Why Go To Church?

In a story called The Lonely Ember, Dr. John MacArthur writes:

A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going.

After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire.

Guessing the reason for his pastor’s visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a big chair near the fireplace and waited. The pastor made himself comfortable but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the play of the flames around the burning logs.

After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched all this in quiet fascination.

As the one lone ember’s flame diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and “dead as a doornail.”

Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.

Just before the pastor was ready to leave, he picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.

As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said, “Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next Sunday.”

Satan wrote you a letter.

Pray.
Really.  Pray.  Find a quiet place, calm down, relax, take away all distractions, and ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart.  Throughout the past few months, Satan has tried to sift you like wheat.  Our church has great Godly leaders and pastors, and workers.  We follow the Word.  We preach the Word.  We volunteer our time and inspiration, but do we pray?  One of our pastors has taken upon himself to pray over every seat in the sanctuary once a week.  
If we are truly going to do what God has called the church to do, we should BEGIN everything and END everything with prayer and pray IN BETWEEN times as well.  It should envelope our lives, our children, our husband and wife, our workplace, our workouts, our problems, and our praises!  At this time in our church history, we need prayer for guidance and direction, finances, soul winning, etc. more than ever!  Satan never takes a vacation from you, why do we do that with God?

Here is a letter from Satan to you.  

"Hello.
I saw you yesterday as you began your daily chores.  You awoke without kneeling to pray.  As a matter of fact, you didn't even bless your meals or pray before going to bed last night.  You are so unthankful, and I like that about you.

I cannot tell you how glad I am that you have not changed your way of living.  Fool, you are mine.

Remember, you and I have been going steady for years, and I still don't love you yet.  As a matter of fact, I hate you, because I hate God.  I am only using you to get even with God.  He kicked me out of heaven, and I'm going to use you as long as possible to pay Him back.
You see, Fool, God Loves you and He has great plans in store for you.  But you have yielded your life to me, and I'm going to make your life a living hell.  That way, we'll be together twice.  This will really hurt God.

Thanks to you, I'm really showing Him who's boss in your life with all of the good times we've had.  We have been watching dirty movies, cursing people out, stealing, lying, being hypocritical, fornicating, overeating, telling dirty jokes, gossiping, being judgmental, back stabbing people, disrespecting adults, and those in leadership positions, no respect for the Church, bad attitudes.

Surely, you don't want to give all this up.  Come on, Fool, let's burn together forever.  I've got some hot plans for us.  This is just a letter of appreciation from me to you.  I'd like to say 'THANKS!' for letting me use you for most of your foolish life.  you are so gullible, I laugh at you.

When you are tempted to sin, you give in - Ha, Ha, HA, you make me sick.  Sin is beginning to take its toll on your life.  you look 20 years older, and now, I need new blood.  So go ahead and teach some children how to sin.  All you have to do what you are now doing.  Do this in the presence of children and they will do it too.  Kids are great like that.

Well, Fool, I have to let you go for now.  I'll be back in a couple of seconds to tempt you again.  If you were smart, you would run somewhere, confess your sins, and live for God with what little bit of life that you have left.  It's not my nature to warn anyone, but to be your age and still sinning; it's becoming a bit ridiculous.  Don't get me wrong, I still hate you.  It's just that you'd make a better fool for Christ.

Your Enemy,
  Satan."

Be careful!  Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy.  He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. 
(1 Peter 5:8)

Pray.
I mean really pray. Quiet your heart, remove all distractions, and ask the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of your heart...because what you are about to read may be the most important thing you see all week.
My prayer for you? Treat this letter like it is real, and written for you.
- See more at: http://www.dare2share.org/devotions/a-message-you-cant-afford-to-miss/#sthash.QY9XftXL.dpuf

Pray.
I mean really pray. Quiet your heart, remove all distractions, and ask the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of your heart...because what you are about to read may be the most important thing you see all week.
My prayer for you? Treat this letter like it is real, and written for you.

