Political Jesus?

Well as you know election day is getting closer and like you I hear more and more about President Obama and Mitt Romney, and like you I am already tried of it and we still have a way to go. But a interesting thought I had when the owner of Chick-fil-a defended his stand on marriage and everyone on Facebook had the signs about supporting them, why is it so easy for us to go buy a chicken sandwich but not share the love of Christ.

We like to post things on social media about our political views but have people all around us who need to hear the good news but can't talk to them about it. It has become so easy to click and share a thought, we many times do it without even thinking about all the people who may not share your thought on the issue.

You may ask what the big deal with that, well I will tell you, Christians have become known not for our love and compassion but for being "Conservative" or even dare I say "Republican." Well this may burst some of your bubbles but Jesus never said join the Republican or Democratic party, but he did say in Matthew 25: 35-40
 
"I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me."Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me."

And when I read this I don't take it as our governments responsibility to feed, clothe, and take care of others it is the responsibility of those who love Jesus. So before you go and bad mouth the President or the candidate who is running against him remember that so called "Christians" are the majority of this nation and we put our own self in this position. And remember that what you post on social media creates a image that people see about you and all the other "Christians" out there so represent the real Jesus.  

Starlight Station VBS at the Dagsboro Church of God

Well one of the great memories I have going up was during the summer going to our church and other's VBS (that's Vacation Bible School). My friends and I always had such a great time with the different activities and things that went on everyday. Well now that I am grown up (at least for the most part) and have kids I make sure they get involved every year in at least two local VBS programs. One of them is coming up, starting on June 18th-22nd at our church, Dagsboro Church of God. DCOG is partnering with High Tide Church to have this from 6-8pm. The theme for this year is Starlight Station and it is going to be a great time! It is for kids 4 years old through 5th grade, so if you have kids or grand kids bring them out to have a lot of fun learning about God!

If you have any more questions about this feel free to contact me......

Truth vs Suspicion

This week I wanted to share from the blog of Jeremy Ferruccio, who is the Staff Pastor at Dagsboro Church of God. You can check out more from him at www.jeremyferruccio.blogspot.com     

You have probably heard the teaching "Trust Vs. Suspicion" by Andy Stanley before. It is a great lesson for staffs to go through together. I recently watched the dvd again for probably the tenth time. I would highly recommend it to any leadership team.

After writing this post, We Walk By Faith, the other day, this teaching on Trust Vs. Suspicion came to my mind, but not so much as it applies to staff members. Here's what I was thinking.....

Walking by faith would be tricky if it only included you and God, but it becomes exponentially more trying when we begin to understand that God works through other people in our lives to achieve HIS outcomes. God has been known to use people who appear to be trying to harm us or get us off track to move us exactly into the place HE wants us (and maybe learn a few lessons along the way). Joseph is a great example of this but definitely not the only one we find in the bible (Genesis 37-45). What Joseph's brothers and Potiphar intended for harm, God used for good.

I think for a lot of people, they don't really trust God. They want to. They try to. But, somewhere in their minds they still see God as someone who looks down from the stars and waits for us to mess up so He can punish us. Often they feel like they deserve the bad things that happen to them in their life. They are "SUSPICIOUS" of God's intentions for them and us.

God is a good God! We can trust Him and walk by faith in Him. He is working all things together for our good..... He is using those that seek to harm us to place us exactly where He wants us to be..... So, TRUST God, don't be SUSPICIOUS of His intentions for you. He Loves You.

PS: I also wonder if this isn't a doorway to lead us to being able to love our enemies.... just a thought.

Check out more that Jeremy wrote at http://jeremyferruccio.blogspot.com/
Original posted Tuesday, April 17, 2012

My Redeemer Lives! A small tribute to my mom.

 This was something my wife wrote on March 24th just a few hours after my mom, Dianna Magee, passed away. Just wanted to share it with everyone, and also let everyone know that her memorial service will be this week April 13th at 2 pm at the Dagsboro Church of God. If you are able I invite you to join my family and friends to remember the life she lived out.

