I'm editing a Handbook for New Believers. I oversee the discipleship ministries here at Calvary Chapel Kendall, and I'm very excited about some of the material that we are developing.
A week ago Pastor Pedro asked me to teach at the Wednesday night service. I shared a message about David being a regular guy. (You can check the church podcast if you'd like to listen to it.) I'm developing a small group ministry, I pray with people after the services, I teach Acts on Saturday morning.
I'm amazed that I get to do what I do. I work with the best and most gifted people in the country.
Our Men's Conference, ENGAGE, is getting ready to start. The sanctuary's decked out like a military zone, complete with bullets on the floor. Don McClure is speaking and the Guiterrez Brothers are leading worship. We just finished sound check. (I know that Guiterrez is spelled wrong, sorry, I'm a bit rushed).
Janet was here at church today helping out, getting everything ready. My two kids were in my office playing. And football season is only a couple months away!
It doesn't get much better than this.....
Friday, June 23, 2006
Thursday, June 22, 2006
God's Will
A friend of mine recently asked me what I thought about God's will. Here's what I shared with him:
I believe God is more concerned about WHO we are, then WHERE we are or WHAT we're doing (job, city, school, etc.)
God is after depth of godly character, faithfulness, love, closeness with us. I love what the bible says about God's will: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks. (1 Thes. 5:16-18). Our sanctification is God's will: that we avoid sexual immorality. (1 thes 4:3).
If I focus on even these couple scriptures, I don't have to worry about the permissive thing. I think the bigger picture is growing in grace and walking by the Spirit. I don't think the will of God is always to be sought, but rather obeyed. It's something that divinely happens as we take life one step at a time
.
When it comes to the WHAT of our lives: who should I marry, where should I live, what should I do as far as career, ministry, etc, I think a great scripture to look at is James 4:13-17.
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will[a] go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will do such....." So we know that there are those things in life that we might not really know what the Lord's will is, but this verse shows he does have a will about those things. So how do you discover it?
For me it's been prayer, scripture, wisdom, counsel, circumstance, common sense, and trial and error. Running in grace, being free to make mistakes.
Planting a church in Toronto, the Lord confirmed it with peace in my heart, a desire to devote my life to something big, circumstances, confirmation of my pastor, and scripture verses that spoke directly to me.
When we came back from Canada, it was primarily the alignment of a bunch of uncanny circumstances that the Lord showed me to come back.
It's all a walk of faith. If we always know God's "perfect" will it's logic, not faith that we're living by. God's adventerous will for us is to sometimes not know what His will is - step out and you will find out. Gotta love it, huh?
Perfect and permissive? Yea, I think it makes sense scripturally. But I think the better question is, am I being led by the Spirit, here.
Check out the book of Acts. Sometimes they did things because "it seemed good to them" other times "the Spirit said"
I believe God is more concerned about WHO we are, then WHERE we are or WHAT we're doing (job, city, school, etc.)
God is after depth of godly character, faithfulness, love, closeness with us. I love what the bible says about God's will: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks. (1 Thes. 5:16-18). Our sanctification is God's will: that we avoid sexual immorality. (1 thes 4:3).
If I focus on even these couple scriptures, I don't have to worry about the permissive thing. I think the bigger picture is growing in grace and walking by the Spirit. I don't think the will of God is always to be sought, but rather obeyed. It's something that divinely happens as we take life one step at a time
.
When it comes to the WHAT of our lives: who should I marry, where should I live, what should I do as far as career, ministry, etc, I think a great scripture to look at is James 4:13-17.
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will[a] go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will do such....." So we know that there are those things in life that we might not really know what the Lord's will is, but this verse shows he does have a will about those things. So how do you discover it?
For me it's been prayer, scripture, wisdom, counsel, circumstance, common sense, and trial and error. Running in grace, being free to make mistakes.
Planting a church in Toronto, the Lord confirmed it with peace in my heart, a desire to devote my life to something big, circumstances, confirmation of my pastor, and scripture verses that spoke directly to me.
When we came back from Canada, it was primarily the alignment of a bunch of uncanny circumstances that the Lord showed me to come back.
It's all a walk of faith. If we always know God's "perfect" will it's logic, not faith that we're living by. God's adventerous will for us is to sometimes not know what His will is - step out and you will find out. Gotta love it, huh?
Perfect and permissive? Yea, I think it makes sense scripturally. But I think the better question is, am I being led by the Spirit, here.
Check out the book of Acts. Sometimes they did things because "it seemed good to them" other times "the Spirit said"
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Why No Post?
Ok, here's three reasons why we haven't posted in awhile:1. Busy. Work's been alot of fun and time consuming. When I'm not working, we're getting ready to move back into our house. That also has taken a bunch of time.
2. New Web-Site. Actually, we're designing a new look for our web-site. Stay tuned.
3. Dial-up. Need I say more?
By the way, if you'd like to help us get all our stuff out of storage and moved to our house, let me know. The big day is Wednesday, June 29. If you're available, we'll buy lunch! Email psieler@gmail.com, or call me at 786-525-6674.
Monday, June 05, 2006
Family Time
Yesterday when I left church about 3:20pm, I went to our house that is being remodeled. We have been living with my in-laws for over one year now. Unbelievable. It's awesome to see our house nearing completion; we are tasting it - we're almost there!
We left the house and went back to the in-laws. Then as a family we watched "The Chronicles of Narnia" It was Genesis' first foray into full-length movies. She did great. Of course she didn't watch the whole thing. We also had to stop the movie several times to attend to a crying little boy.
Great movie, eh? It's all about redemption; we all need it.
We left the house and went back to the in-laws. Then as a family we watched "The Chronicles of Narnia" It was Genesis' first foray into full-length movies. She did great. Of course she didn't watch the whole thing. We also had to stop the movie several times to attend to a crying little boy.
Great movie, eh? It's all about redemption; we all need it.
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