A LETTER TO YOU FROM SATAN
I saw you yesterday as you began your daily chores. You awoke without kneeling to pray. As a matter of fact, you didn't even bless your meals, or pray before going to bed last night. You are so unthankful, I like that about you.
I cannot tell you how glad I am that you have not changed your way of living, Fool, you are mine.
Remember, you and I have been going steady for years. and I still don't love you yet. As a matter of fact, I hate you, because I hate God. I am only using you to get even with God. He kicked me out of heaven, and I'm going to use you as long as possible to pay him back.
You see, Fool, GOD LOVES YOU and HE has great plans in store for you. But you have yielded your life to me, and I'm going to make your life a living hell. That way, we'll be together twice. This will really hurt God.
Thanks to you, I'm really showing Him who's boss in your life with all of the good times we've had. We have been watching dirty movies, cursing people out, stealing, lying, being hypocritical, fornicating, overeating, telling dirty jokes, gossiping, being judgmental, back stabbing people, disrespecting adults, and those in leadership positions, no respect for the Church, bad attitudes.
SURELY you don't want to give all this up. Come on, Fool, let's burn together forever. I've got some hot plans for us. This is just a letter of appreciation from me to you. I'd like to say "THANKS" for letting me use you for most of your foolish life. You are so gullible, I laugh at you.
When you are tempted to sin, you give in HA HA HA, you make me sick. Sin is beginning to take its toll on your life.
You look 20 years older, and now, I need new blood. So go ahead and teach some children how to sin. All you have to do is smoke, get drunk or drink while under-aged, cheat, gamble, gossip, fornicate, and live being as selfish as possible. Do all of this in the presence of children and they will do it too. Kids are like that.
Well, Fool, I have to let you go for now. I'll be back in a couple of seconds to tempt you again. If you were smart, you would run somewhere, confess your sins, and live for God with what little bit of life that you have left. It's not my nature to warn anyone, but to be your age and still sinning; it's becoming a bit ridiculous. Don't get me wrong, I still hate you. IT'S JUST THAT YOU'D MAKE A BETTER FOOL FOR CHRIST.
Your Enemy,
Satan

Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. (I Peter 5:8)

- See more at: http://www.dare2share.org/devotions/a-message-you-cant-afford-to-miss/#sthash.QY9XftXL.dpuf

Pray.
I mean really pray. Quiet your heart, remove all distractions, and ask the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of your heart...because what you are about to read may be the most important thing you see all week.
My prayer for you? Treat this letter like it is real, and written for you.

A LETTER TO YOU FROM SATAN
I saw you yesterday as you began your daily chores. You awoke without kneeling to pray. As a matter of fact, you didn't even bless your meals, or pray before going to bed last night. You are so unthankful, I like that about you.
I cannot tell you how glad I am that you have not changed your way of living, Fool, you are mine.
Remember, you and I have been going steady for years. and I still don't love you yet. As a matter of fact, I hate you, because I hate God. I am only using you to get even with God. He kicked me out of heaven, and I'm going to use you as long as possible to pay him back.
You see, Fool, GOD LOVES YOU and HE has great plans in store for you. But you have yielded your life to me, and I'm going to make your life a living hell. That way, we'll be together twice. This will really hurt God.
Thanks to you, I'm really showing Him who's boss in your life with all of the good times we've had. We have been watching dirty movies, cursing people out, stealing, lying, being hypocritical, fornicating, overeating, telling dirty jokes, gossiping, being judgmental, back stabbing people, disrespecting adults, and those in leadership positions, no respect for the Church, bad attitudes.
SURELY you don't want to give all this up. Come on, Fool, let's burn together forever. I've got some hot plans for us. This is just a letter of appreciation from me to you. I'd like to say "THANKS" for letting me use you for most of your foolish life. You are so gullible, I laugh at you.
When you are tempted to sin, you give in HA HA HA, you make me sick. Sin is beginning to take its toll on your life.
You look 20 years older, and now, I need new blood. So go ahead and teach some children how to sin. All you have to do is smoke, get drunk or drink while under-aged, cheat, gamble, gossip, fornicate, and live being as selfish as possible. Do all of this in the presence of children and they will do it too. Kids are like that.
Well, Fool, I have to let you go for now. I'll be back in a couple of seconds to tempt you again. If you were smart, you would run somewhere, confess your sins, and live for God with what little bit of life that you have left. It's not my nature to warn anyone, but to be your age and still sinning; it's becoming a bit ridiculous. Don't get me wrong, I still hate you. IT'S JUST THAT YOU'D MAKE A BETTER FOOL FOR CHRIST.
Your Enemy,
Satan

Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. (I Peter 5:8)

- See more at: http://www.dare2share.org/devotions/a-message-you-cant-afford-to-miss/#sthash.QY9XftXL.dpuf

Pray.
I mean really pray. Quiet your heart, remove all distractions, and ask the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of your heart...because what you are about to read may be the most important thing you see all week.
My prayer for you? Treat this letter like it is real, and written for you.

A LETTER TO YOU FROM SATAN
I saw you yesterday as you began your daily chores. You awoke without kneeling to pray. As a matter of fact, you didn't even bless your meals, or pray before going to bed last night. You are so unthankful, I like that about you.
I cannot tell you how glad I am that you have not changed your way of living, Fool, you are mine.
Remember, you and I have been going steady for years. and I still don't love you yet. As a matter of fact, I hate you, because I hate God. I am only using you to get even with God. He kicked me out of heaven, and I'm going to use you as long as possible to pay him back.
You see, Fool, GOD LOVES YOU and HE has great plans in store for you. But you have yielded your life to me, and I'm going to make your life a living hell. That way, we'll be together twice. This will really hurt God.
Thanks to you, I'm really showing Him who's boss in your life with all of the good times we've had. We have been watching dirty movies, cursing people out, stealing, lying, being hypocritical, fornicating, overeating, telling dirty jokes, gossiping, being judgmental, back stabbing people, disrespecting adults, and those in leadership positions, no respect for the Church, bad attitudes.
SURELY you don't want to give all this up. Come on, Fool, let's burn together forever. I've got some hot plans for us. This is just a letter of appreciation from me to you. I'd like to say "THANKS" for letting me use you for most of your foolish life. You are so gullible, I laugh at you.
When you are tempted to sin, you give in HA HA HA, you make me sick. Sin is beginning to take its toll on your life.
You look 20 years older, and now, I need new blood. So go ahead and teach some children how to sin. All you have to do is smoke, get drunk or drink while under-aged, cheat, gamble, gossip, fornicate, and live being as selfish as possible. Do all of this in the presence of children and they will do it too. Kids are like that.
Well, Fool, I have to let you go for now. I'll be back in a couple of seconds to tempt you again. If you were smart, you would run somewhere, confess your sins, and live for God with what little bit of life that you have left. It's not my nature to warn anyone, but to be your age and still sinning; it's becoming a bit ridiculous. Don't get me wrong, I still hate you. IT'S JUST THAT YOU'D MAKE A BETTER FOOL FOR CHRIST.
Your Enemy,
Satan

Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. (I Peter 5:8)

- See more at: http://www.dare2share.org/devotions/a-message-you-cant-afford-to-miss/#sthash.QY9XftXL.dpuf

What is a Disciple, Anyway?