“This has been 1 of the most emotional days I think I’ve ever had, laying down for some rest” My husband just posted this on twitter awhile ago.
We’ve all heard it. Life throws us curves balls and we never understand why at times. I’m only 30, yes I try to consider that still young , but I have been through some rough stuff in my lifetime. Brokenness, heartache, tears, loss … I’ve also had insurmountable laughter, joy, friendship, love.

For those who do not have a clue what I am talking about: Curtis’ mom was treated for cancer about 3 years ago. She had a kidney removed and moved on. Last October they removed a part of her lung when they discovered a small mass that had grown rapidly. It, as well, was cancer. Since then she has been taken a form of chemo and has had every side affect that comes with it. Sickness became a part of he daily life.

And for those who don’t know Dianna: She’s a fighter. She also loved God. And throughout the battle with cancer she always said that she was fine with whatever happened. After all, she knew where she was going.
Well, early early this morning, we got a phone call. I don’t want to put the details in this blog, but lets just say that her body was tired. She was going home. And that she did, a little before 3pm today. She went home, to heaven, and is dancing right now with Granny & Pop-Pop!

She was a wife, mother, daughter, and grandmother who gave life all she had and served God with that same passion. She will be greatly missed, but I am honored to be a part of the legacy that she left behind. I am thankful that my children were able to see her as a woman who loved God and served Him through the talents He gave her.

And, right now, even as my heart aches for the loss of her, & knowing that I won’t hear her laugh again – I rejoice! Because the moment she took her last breath on this earth, I knew where she was and that she was in no more pain. I knew she was dancing and rejoicing.

I say all this for two reasons:
1. Live like every day is your last. Live it to your fullest. Tell those you love, just how much they mean. Take time out for your friends and family. Leave a legacy.
2. Love the Lord God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. When He dwells in you, nothing can shake you. His peace surpasses all understanding!

My desire: to follow in the footsteps of my family. To serve God with all I have. To leave a legacy – that man does not see me, but sees the things God did through me.

Wrote by Amy Jones on March 24th 2012
follow her blog at http://amylynnjones.wordpress.com/ 

The Authority Question

So here is what i have for this week, a question. How do you view the Bible and its authority? Do you think it has absolutes or just suggestions?

When you here people speak about how they believe the whole of scripture do you often think "how can they believe ALL the stuff in there," or are you on the other end that hear people say they believe in Jesus but have trouble believing in all the other things in the Bible?

I have posted four videos they are all short the longest one 7 minutes the shortest just one over one minute, please take time to view them and think about the different points they all make. You wont agree with all of them when they take on the question on the authority of scripture. Then share your comments about your view of agreement and disagreement, remember all the points that we make are from our own interpretation of scripture and how we see things.

N.T. Wright

Marcus Borg

John MacArthur

Brian McLaren

Please leave your comments.................







I’m Not Religious, I’m just ME

This is the blog post my wife wrote this week just wanted to share it with all of you. -Curtis

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created them.

I’ve seen a lot of posts lately about being ‘religious’ vs. ‘christian’, about being religious in general and how people sometimes think religion is forced on them or that they have a hard time accepting God because they’ve witnessed hypocrites in the church. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and unfortunately man is to blame for the way some people view Christianity.

