First Christian Church, Wauchula, FL

Vernon (Papa) See went to be with his Lord this evening, 7/26. Prayer for his family during this difficult time

Sue Davis – (Gene Davis’ sister-in-law) is having an endoscopy 7/28 in the AM. Prayer that all goes well and there is no problem in her esophagus

Gene Davis – Prayer — is in Florida Hospital Sebring, Room 354 with kidney stones. He is hoping to come home. UPDATE: Not going home today, maybe Monday, is still running a fever from the infection (7/30)

Lara Bryant – Continued prayer — is still recuperating from side effects of a medication  prescribed by her doctor

Marion Kiella – Continued prayer — her leg is not healing well from the melanoma surgery

Kyle Taylor – Baptism at CIY

Brandon Franks – Baptism

Rachel Kipp – Prayer as she leaves on her mission trip to Uganda — she loves everybody

Don Bissette – Praise — he and his son (Derek) have had a very good week as father & son!

Susan Roberts – Prayer for Rusty Pearson in The Oaks of Avon Park. He has a brain tumor that has come back after numerous treatment; there is nothing that can be done due to where the tumor is attached. He is 54 years old and having a hard time dealing with all that is going on

Tracy Davis – Unspoken prayer

Prayer for Vernon See – Prayer for healing here on earth or in heaven and for peace and strength for Ardis and the rest of the family

Missy Massey – Prayer for Dusty, Krystle and Jayden as they adjust to being on their own in their new place; also for Missy, Paige and Missy’s dad as they adjust to him living with them; also unspoken prayer

Debbie Bryant – Prayer for safety for family traveling this week; also prayer for the grandkids going to camp and special prayers for children on Wednesday for personal needs

Jim & Annette Marsh – Prayer for their friend (Bobby Smothers) and his family — he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and will begin chemo treatments within the next week

Prayer for Joe Sack – (Joe Wright’s son-in-law) — had to have 2 emergency surgeries this past week due to complications from a colonoscopy

Barbara Stevenson – Prayer for Crystal & Chloe Sanchez

Vernon See -Prayer — in Florida Hospital Sebring on respirator so his lungs can rest from the pneumonia

Laura Bryant – Prayer — at home recuperating from med side effects

Joy Roberts – Prayer — recuperating from gall bladder surgery

Prayer for staff & youth to be “Jesus Charged” at CIY and travel mercies home on Saturday

  It’s Christmas in July!!!  On my iPod all I here is Christmas.  It’s funny how as a worship leader your holiday seasons get started early.  “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”, “Angel’s We Have Heard on High”, and “Joy to the World” and the list goes on and on.  Listening through musical after musical to make sure we select just the perfect one to connect with our choir and our church all the while hoping that we can deliver the message of Christmas in a brand new way that will touch someone’s heart for the first time.

 As I listen to these wonderful, uplifting songs about our coming Messiah it really lifts my heart and encourages my soul.  I just felt like there was really no point in waiting until Christmas to tell people about the unbelievable gift of Jesus.  After all, His coming to save us is a story we should be telling everyday anyway.  So…just in case there might be someone reading this that doesn’t know about the amazing gift of Jesus, here’s the story for you.

 Matthew 1:18-24 – 18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.  20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.

You see folks; this is really where our story of hope begins.  Because God loved us so much he sent his Son, Jesus into this world to save us from our sins.  To save me from my sin; to save you from your sin. 

Here’s what happened next in this amazing story of grace.  

Luke 23:44-49 – 44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.  47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” 48 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. 49 But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

 In order to save us from our sins it was necessary for Jesus to die on a cross.  I don’t know about you but I surely needed some saving.  The best news yet is that it didn’t end there.  Look what happened next.

Matthew 28:1-10 – 1After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.

Without the coming of Jesus we have no hope of being freed from sin and forever living with him in heaven.  I am so overwhelmingly grateful that Jesus left Heaven and came to earth for me, I hope you are too.

