I'm so glad that God is a god of second chances.  In life, as much as we try, we end up giving in to temptation.  It's often not from an intellectual perspective that we do sinful things.  If we were to analyze what we are about to do or if someone else were to come to us and ask us an opinion of the subject we would certainly respond negatively.  And yet for some reason so many continue the life of sin. And it is that forever pattern that marks their life. Never quite being able to get past it.  The New Testament apostle, Paul says that he  does "what he hates to do." Lots of you can relate to that.

Understand however that the voice that whispers in your ear telling you what a rotten horrible person you are, if you are a Christian, is not from God.  The Bible says in Romans 8:1 (NIV) "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus," 

Satan wants to convince Christians that they are of no use to him, that they should be put on the shelf until they can get their act together.  It's a lie that millions of Christians believe.  The net effect is they remove themselves from serving God. Life a life of mediocre existence and miss the real joys of being used by God in His kingdom. Those folks come to church, sing the songs, drop a dollar in the offering plate, tolerate the message and then go home. They lack real joy. They lack the Holy Spirits power in their life.

So what do we do?  The first thing is to stop listening to Satan. The Bible says he is a "liar and father of lies." (John 8:44)  The second thing is to simply confess our sin.  1 John 1:9 says "If we confess our sin he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  Did you catch that? "All unrighteousness."  When God forgives he casts our sin, "as far as the east is from the west" (Psalm 103:12) and that he will remember our sins no more (Hebrews 8:12).  In other words God chooses to forget them.

One of my favorite verses in all of the scriptures is from the Old Testament book of Lamentations, Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV) "Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."  God is the God of second chances.  Every  morning we have a chance for a fresh start with Him.  Today, every day, when you  get up in the morning, thank God for that fresh  start.  Allow Him to use you in His kingdom.  Experience the joy of walking closely with Him.

If you are not a follower of Jesus, most of this will not make sense to you.  I, however, want you to know that God loves you.  God from the beginning of time has provided a way for you. Romans 10:9-10 (NIV) "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. " Confess your sin to God, repent (turn from your sin) and confess that Jesus is Lord, believing what comes out of your mouth is  a true reflection of what is in your heart.  Romans 10:13 says "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  Once you've done that. Find yourself a good Bible believing church. Read God's word and pray. God will even show you how to do that!

Pastor Jeff

BTW - I read these blogs over several times, but  be aware that typos can and will occur.  I guess that means I'm only human.

LifePointe Alliance Church is part of the Christian and Missionary Alliance

Join us Sunday  Mornings at 11:00 for worship.

For more information go to www.lifepointealliance.org and be sure to like us on Facebook

Let God Lead

I am amazed at how dependent I am on the GPS function on my phone.  I use it a lot and while it is a great help I also find myself in the position of being somewhere and not knowing how exactly I got there.  I mean, I know obviously that I came in my vehicle, but the route is only a vague recollection. And yet, nonetheless I am here, or there, or whatever your perspective might be.

The thought of the GPS came to mind as I was meeting with  some early morning prayer partners today and one of them said he realized that he "liked to scheme."  And it wasn't that he schemed with negative intentions. No, he wants more than anything to advance God's kingdom.  I understood what he was saying.  How many times have we wanted to do something good, something for God, something to further his kingdom and so we sit and we plan and come up with what we think is a purely brilliant, can't miss scheme and then we present it to God and ask him to bless it?  When maybe we should have taken the time to consult with God first, ask Him to guide, ask Him to lead, ask Him to be a kind of spiritual GPS if you will. The main difference is that in the case of God not only does he get to plan the route, but he gets to plan the starting point and the end point as well.

It has been said that our greatest ability is our availability.  I think of my own life and consider all the times I ran ahead of God.  Amazing, that I somehow imagined that God needed my help, (He doesn't, God is perfect and self sustaining and to suggest that He needs anything is blasphemy), that somehow my plan would be as good as his plan.  The truth is that what we really need to do is to go to God daily and make ourselves available to Him.

Romans 12:1 (NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. 

The idea is that we give ourselves to God everyday, sacrificing our will and our pride and our intellect and even our physical bodies. Not only is it an act of worship, but it allows God to do His perfect will in us.

Trusting the GPS is a lot like walking by faith. We don't always know where God is leading us, but the destination is always a blessing. Today ask God to teach you how to allow Him to lead.


Pastor Jeff

LifePointe Alliance is one church with two campuses.  
Sunday Morning worship at LifePointe Franklin Park is 11:00 am.
Adult Life Groups meet at 9:30 am
Children's Church is at 11:00 am
English as a second language meets Sunday mornings at 8:30 am and Wednesdays at 7:00 pm

For more information go to www.lifepointealliance.org and be sure to like us on Facebook

Out of our comfort zone

Everyone has a comfort zone. It is a place of security, regardless of its practicality or its functionality.  We like our comfort zone. It is familiar and predictable. The problem with comfort zones is that they never take us anywhere and never lead anywhere.

The Bible is full of people whom God called out of their comfort zone.  Peter had to get out of the boat to answer Jesus's call to "come." Moses had to leave his quiet pastoral job of attending his father in law's flock in order to confront the Pharaoh of Egypt.  Esther violated all protocols and approached the king with out an invitation. And God used them all in ways none of them could have ever imagined.

How about you. Happy with the status quo? Content with the little comfort zone bubble that you have created?  Maybe that's of, but I bet God is calling you to greater things.

God created us to glorify him. In the shorter Westminster Catechism the question is asked, "What is the chief end of man?"  The answer is "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever."

The question is then raised, "How do we glorify God?"  That's a really broad question, but I can guarantee you it is not by staying in your comfort zone.  God wants to use us, stretch us, enable us far beyond what we believe we are capable.  Paul in addressing the Ephesian church offers a benediction at the end of chapter 3. Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV) Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. 
 

Have  you ever considered the amazing God who is able to do "immeasurably more that all we ask or imagine?" If you are a follower of Jesus Christ that is the God we serve that is the God that we are to enjoy  and delight in. 

Learn to enjoy God. Let him use you in amazing ways.  Is it all going to be gumdrops and rainbows? most likely not.  Some of it will be downright scary.  But just like Jesus said to the Peter and the others in that boat, in the storm, in the night, do not be afraid.

Learn to trust God.  Pray that he will take you out of your comfort zone.  Pray that you will have a willing heart to go where he leads you.

Pastor Jeff

LifePointe Alliance Franklin Park Campus has morning worship at 11:00 am on Sundays.

Adult Life Groups meet at 9:30 am and children's church is at 11:00 am.

English as a Second Language meets 8:30 am on Sundays and 7:00 pm on Wednesdays.

Be sure to check us out at www.lifepointealliance.org and be sure to like us on Facebook.

The first blog post

We are attempting to begin a daily blog about events here at LifePointe Alliance church.  Lord only knows how diligent we will be.

Lets start the first one with a verse that the Lord has had on my heart today:

1 Corinthians 10:26 (NIV)  for, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it." 

Just think about the ramifications of that truth. As you meditate on this, think about what our lives would all look like if we kept that in front of us everyday.  Everything belongs to the Lord.  My job belongs to the Lord, my home belongs to the Lord, my spouse, my children, my possessions even the air I breath belongs to God.

Maybe there are things that we are hanging on to that really are not ours.  Ask God to help you let them go.  See just how freeing that will be in your life.

Our Sunday Worship Service is at 11:00

Sunday Morning Growth Groups start at 9:45.

English as a Second Language is at 8:30 am Sundays and 7pm on Wednesdays.

Check us out at www.lifepointealliance.org

This is a test run.