patience

As we sit and wait for this storm to hit us, I want to encourage you to be in prayer. Many pray for different things during a time or natural disaster or crisis, but I wonder how often we pray for patience?

I don't know what will happen to our house or to our church. I don't even know when we will be allowed back into the county, so I must be in a mode of waiting. In this waiting, I need patience. In the rebuilding process we must be patient.

Tomorrow we will not be in church, but that does not mean that we cease to be the church. Love those around you. Care for those in need. No matter what happens, we will move forward together.

I want to encourage you to remember your church this week. Many churches are having to cancel their services which means that the offering which supports the ministry of the church will not be taken. We give to God through the ministry of the local church so lives could be changed. The ministry will continue and it needs your support. Please consider this in your giving.

the waiting...

"The waiting is the hardest part."

How are you at waiting? This Sunday at Tabernacle we will discuss what it truly means to wait and why we are called to do so. As we prepare to worship together, I want to draw your attention to a beautiful quote by Paul Tripp. Dwell upon these words...

“Waiting on God isn’t about the suspension of meaning and purpose. It’s part of the meaning and purpose that God has brought into my life. Waiting on God isn’t to be viewed as an obstruction in the way of the plan. Waiting is an essential part of the plan. For the child of God, waiting isn’t simply about what I’ll receive at the end of my wait. No, waiting is much more purposeful, efficient, and practical than that. Waiting is fundamentally about what I’ll become as I wait. God is using the wait to do in and through me exactly what He’s promised. Through the wait He’s changing me. By means of the wait He’s altering the fabric of my thoughts and desires. Through the wait He’s causing me to see and experience new things about Him and His kingdom. And all of this sharpens me, enabling me to be a more useful tool in His redemptive hands”

Isaiah 40: 28-31

“Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.”

Gospel & Tom Petty

A lot of people have been coming up to me and asking me, "What is the world does Tom Petty have to do with the church?" These are all people who haven't been able to make it out on Sunday, but I believe if you come you will discover for yourself. I want to encourage you to come on out and find out how the Gospel and Tom Petty are much closer than we would think.

This Sunday we are looking at the song, Refugee.

He says very simply - You don't have to live like a refugee.... Find out more this week at Tabernacle.

J.U.N.E. Project

It has been a great week up here in Pottsville and Reading, PA. Over 145 people have been serving these communities all week in different mission projects while having a lot of fun throughout. The theme was beautiful - "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news."

Check out more about the JUNE Project at www.juneproject.org

This Sunday at Tabernacle - Love is a Long Road.

I won't back down.

John Wesley said, ""Give me one hundred people who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergy or laity, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon the earth."

Jesus said that he will establish the church and even the gates of Hades will not overcome it. This Sunday at Tabernacle we are going to be encouraged by our Summer Pastoral Assistant (Joshua Friedeman), on how we can stand firm in our faith.

Tom Petty said,

I won't back down, no I won't back down

You can stand me up at the gates of Hell

but I won't back down.

wildflowers...

"You belong among the wildflowers,

you belong somewhere close to me.

Far away from your trouble and worries,

you belong somewhere you feel free."

Where are you? God asked this question to Adam and Eve in the Garden while they were hiding. I wish to ask you the same question. Tom Petty says we belong among the wildflowers. Are you there? Maybe we have to learn what the wildflowers are first.... come this Sunday to find out.

thoughts on vision

Andy Stanley says,

"When your memories exceed your dreams, the end is near. I don’t want to be an expert about the last 15 years of ministry. We can’t be satisfied with the status quo even when it is good. If the vision doesn’t drive it, then the past does. When the past drives your ministry, it will lead to irrelevance and will lead to an end. Success breeds complacency, Complacency breeds failure."

It is challenging to see past next weekend. When we get caught in the daily routine of life the temptation is to become too microscopic in our vision and we analyze every detail. This is not bad, but the temptation is there to lose the bigger picture. The opposite could happen when we see to telescopically. Our vision is too big that the details never get taken care of. Either way, in all of these things is the idea that it is thinking forward that allows for us to grow. We can not move in a healthy direction if we continually look backwards.

Have you thought beyond next weekend? Do you still dream? Allow for God to give you your 'life picture' and where you would desire to see yourself in the future.