I know it’s a little early but hey…MERRY CHRISTMAS!

William McClelland – Baptism

Levi Lovett - Baptism

Prayer for the youth and leaders at CIY

Brenda Miller – Prayer that hearts will move in the kids at CIY

Kevin McNulty – Prayer for a friend

Rebecca Seaborn – 1.) Prayer for her family 2.) Prayer for the Hiers/Guerrero family for the loss of 5 month old baby boy Casey to SIDS  3.) Prayer for the Trammell Family, daughter in hospital

Don Simmers – Prayer to be more bold about God

Don Bissette – Prayer for his son (Derek) — he has gotten away from God

Liz Holley – Prayer for her friend (Penny) and her two young children — they lost a loving husband and daddy in a very tragic way

Donia Hughes - Prayer for her doctor appointment in Sebring on 7/18

Vernon See – Prayer — is in Sebring hospital having his lungs flushed 7/18, and will be having tests run

Burch Family – Prayer for the DeJong Family — prayer that their visa will be renewed so they can continue their work at Harvest Aviation, the local prison and with local youth

Michael Johnston – Prayer for his grandmother — she’s 82 and had hip surgery 7/17

Jim & Annette Marsh – 1.) Prayer for Rick Mackey — had intestinal test today and it will be two weeks before they receive those results. Please continue to remember both Rick & Jackie in your prayers 2.) Prayer for their friend Bobby; will check into Moffitt Cancer Center today for surgery on Wednesday. Please remember them in your prayer time

Amber Rosever – (Gene Davis’ granddaughter) Prayer for health concerns and surgery

April Walkington – Prayer to avoid gestational diabetes

Rodney Johnson – Prayer for employment

Mike Villalpando – Prayer for employment

Mosaic – Prayer for their employees effected by the South Ft Meade layoff

Jim Miller – Continued prayer is in Virginia on a job

Prayer that our Jr. High students at camp come back “Jesus Charged”!

Prayer for staff & youth leaving Sunday for “CIY” (Christ In Youth) Travel mercies and prayer that each one returns “Jesus Charged”!

I’ve just recently begun reading the book “Radical” by David Platt and to say that it’s already started to change the way I think would be putting it mildly.  David has already begun to take every aspect of “Americanized” Christianity and turn them on there heads.  But today as I was reading one sentence struck me and really got me thinking.

 “God blesses his people with extravagant grace so they might extend his extravagant glory to all peoples on the earth.”  David Platt

Wow!  God has blessed me with extravagant grace so that I might show ALL peoples His extravagant glory.  Really?!  Extravagant glory.  Does it have to be extravagant?  I looked up the definition of extravagant and that really scared me.

Extravagant – exceeding the bounds of reason, as actions, demands, opinions, or passions.  Dictionary.com

My thoughts go directly to a strong, God-filled Christ follower I know who has been so overwhelmed by the extravagant grace God has blessed her with that she is exceeding the bounds of reason and moving to probably one of the most dangerous places in the world today, Uganda.  She will be in Pader helping to care for orphaned child soldiers that have escaped the grasp of the LRA.  Her heart is so in love with God and it’s so obvious that she truly understands that she is following the call to live her life showing God’s extravagant glory. 

Now, I’m not saying that the only way to do that is to pack up all you own and move to Uganda but, I do believe we need to ask ourselves a question or two.  Have I been truly overwhelmed by God’s grace in my life?  If the answer is yes, I believe the above question needs to be followed by this next question.  How are you extending God’s extravagant glory?