  "What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?  As you will discover, the answer is fairly simple, but it changes your life completely.
  The word disciple  refers to a student or apprentice.  Disciples in Jesus's day would follow their rabbi (which means teacher) wherever he went, learning from the rabbi's teaching and being trained to do as the rabbi did.  Basically, a disciple is a follower, but only if we take the term follower literally.  Becoming a disciple of Jesus is as simple as obeying His call to follow.
  When Jesus called His first disciples, they may not have understood where Jesus would take them or the impact it would have on their lives, but they knew what it meant to follow.  They took Jesus's call literally and began going everywhere He went and doing everything He did.
  It's impossible to be a disciple or a follower of someone and not end up like that person.  Jesus said, "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher" (Luke 6:40).  That's the whole point of being a disciple of Jesus: we imitate Him, carry on His ministry, and become like Him in the process. 
  Yet somehow many have come to believe that a person can be a "Christian" without being like Christ.  A "follower" who doesn't follow.  How does that make any sense?  Many people in the church have decided to tak on the name of Christ and nothing else.  This would be like Jesus walking up to those first disciples and saying, "Hey, would you guys mind identifying yourselves with Me in some way?  Don't worry, I don't actually care if you do anything I do or change your lifestyle at all.  I'm just looking for people who are willing to say they believe in Me and call themselves Christians. "Seriously?"
  No one can really believe that this is all it means to be a Christian.  But then why do so many people live this way?  It appears that we've lost sight of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.  The concept of being a disciple isn't difficult to understand, but it affects everything.
  Up to this point in your life, would you call yourself a follower of Jesus Christ?  Do you see evidence of your faith as described in Luke 6:40?"  -taken from Mark Beuving and Francis Chan's book Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples. www.davidccook.com

  I have always said to the WWJD bracelets that they should read WWJHMD (What Would Jesus Have Me Do) as we can never hope to be like Jesus, but only to be His light in this dark world.  He did not just command us to disciple. In addition to that,  He paved the way in showing His followers how to make disciples themselves.
   Here is His examples:
-Jesus was and is a trustworthy teacher,so be a trustworthy teacher.
-Jesus was with his disciples all day, so be in contact with your disciples throughout the day as well.
-Jesus constantly taught the Bible, and demonstrated how to live & glorify God, so should we.
-Jesus chief goal was to make followers of Christ, and that should be our goal
So instead of worrying about things that don't matter, focus on what Jesus did: making disciples!
  If you haven't recieved Jesus' gift of salvation, its as simple as ABC:
Admit that you are a sinner.
Believe that Jesus is God's son.
Confess your sins.
That is the first step to becoming a Disciple of Jesus.  Next, get into a local church body and start your training.  God has a plan for you.  It's amazing what He has done in my life and is still doing, and I would love to hear your story.  Leave it on my facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pastor.rob.lawler?ref=tn_tnmn  and let me know if there is anything we can pray about together!

Enjoy the Journey!
Pastor Rob.

God Shaped Hole

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you." (John 14:27)

There is an old Plumb song - "God Shaped Hole" I was just listening to.  It reminded me (being the science geek I am) of black holes.

I've always been in awe of black holes. No, not the ones in the road that you run over and it makes you spill your coffee. I mean the huge ones in space that have a powerful gravitational pull which swallow any matter that comes close to it. Some black holes are so powerful that light itself cannot escape its force.

Inside each and every person there is a spiritual 'black hole'- our hearts.
Our hearts have an empty spot that devours any and all goodness that passes its way. It is an aching to be filled, a longing to be known, and a hunger to be satisfied. It started with Adam and Eve when they committed the first sin and were separated from God. That's when the first 'spiritual black hole' appeared, and it's been passed on to everyone ever since.

What can satisfy the black hole in the human heart? People have made all sorts of attempts through money, pleasure, travel, art, acting like someone else only to be liked, and a host of other useless endeavors. These things can't fill that void than a single grain of sand can fill the ocean.

King Solomon was a man in the Bible who tried real hard to fill his empty heart, and he was one of the richest most powerful men ever!  He wrote, "I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure" (Eccl. 2:10). But what was the result of his searching? He said, "All is vanity and grasping for the wind" (v.17). Solomon finally came to the place where he realized that fulfillment could be found only in knowing and living for God (12:13).

Have you felt the empty space in your heart? There is only one cure: a constantly growing relationship with Jesus Christ. He knows you better than you know yourself. He understands what you need more than anyone. Talk to Jesus everyday and hold on to the words in the Bible.  Make your decision today to fill your "God shaped hole" with Jesus.

Love Wins Every Time!

Fellow Leaders, 

 

   Love unexpectedly.