I said all that because I’ve been thinking lately. Really questioning what makes me different than other christians. Am I different? Sometimes I struggle understanding why people who say they love God don’t do anything for Him. Or can even act like they have a multiple person disorder. I know you know what I’m talking about. The people who come to church on Sundays and act like christians but then on Tuesday use sign language to appreciate the person who cut them off on the highway. So, again I’ve been thinking…

AND THIS IS MY CONCLUSION…

I am different. I have always been different. I am not from this world. Growing up before I was saved, before I knew all that Jesus had done, I never quite felt like I belonged. I was different even as a kid. I didn’t fit in. People in school and in my family teased me; I didn’t even feel normal when I was surrounded by family. They loved me, they were my family, but I still felt different, weird even. Truly, I never understood the feeling. Why I felt sort of different, out of the loop. I just knew I was. And it made growing up a little difficult. I didn’t fit into any of the clicks at school. I was a loner. That’s where I fit in best at, being by myself. And when I had great friends, I still felt like I wasn’t being my totally true self. Like a part of me was still in hiding. And even after I got saved, I felt the same way. I was still different than other christians, I at times felt like I didn’t belong. This feeling has always stayed with me. Sitting here today, I feel the same, I don’t quite fit in. But this is the revelation I have had.

You know what, it’s okay. I don’t fit in this world because this is not my home. Jesus did not create me to be normal, to be like you. And while I’ve struggled my whole life to fit in, I realize it was never my purpose to. I’m different because that’s how I was created. I only feel completely at home, completely normal, whole when I am in His presence.

I am thankful to say that I have not conformed to this world! That I have not allowed “religion” to rule my life. To say it simply, I am who I am. I am the daughter, mother, wife, friend, servant that God has called me to be. My life is just not lived on Sundays or when I am thinking someone is watching me. My life, the person who I am, who God created me to be, stays the same 7 days a week. I don’t change my attitude or thoughts for anyone or any situation.

And I think that statement is what mess’s people up. While I just stated that I don’t change for anyone that doesn’t mean that I don’t sometimes make mistakes. I’m not perfect and I mess up. And I think at times that’s where the label ‘hypocrite’ comes out so strongly. People aren’t perfect and not everyone lives there life like Christ, even if they say they do.

But ‘for me and my household we will serve the Lord’! While I am far from perfect, I strive to be like Jesus. And you know, look at Jesus’ life. Who he hung out with, who he talked to, who he surrounded himself with … He was different; he didn’t fit into the realm of normalcy. But you know the one thing He was, he was Himself. He was the person God had called him to be.
So you know what, I am going to take the stand that He took.

I AM NOT NORMAL….ODD…POPULAR

I AM NOT RELIGIOUS

I AM ME

Posted on 2/27/12 by Amy Jones at www.amylynnjones.wordpress.com
Be sure to check her stuff out!

Honor Others Not Yourself

My wife and i taught our children ministry this past week, the bible story was on Absalom. Absalom or Abe (as the kids called him) was one of the many sons of King David. As you read his story you find he does not seem like a bad guy.

In 2 Samuel chapter 13 we become aware of Absalom, we find one of Abe's brothers likes (a little too much) their sister Tamar. Abe must have known this because you can almost sense the tension in their relationship. Well the other brother, Amnon received some bad advice on how to get his sister and Amnon thinks it’s a good idea to put his buddy’s plain in place.

Well things get a little strange and Amnon ends up raping his sister and Abe finds this out and as you can imagine is NOT happy. We start at this point to see a different side of Abe, he becomes a scheming thinker on how he can get back at his brother. Well two years goes by and Abe's plan comes together to get the rest of his brothers and his servants to kill Amnon to revenge his sister.

Well needless to say Absalom and his father King David relationship becomes a little strained after all that. David would not even call Abe into his court after he moved back into town. This gets Abe a little frustrated and he starts thinking about how to get back at his father. He decides to try to take control of the kingdom and it almost works. 2 Samuel chapter 14 thru 18 tells of how he almost defeated David.

One of the things that stand out about Absalom is he started out trying to judge and justify his early action based on something that happened to his sister. But he instead of asking for forgiveness and seeking reconciliation with his father he became hurt and offended. He set out then not to honor his father or those over him but to try to get himself power.

