How Deep is Your Love

“He who cannot forgive others

Destroys the bridge over which he himself must pass.”

-George Herbert

So growing up in Southern Delaware many people who did not grow up in the area often ask about the beach, and to their surprise I inform them that I don’t visit it very often. Not too big on the sand or the fact that I can’t see what’s in the water with me. But, whenever I go somewhere tropical, I am always fascinated by those who snorkel and scuba dive. There is a whole other world in the ocean to explore.

Did you know that most people who scuba dive can only go around 130 feet deep? That may sound deep however consider the ocean at its deepest is around 7 miles deep!

We often like to treat God and his love for us the same way as we do the water at the beach, splashing around on the surface. We don’t like to realize our sin never goes away unless we really dive into the love of God.

“(If you only had one month to live, what would you ask forgiveness for? From whom? Whom would you need to forgive?)”

Why do we need to forgive? Well…because Christ commands those who follow him to do so, if you follow Jesus, forgiveness is not an option. (Colossians 3:13) If we try to live without forging others we won’t survive, we just turn into bitter ungrateful people.

“(How have you experienced bitterness in your life?)”

We have to realize that bitterness often leads to anger and Ephesians 4:26-27 speaks of not letting the sun set while you are still angry because you can give the devil a foothold in your life for anger. Sometimes we get angry at God and some would say they don’t, but the great thing about God is he already knows about your anger, he can handle it.

Jesus prayed in Luke 23:34 “Father forgive them for they know not what they do,” this is where we get the power to forgive others. Jesus can take our sin, guilt, and shame and totally get rid of it, but only if we let him.

Portions quoted other than scripture came from "One Month to Live" by Pastor Kerry & Chris Shook, to buy click http://www.onemonthtolive.com/

Tick, tock

Tick tock, tick tock, Hook's afraid of an old crock. - a line summarized by Peter Pan when he confronts Captain Hook. We all know Hook to be the villain in the story. However if you think about it we know that we can be just like him from time to time. We all know that there's a point when we run out of time, you can buy it, you can't trade it, and you can't get anymore no matter how hard you try.

This is something that Captain Hook fights with trying to out run the crocodile and at the same time getting Peter Pan. Now at first look we think that Pan and Hook just don't like each other but Hook doesn't like Pan because in his words he doesn't show "good form." In other words Pan and the lost boys are wild and do whatever they like with little or no consequence, wile Hook always gets the bad end of the deal. I think we relate to Hook and Pan in different was at different times. We can't spend so much of our lives worrying about time that when we get old we wonder what happened, nor can we just go about doing any crazy thing we want just because we feel we can. Also we can't be so blind that we end up thinking we are just a good guy like Hook thought. That's right Hook would not have thought of himself as the villain he would tell you Pan was. Hook was educated businessman who lead his men through life. Pan did the same thing with his lost boys the key difference was that the boys never wanted to grow up and the men were not responsible enough to think things through clearly. 

Ephesians 5: 15-17 "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is" 

I don't know if you have ever felt this way but I feel the older I get the faster the weeks, months, and years move. So I don't want to live afraid of time slipping away but take every opportunity that I get to live a life that in the end I would be happy how it was spent. Enjoy your friends and family wile you can, take nothing for granted.

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!