   Youth workers love surprises—but too often our spouses end up with the predictable and stable part of our lives. While there’s nothing wrong with stability, it’s also a good idea to take the same creativity that helps you think up crazy games and invent an unexpected way to love your spouse. 

   This week, make it a goal to love your husband or wife in an unexpected, surprising way.
   Love your spouse in front of your students.
There’s nothing wrong with letting your students see that you love your husband or wife. But it’s important to remember that your students are watching your relationship; it might be the most important lesson you teach them all week.
   Love your spouse in front of your kids.
Same thing goes with your own children (if you’ve got them). They need to see you in love with each other, too. That doesn’t mean that everything in the home is perfect, but through the good, bad, and the ugly you share a loving commitment to each other and to Christ.
   Love your spouse when no one is watching.
A consistent loving relationship can’t only show up when people are watching. Make sure you love your spouse when you aren’t trying to be a role model to your teenager. Youth ministry takes a toll on marriages. Sadly we’ve seen it first-hand far too many times. One of the best ways to model healthy marriage within your ministry context is to do the hard work of building a healthy marriage behind the scenes.

  Loving our students – that is the other requirement for a good youth leader – first we love God, then our family, then our students.  That is a hard order to live by at times, especially when we see such a need around us.  Who is the student in your ministry that needs to feel love the most this week?  Take some time to spend with them to show them they are loved, especially during a week that they may feel left out, abandoned, or far from loved.
Love wins every time!

I Love each and every one of you, and am proud to be in this ministry along side of you. I'm always available to chat.  Just call  865-250-8499.

Pastor Rob.

Freedom!

 Independence Day.

There are so many freedoms to think about.  

So many freedoms that are being taken away.
What about the freedom to worship God?

Whether that be the freedom to bow your head and pray over your meal

at a restaurant with people all around, or walking into a store and hearing 

Christian music being played over the speakers, or to simply go to the church

of your choosing.  And what a choice!  You can't throw a stick here without 

hitting a church building!
As we celebrate this day of freedom, let's also celebrate
the freedom we have to worship God however we want, whenever we want,
and wherever we want.  There is truly alot to be thankful for.
I am thankful for the men and women in our military who have fought for
and continue to guard our freedom here in the United States.
I am even more thankful for the freedom we have to live for Jesus,
because He sacrificed his own life for that freedom.
Now, for us as Christians, every day is Independence Day! 

Luke 4:18-19  says:
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Ephesians 3:12
In him [Christ] and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 

Stay Strong!

TEENS STAND STRONG!

Sometimes we can doubt our faith, and finding just five minutes for God seems like impossible to do. 

 Sometimes devotions do not really seem like devotion, but homework. Have you ever wondered if God is really even there? Here's a few ways to keep your faith strong even when you feel a bit weak.

1. Remember that God is Always There And Will Never Leave You!

Even in the Darkest times, when you just don’t feel God cares, you need to remember that God is always there. He does not forget you. "True faith is developed even when you don’t feel God."

Deuteronomy 31:6 - " Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God."

2. Read a Devotional everyday!

This is really important to maintaining your faith. A daily devotional will keep you in God's Word and make  your prayer life. It will also keep you closer to God even when you are struggling in your faith.

Philippians 2:12-13 – “What I'm getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you've done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I'm separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure. ”

3. Do Something!

Many people become apathetic over time, because they do not feel connected to a church body. Some churches do not offer ways to connect. Yet, there are a lot of activities on campuses and in the community. You can even look into other ministries. The more connected you are to the body of Christ, the more likely it is that you will maintain your faith.

Romans 12:5 – “so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

4. Talk to Someone!

If you feel separated from God, talk to your youth leader, a pastor, or even your parents. Talk through your issues and pray with them about your struggle. They can give you insight into how they have worked through their own struggles. Believe it or not, other people have been through this, and came out!!

Colossians 3:16 – “Let the message about Christ completely fill your lives, while you use all your wisdom to teach and instruct each other. With thankful hearts, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. ”

-Pastor Rob.