We don't like No

What is necessary to change a person is 

to change his awareness of himself.

-Abraham Maslow

I don't know if anyone has ever told you no, but most of the time it is unpleasant. People in general don't like to be told no. In fact in writing this someone (a salesman) called me and because I did not want his services he hung up on me. Most would admit that wealthy people or people in charge really don't like being told no. How many wealthy people have gotten into trouble because someone told them no and they did not agree with it. 

Now what if I asked you if you were rich? You mite say that you don't consider yourself rich, but according to Andy Stanley's book "How to be Rich" if you make over $37,000 a year you are in the top 4% of the wealthiest people in the world. 

Crazy right!

It seems funny to consider that fact and yet still find it difficult to lead the kind of generous life Jesus called us to.

"Listen carefully to what I am saying—and be wary of the shrewd advice that tells you how to get ahead in the world on your own. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity. Stinginess impoverishes"

 -Mark 4:24-25

We like to have stuff, acquire more things, build our wealth. None of this is inherently bad, we must use caution though so we don't become consumed by getting instead of giving. Stanley in his book compared it to our appetite, once it gets going it is hard to satisfy. For me it would be like trying to eat just one potato/Doritos chip and then stopping. I can do it, but boy it's hard, I am unable to find contentment because I want more. 

This idea of not being satisfied is why at many restaurants the waiter brings out the try of desserts instead of just showing you the menu, they are trying to arouse the want inside of you so that you are not content with just the meal. 

This is why our appetites are not good for making decisions, we want to increase everything to give a scene of happiness. But we must continue to passionately pursue to live the generous life God called us to. 

"Work at getting along with each other and with God. Otherwise you’ll never get so much as a glimpse of God. Make sure no one gets left out of God’s generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God’s lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God’s blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears."

-Hebrews 12:14-17

click for more information about Andy Stanley's book "How to be rich"

Thanksgiving time again, Thanksgiving for Thousands

Well another November has come and at Dagsboro Church of God we are and have been working on Thanksgiving for Thousands. This is an outreach event that started over 20 years ago way back in 1994 when our church started making hot dinners and serving them on Thanksgiving day. This all happened inside the church and volunteers even delivered hot meals to those who could not come out. Well by the third year of doing this Dagsboro Church of God was feeding over 1000 people. Then in order to help more people we partnered with a local chicken company and started boxing the dinners and passing them out a few days before Thanksgiving to allow family's the opportunity to sit down in their homes and enjoy the day. This year the program has expanded to serve the most people ever, this year 10,000 boxes with a meal for 6 that will feed people in need all over the Delmarva Peninsula. By having boxed meals it allows us to help more people in more locations. We have over 125 local groups (charity and other non profit groups) that we are able to help with these 10,000 boxes of food as well as serving those who call as ask for assistance. Overall we will help feed around 45,000 people this Thanksgiving!

If you are in need of a meal this Thanksgiving, you can call the Dagsboro Church of God at 302-732-6550 Monday-Thursday 9am-3pm up until November 13 or wile they are still available. Also if you are interested in helping to pack the meal that will happen on Monday November 24th at the Mountaire warehouse in Selbyville, DE beginning around 8am till they are done.

Distribution will take place the following day on Tuesday November 25th from 9am-3pm in many locations across Sussex County.








A big thank you to Mountaire Farms, Love INC of Western Sussex County, and all the local grocery stores that help with the food drive for their help to make this event possible. Also to the congregations of Gateway Fellowship in Bridgiville, St. John United Methodist in Seaford, Laurel Wesleyean, Milford Church of the Nazarene, and of course Dagsboro Church of God for all their help and support to make this event everything that it is.

Food drive accross Delmarva

Come out and join myself along with many others to help the Thanksgiving for Thousands food drive be a huge success. This Saturday November 8th from 10am till 3pm many from Dagsboro Church of God will be at the Super Fresh in West Ocean City for the food drive. If your not in the West Ocean City area you can catch another location across Sussex and Kent County's.

Other locations for the food drive are:

 Hockers's Super center in Ocean View * 

Superfresh - West Ocean City * 

Redner's - Georgetown * Redner's Milford * Redner's - Camden *

Giant - Long Neck * Giant- Millville * 

Safeway - Rehoboth Beach *

 Superfresh - Rehoboth Beach * 

Wal-Mart - Rehoboth * Wal-Mart -Georgetown * Wal-Mart- Milford DE

We have great people from the American Legion as well as other churches and community groups taking part in the food drive to help fill 10,000 boxes this Thanksgiving all across Delmarva. These boxes will be filled with a chicken as well as veggies and a dessert then distributed to families in need later this month to help others in our community to have a wonderful Thanksgiving meal. 

So come on out help spread some good this Saturday for Thanksgiving!

The Power of Forgiveness

Never forget the three powerful resources

 you always have available to you:

 love, prayer, and forgiveness.

H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

It is funny to think how powerful forgiveness can be. It helps to usher the ability to love others even when they don't deserve it. One of the best accounts of this in the Bible is with Joseph. We see in the last few chapters of Genesis the story of Joseph a man who had been on an incredible journey through slavery and imprisonment stand before his brothers who sold him and forgive and bless them. If Joseph had not forgiven his brothers the rest of his family could have died, thus never leading to the tribes of Israel and the people they are today. All of this came from the power of forgiveness.  

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins

Mark 11:25-26

Some Ingredients to a Healthy Spirit

I was looking at some of the blogs I like to follow and seen that Pastor Steven Furtick is doing a series dealing with a Unhealthy Spirit and it made me think, what are some of the ingredients to a healthy Spirit?

On of the things that came to mind, probably because of what we are doing this week at our church is serving. This week we are serving the kids from our community by having VBS (Vacation Bible School) at the church. Where we have teams of kids going from station to station learning about Jesus and the Bible. Now we have around 30 or so volunteers helping to make this happen this week, sweating and trying to keeping track of everyone. And we have to ask ourselves is it worth it?

I say boldly YES!! By serving these kids for just a few hours a week they could have a life changing moment. You ask how? Well one of the councilmen in our church gave a testimony a few weeks ago about how he did not grow up going to church very often, but he did go to VBS every summer at a church not to far from his home. Even though the people running that VBS at the time would not have known it was their deposit into him helped to bring him into a closer walk with Christ as an adult and has helped him raise a godly family and have influence in his neighborhood.

I know many times we hear the work serve and go uhhhh. Because in our mind sometimes that just means work. But take joy in you work for the Lord because you never know where the fruit of your labor will lead. You just may change the world without even knowing it.

Matthew 5:16 "In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

Remember that everyone in God's kingdom has a place to serve others, so who do you serve?

What are some other ingredients for a Healthy Spirit? Leave a comment!