Now Absalom in his life time had taken and set up a pillar for himself, which is in the Kings Valley. For he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance. He called the pillar after his own name. And to this day it is called Absaloms Monument. 2 Samuel 18:18

We must remember even when we think our actions are justifiable, we have to submit to those over us and honor others and it will come back to us. Not seeking power for ourselves but seeking to serve God.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10

The Cost

Luke 9:23-26
23 Then He said to them all, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? 26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Fathers, and of the holy angels.

Remember this week to give your life away, pick up your cross and follow Jesus! Even when it's hard and you don't think you can, He is there for you and cheering you on all the way. Be encouraged.

A Husband and His Bride

This past week i taught a class on Hosea and we went through all the things that he went through in his life, a life that God called him to live. Let me give you the highlights of Hosea's life if you have never read the story, and i recommend you read the story.

Hosea was a prophet of God and was part of the last generation from the Northern Kingdom (Israel), and was their last messenger of the coming judgement of God. God had a hard life he wanted Hosea to live.

The book starts out with God telling Hosea to take a woman who some translations call a whore or harlot to be his wife. After a wile they had a child together and then she has two more children who most believe are not Hosea kids. Well as you can image Hosea was not excited that his wife had gone back to her old ways.

So he did what most people, man or woman would do, they split Hosea had nothing to do with her.

But then God tells Hosea to go back to her, and she had got into so much trouble she was not even a free woman anymore. So Hosea bought her from her debtor and her his wife again. So you ask yourself, why? Why would God want a man to have to live through this?

We find out that God wanted Hosea to live out what God was experiencing with Israel. So he could write this book and we could see how much God loves us. Even when we leave him and go out and do our own thing, he still loves us and is happy he already paid the price for our sins. Don't ever forget that, that God seeks after you. He is waiting for you to fully commit to Him.

Hosea 2:14-23 Therefore, behold, I will allure her, Will bring her into the wilderness, And speak comfort to her.15 I will give her her vineyards from there, And the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; She shall sing there, As in the days of her youth, As in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt.16 And it shall be, in that day, Says the Lord, That you will call Me My Husband, And no longer call Me My Master,17 For I will take from her mouth the names of the Baals, And they shall be remembered by their name no more.18 In that day I will make a covenant for them With the beasts of the field, With the birds of the air, And with the creeping things of the ground. Bow and sword of battle I will shatter from the earth, To make them lie down safely.19 I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me In righteousness and justice, In lovingkindness and mercy;20 I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the Lord.21 It shall come to pass in that day That I will answer, says the Lord; I will answer the heavens, And they shall answer the earth.22 The earth shall answer With grain, With new wine, And with oil; They shall answer Jezreel.23 Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth, And I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy; Then I will say to those who were not My people, You are My people! And they shall say, You are my God!

Jesus is inviting Himself into our conversation.

Luke 24:13-32
 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem.14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.17 And He said to them, What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?19 And He said to them, What things?20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.22 Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.23 When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive.24 And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.25 Then He said to them, O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.29 But they constrained Him, saying, Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And He went in to stay with them.30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.32 And they said to one another, Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?

Here we see there are two men who are trying to figure out what will happen next after the one they followed, Jesus, has died. We need to remember that many Jews in the time of Jesus were looking for the Messiah, who was going to come and free them from the oppression they were under from the Romans. But, that's not the kind of Savior Jesus was coming to be. 

So these men were sort-of arguing or debating as to what was going to happen next. Then enters Jesus, he gets them to try to explain the way they see it, then teaches them about what is happening and why. Jesus told them that everything was happening just like the prophets of the Old Testament said it would. All these men could see is the one they followed was dead, but God had something so much more in-store and they could not see the big picture.  

God does not want you to argue about what is happening in your life if you miss the whole point about why it is happening. We  need to be looking for where God is in our situations. We realize that when Jesus shows up with these men it was not by accident. He had a purpose to everything he did, and he was trying to show his followers to be looking for the BIGGER PICTURE.

Should you be Baptized?

