06/13/2019
One of our members, a veterinarian, shared with me on Sunday that a nail salon next to her veterinary practice caught fire and burned. She received the emergency call while the fire burned in the salon next door to her practice where pets were boarded. All of the pets were retrieved safely but the nail salon has a board covering the doorway…do not enter. The fire had done its damage.
This last Sunday we celebrated Pentecost which is the birthday of the church. We are reminded each year of the Scriptures in the Book of Acts that describe flames of fire that rested upon the heads of those present as the Holy Spirit descended to dwell within each of them. As thousands were baptized that day, the church was birthed. When I hear this story, I also often think about the time in the life of Moses when a flame came into a burning bush. In both Biblical situations the fire did not consume the persons but instead came to dwell and to be a source of life...not death. The fire did not consume or damage. The fire came to bring life for Moses to move forward in ministry as God was calling him.
God’s church, baptized by the Holy Spirit, is alive in the world today. Who's the church? We are the church. The flame is lit but it needs us to flame the fire so that the fire of the gospel is shared and spread.
We have two mission teams serving this week away from Carmel. One in Frakes, Kentucky and the other in Nashville, Tennessee. My prayer for them is for safety but also that they may be on fire for God and that that flame may spread to all they meet. Each of us in our daily lives has the opportunity to live on fire because of the flame of the Holy Spirit, which is alive in each of us. Think today...how may you spread the fire of God’s love where you are…
Blessings today and always, Pastor Patti
Archived Posts
The Rest of the Story
I mentioned Russell Conwell in Sunday’s message. He was a famous preacher, educator, and lecturer. His sermon/lecture “Acres of Diamonds” was turned into a book and sold rather well. I used Conwell’s illustrations to talk about sharing the good news of Jesus with those closest to us first—family, friends, coworkers, and church family. The wider world is our ultimate aim, but until you invest in the people God has already put in your life, you are unlikely to have much success.
No One Said It Would be Easy
To love Jesus first is to learn to love all the other people in our lives with greater intensity and less selfishness
What’s Saved Is Often Lost
Here’s the benediction we didn’t have time for yesterday (Sunday, November 3). It’s one of my favorite quotations (portions of a newspaper column). I hope you find it as inspiring as I have
Leftovers Continued…
It’s not just the fact that God is un-impressed by our leftovers, it actually goes deeper than that. In a sense, Jesus is passionately and purposely opposed to anything leftover. To be a follower of Jesus Christ is to work diligently to make sure that in the end nothing at all is left over.
Less Stuff and Fewer Wants
Here’s a point I left off Sunday’s sermon due to time and length. In dealing with an Entitled mindset it is very helpful if you can Reduce Materialism and Consumerism.
Entitlement Can Hit You in Ways You Might Never Suspect
The people of God (Israel) were chosen by God to fulfill a unique calling—to be a light to all the other nations of the nations of the world. God chose them because of their willingness to be used by Him for His purposes. But after a while the Israelites began to think that they were chosen--not because with God they could fulfill a special purpose--but because they were a special people, uniquely favored and loved for who they were.
What Kind of Love Do You Have For God?
In Sunday’s message about Job, I talked about how important relationship is when it comes to getting answers to our questions about God. The question that Job is really being tested on is this: can he love God for who God is—or does he only love God for what God can do for him?