretty good talk on GIVING in Luke 6:27-28 (ck it out) & our main focus is drawn from 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 (this passage SCREAMS-GENEROSITY!) Generosity has never been about our ability! It's more about - ONLY what God can do, and it is ALWAYS more than we can imagine!

I believe Jim Elliot says it best..."He is no fool who GIVES UP what he CANNOT KEEP, to GAIN what he CANNOT LOSE!"

When you really think about EVERYTHING you own, WHO says it's ours anyway?