When you rise in the morning is your day focused on what you are going to do to have more success attaining the American dream or are you solely focused on taking God’s glory everywhere possible with the day you’ve been given?  What about your attitude?  Does it express to people, I’m having a bad day, I haven’t had my coffee yet or, do you genuinely greet people with the love of God and focus on serving those you cross paths with?  When you pull out of the McDonald’s drive through and see your local homeless man on the corner do you drive by eating your sausage biscuit or do you turn around and go get him one?  When you see someone stranded on the side of the road do you drive by too busy to stop and help or do you stop and lend a hand and offer and encouraging word?  When your co-worker confides in you they are struggling in their marriage, or they are having a hard time paying their bills, do you pretend to listen and change the subject or do you spending some time investing in them to help them out of the struggle they are in?

Ezekiel 36 has some very shocking words from God to the people of Israel.

Ezekiel36:22-23, “Therefore say to the Israelites, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: It is not for your sake, people of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. ²³ I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Sovereign LORD, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.

God saved the people of Israel from their sin by his grace not for their sake but for the sake of his holy name.  God saved us by His grace not for our sake but for the sake of his holy name.  We are not the end of the gospel message; God is.  The message of God’s grace isn’t supposed to stop with us.  We’re supposed to take that message of grace and turn it into examples of God’s extravagant glory.  Take the extravagant grace you’ve been given and live your life showing God’s extravagant glory!

Chris & Brandi Basey - Desire for membership

Chris & Brandi Basey – Prayer for co-worker’s family, possible throat cancer – no insurance

Missy Massey – Prayer for James Vandiver (Missy’s sister’s brother-in-law) back in hospital with fluid on chest

Daron & Lydia Snyder – Prayer for baby Halley, she is going in for surgery Monday

Don Bissette – Unspoken Prayer

James Miller – Prayer for strength to fight against alcoholism. He has been sober six days

Lidenia Servin – Praise — the 5000 Ministry gave out 50 meals and shared the gospel. Request for more help with “Feed 5,000″ ministry

Melany Milby – Prayer to serve one audience (GOD)  and not worry about what others think or who I can please

Stephanie Goodwyn – needed today’s sermon. Recently made an “I want list” that included all the wrong “material” things. She needs to rip list down and replace with things that include: bible reading, prayer, worship, etc. Was writing the wrong list of material wants; is tearing it up and starting a new list with God

Josh Dotson – Prayer — is leaving for Afghanistan on the 20th of July

Marion Kiella – Prayer — in Hardee Manor, leg surgery went well and gaining strength

April Walkington – Leighton, Robert and the kids going to camp this week. Prayer that they will all be blessed and Jesus charged!  Prayer for AJ — she has a double ear infection

Laura McClelland – prayer for Trammell family, daughter had a healthy baby boy, but having family problems. Also prayer for a childhood friend who’s 16 year old son who was born with a brain tumor, has to have surgery

Erica Eisenhauer – Guidance and direction

Prayer for staff & youth leaving for “CIY” (Christ In Youth) Sunday July 17. Travel mercies and prayer that each one returns “Jesus Charged”!

Marion Keilla – Prayer for healing of her leg. Surgery was Monday which went well and she should be transferred to Hardee Manor Care Center tomorrow for 2 or 3 weeks of healing and rehab

MIke Villalpando – Prayer for his employment

Prayer for Casey Anthony and her family

Jim Miller – Prayer for strength in his fight against alcoholism

George Watson went home to be with his Lord and Savior Friday, July 1, 2011.   Please be in prayer for Sylvia and their family during this difficult time

Patty Martin – Prayer — has been diagnosed with cancer of the colon, intestine, and liver. She is starting Chemo now in Indiana (was here for a visit about a month ago)

Micah Joyner – Praise — her back surgery went better than doctors expected and she is doing fine. Continued prayer for a speedy recovery. She & her family thank you for all your prayers of her surgery

Rodney Johnson – Prayer

Tom Taylor – Praise – In spite of his (Tom’s) inadequacy God has blessed his family this week. Tom’s thankful for the prayers that went up for his family

Erica Scheipsmeier – Praise — helping the Giles family has been a real blessing to their family

Vic – Prayer for his never ending headaches to completely go away

Tina Barwick – Prayer — is struggling with pain and asking God for healing