This Sunday Dagsboro Church of God will be doing something that i truly love to see, accepting new members and baptizing people in water. I love both of these thing for many reasons. It is important when you become a Christian to join in fellowship with the body of Christ and membership in a local congregation is one way to do that. For more on why to join a local church check out my earlier post on Who Needs The Church! http://mathetesproject.blogspot.com/2011/05/who-needs-church.html .Another Part of our service this week will be to baptize those who are ready to make a public commitment to Jesus Christ. I wanted to take some time to review some reasons for water baptism and why the church does it.

What is Water Baptism?

The word baptism comes from the Greek word baptizo which means to immerse or dip. To baptize someone, then, means to completely submerge it in a liquid. In a biblical sense, to baptize a person in water means to put that person completely under the water, then immediately raise him or her up again. The Church of God does believe in baptism by immersion, and that all who repent should be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Matt 28: 18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.
According scripture, water baptism is a symbolic act whereby a new Christian identifies with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. Water baptism is a public profession of a person's repentance and faith in Jesus Christ and a way of giving outward testimony to the inward work of God.

What Does Water Baptism Signify?

When God baptizes you into Christ, you become a new creation, something inside changes. Your heart is washed clean by the blood of Jesus, and your spirit is quickened (made alive) by the Holy Spirit. You now have the ability to love and obey Him, overcome sin, and walk out your salvation by faith.
Acts 8:36-38 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?37 Then Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.

Therefore, water baptism symbolically identifies us as new creations in Christ. By going down in the water, we illustrate that our old man is dead to sin and buried by faith in Christ. As a result, we are free from our old master Satan. By being raised up out of the water, we show that our new man is raised by the Spirit and made alive by faith in Christ. Since our new Master is the Lord Jesus, we commit to walk in righteousness (not by our old ways and fleshly habits but by our new life in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us). "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken [make alive] your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Romans 8:11).

Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation?

The Bible tells us that there is a baptism necessary for salvation; however, it is not water baptism! A person must be spiritually baptized into Christ in order to be saved: "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27). At the moment of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, a person is "buried with him [Jesus] in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead" (Colossians 2:12).

So you don't have to be baptized to go to heaven, but if you are truly following Jesus why would you not want to!

So if you want to be baptized showing Jesus as your Lord and Savior this week, contact me. And if you don't live in southern Delaware please take time to talk to your pastor about being baptized.

For more info please contact me at cjones@dagsborocog.org

How God feels when we cry…

Wanted this week to share this post my wife, Amy, had the other week on her blog. I am a blessed man to have a woman that hears from God and is not afraid to share it with others enjoy.

“…May be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height. To know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; and you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” -Eph.3:18-19

Today I believe I got a glimpse of how God feels when we, his children, are sad/upset even hurt.
EJ was really rowdy yesterday after school and I had warned him several times yesterday about running in the church, being loud, etc. He unfortunately had gotten in trouble yesterday and I told him that he was not allowed to go in our Chapel to play today after school. He was restricted to our nurseries.

He seemed to be rowdy again today after school. You know, I was really thinking after not being in school for a week, going back would make him tired and worn out … I was wrong! To have the energy of a 6 year old boy – the things I would accomplish!

Unfortunately, his energy got the worse of him today and he had one time out after “play wrestling” and kicking someone, within 15 minutes of being out of school. Soon after that, I hear some noise coming out of the chapel. Yes, the chapel that he was told not to be in yesterday. So here I am, wanting him 1. to listen to me the first time he is told to do something and 2. a little frustrated now that I have spent more time having to correct him in the first 30 minutes he has been out of school than doing anything else … so I do the only thing I can think of.

TIME OUT … yes the dreaded time out scene. It was horrible, instantly the tears came rolling.
And instead of EJ taking his time out peacefully, I continued to battle, yes battle, him over the reason of his being punished.

And I know the I was mean, harsh, and that he could tell I was frustrated with him. And he after 15 minutes of crying said he understood finally why he was being put in time out, but didn’t understand why he couldn’t play. (I am sure everyone else in the church knew the same too).

