Pastor Hower's E-Dify
Edify: From Genesis To Maps – The Defining Moment
I like the description on the screens this past Sunday. “When a defining moment comes along, you define the moment or the moment defines you.” We all have moments like that every day of our lives. I told a story of a defining moment I experienced involving a flat tire, a lawn sprinkler, a neighbor, some dog poop and a rather expensive and unexpected repair. (Check out the teaching link below if you missed it.) Upon visiting a family later in the week I heard of a similar situation involving a long trip to Florida during which their dog vomited in the back seat. It was such a disaster, they had to stop, pull the seat out and wash it down with a hose. Before they could reinstall the seat, the same dog came up and lifted his leg and urinated on the very seat he had preciously soiled with vomit! (They never said if the dog survived the moment, and I failed to ask. J) “Either you define the moment or the moment defines you!” Perhaps a more significant moment occurred for me this winter. Many of you know I was deathly sick for about three months, requiring me to severely limit my schedule. In November my older son had talked about his dream of hunting elk with me in the Colorado mountains in the future. He had been talking about it for years. After my brush with mortality, it dawned on him (and on me) if there was any hope of getting me to traipse around the mountains, we probably ought to quit talking and begin planning. “After all,” he reasoned, “You are not getting any younger!” As I write this Edify a large box containing a game-cart sits waiting for me in the Ministry Center lobby. I ordered it to carry our supplies in, and possibly 500# or more of deboned elk meat out of the mountains should our hunt prove successful. Someone said it sounded like a lot of fun. I’m not sure “fun” is the right word for what awaits me. Adventure, yes. Character development, certainly. Physical exhaustion, most definitely. Fun? I’m not inclined to call hiking ten miles at 10,000 feet and camping in temperatures below freezing “fun”… but I’m looking forward to it just the same. Had it not been for the trauma of my winter illness, the idea of Elk hunting in the Rocky Mountains would probably have been just “something we always intended to do.” Defining moments have a way of forcing you off the fence in one direction or another. The defining moment in all HIStory was the willing sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, all believers stand reconciled with God in heaven. It means we have the assurance our prayers are heard. It means we can know for a fact that our sins are forgiven and we are released from the guilt and shame that consumes sinners. It means death is not the end, but only the means by which our loved ones have passed from this life to life with God in heaven. It means we will see them again. It means the devil has been defeated and we can look forward to blessings now and forever in eternity. Our future is not just a pipe dream that may or may not be realized. Our future on earth and in heaven is a guaranteed reality because God acted. The Bible says, “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9
The Scripture: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
- Can you love someone in theory and not practice?
- How does God’s decision impact your attitude about life and your future?
- Describe a defining moment in your life that has forced a change in behavior.
A Quick Survey: How would you describe your current situation in life? A) I have a clear sense of my direction in life. B) A decision needs to be made. C) I’m as confused as goose in a snow storm. D) It’s time for me to quit being a victim and become more intentional about my future. Click here to answer and then taken the time to add a comment.
Listen Up: If you missed worship this weekend or would like to hear a message on this topic, visit our website and click on a teaching link at www.stjstl.net . There is also a Bible Study that you can download on the subject of Defining Moments.
A Prayer: Click on the link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR4PQ30VkBk&feature=fvw
Prayer Requests:
- A forgiving spirit against those who have hurt us
- Those who feel helpless and hopeless
- People to be receptive to our fall Launch campaign
- In need of prayer? Email Linda with your prayer request at , and our staff, our prayer partners, and the people of St. John can pray for you. Or consider joining our Prayer Ministry by being on a team that meets one time a month, or receiving prayer requests through our email prayer chain.
Brief Notes:
- Support our school by participating in the annual golf scramble on September 25 at Pevely Farms Golf Club. Contact school office at 636.386.0186 for more information.
- Fall 2010 Groups & Studies brochure is available. Click here to view the brochure. http://www.stjohns-network.org/mediafiles/groupsandstudies81610pdf.pdf
- Join us at a Town Hall Meeting on Uniting Worship on September 2 at 7pm on the second floor of Cornerstone as we explore the future God has prepared for us. See www.unitingworship.com for more information
Pastor
Challenging the status quo to awaken an appreciation for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Phil. 3:13,14 (and to lower my golf score)
To subscribe to this weekly e-mail, contact Linda at . To unsubscribe to e-dify (a periodic e-mail to encourage and inform), please click here to go to the member login of our web site and then click on your name and de-select the appropriate check box. Or better yet, forward this e-dify to a friend who needs God’s encouragement.