Anyway to make my point. I finally told EJ we were leaving, that there would be no tv tonight because of his actions — well that was it. The world had come to an end. If you thought making him sit on the floor was rough, you should see what happened when ‘no tv’ was spoken.
I listened to sniffles and crys almost the whole way home. And I know that I got to play the bad guy today. I sure felt like it.

I was harsh with him, I punished him for disobeying me. I asked Curtis before I left church, if I was right in what I was doing .. I knew I needed him to know what he did was wrong – but boy did I feel like poo for doing it. I want to be the parent that he loves and has fun with, not the one that makes him cry, sit in time outs, and takes the tv away from him.
And that got me thinking …

Here I am, feeling like poo because I hear my child crying. His feelings are hurt, he is embarrassed, he’s sad … he’s crying. And all the frustration inside me melts away and all I really want to do is stop the car, get out, hug him and tell him I love him. I want to let him watch all the tv in the world tonight, if that will make him smile…

And as I run the entire scene in my head, seeing what I can learn from and what can be done differently next time – this pops in my head – Is this how God feels when we cry?

We cry for many reasons, but even as an adult we get upset when we don’t get our way. Maybe you asked God for something and He said no, maybe He didn’t answer. Have you done something wrong and had consequences from that mistake? And don’t we get the attitude when this happens at times?

Do you throw a tantrum, cry hysterically, display “the world is ending” attitude?
Have you ever once thought about what God is feeling when we act that way? Honestly, it is not something I have ever thought about until today. And boy did I have that feeling today. Here EJ was upset because he was being punished, by me, and I still wanted to just wrap my arms around him and love him and make it all better.

BUT
I didn’t. I didn’t get out and hug him. He has not watched tv tonight and will not. Because although my love for him is great, I want him to understand the lesson.
As adults, we are human, we make mistakes, we lie, we fail … and whether we know it or not. God is always right there in the driver seat. He’s with us during those times and all He wants to do is love us. But where would be without correction in our life, where would we be if everything we ever asked for was given.

I thank God for the experience I had today. He let me see a little more of Him today. I know He loves us, but I understood Him a little more today. We are His children, and with children there comes times of correction and its hurts both the Father and child.

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39″

Written by Amy Jones www.amylynnjones.wordpress.com/ 
Posted on 1/5/2012

What does taking care of your church mean?

Well our church, Dagsboro Church of God has started fasting and praying for 21 days for our family, church, nation, and world. We just launched our vision for 2012 which we are calling this "The Year of Repentance: Doing Our First Works Over"

We broke the year into four quarters. The first we are calling Jerusalem- Taking Care of our own, where we are spending much time devoted to prayer. In fact that is what we have devoted January for to pray and fasting. Also we are trying to take this time at the beginning of the year to help get people connected into ministry. Does not matter if it's helping in our kids church or join the ranks of the ushers, we want to take time to reach out to those who come but maybe aren't sure where their place is (as far as serving).

After all this is what Jesus called us to do, serve. To teach other and show other the love of God, and not just sit in a pew and watch, like being a christian is a spectator sport.

So we have set aside time in our Wednesday night classes and are trying to help those find their place to serve.

For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching;8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Romans 12:4-8

We have all been given different gifts and skills, God has called us to use them for His kingdom. It does not matter if you are a teacher in a school or a lawyer, he has a place and purpose in His kingdom for all of us.

Jesus taught us how to do this. After he taught the disciples about himself he sent them out at least two at a time to spread the gospel and to tell other about the savor so they could then go out and tell even more.

John 17:6-8
 I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 7 Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. 8 For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me...................
(v16-19) They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

If you live in Southern Delaware and you don't have a place to worship, i want to invite you to join us this Sunday at Dagsboro Church of God. Service times are 9am and 6pm (bilingual)

Check out website for more info www.dagsborocog.org