New life

Good Morning!

We missed not having class, but more importatntly missed being with everyone, yesterday. Our intention was to meet, but with the praised amount of people and all the chairs that needed to be moved into the sanctuary, we felt called to help in the distribution of seats. Thank you, for all that helped in that process. What a wonderful problem to have! Our lesson could have definitely been on servanthood.

We hope all of you had a most glorious Easter day! We pray that you were all touched by the death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ throughout the week.

On Saturday, May 7th, from 9a.m.-2p.m., Gulf Shores UMC will be having a simulcast event of "OutLive Your Life" with Max Lucado. Please, contact me, if you would be interested in attending. I'll call the church and let them know we will be coming.


Alan talked about Mary Magdalene in his sermon yesterday. I am moved by Mary Magdalene's story. Although we don't know all the details of her life, Luke 8:2 says that Jesus had driven seven demons out of her, traveled with the disciples, and that she, along with others, helped support Jesus and the disciples.

Jesus "saw" Mary Magdalene. (OLYL, Ch.7) He met her need. He delivered her from her demons (literally). Demons, in those days, could have been any illness, physical or emotional.

Has God ever delivered you from any illness or oppression?

Jesus saved her. His love and deliverance changed her life.

Has God's deliverance and providence changed you life- every thought, word, action?

His saving grace left her no other choice but to follow and serve Him and His children.

Has His amazing grace led you to be a true disciple?

The last phrase of the 3rd verse from the "The Wonderous Cross" seems fitting...."Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all!"

Let us not have spiritual amnesia. May we daily rely on the Holy Spirit to remind us of the cross and of our own deliverance story!

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17

"But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil (barrier between God and man) is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:16-18

"For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin." Romans 6:6

Much love to you all! If you need anything, please never hesitate to contact us. John 228-2063. Jenni 213-1194.
Go with God,
J&J

Apologies for not having prayer list, since we didn't meet yesterday. Please, reply with any requests!

Mo and Jen Shaver. Mo starts his treatment this week.
Our Church-leadership & staff
Our Class
Revival!
GloryLand
unspoken requests










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Thanks, so much too Kate, for sharing with us God's love in action in Haiti Sunday. I was overwhelmed by her vision of Jesus as she entered the cholera clinic, as he spread his hands, and said, "These are my people. I love them. Will you tell them?'

It's overwhelming how much God loves us! No just us, but everyone on the planet! How humbling when we realize God's love and compassion for us that, "He gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

I was talking to a friend one day, who had an incredible relationship and craziness for her (teenage!) children. I commented on her actions towards her son. She said, "It is good. They know they have unconditional love, but I've made an incredible mistake. I have forgotten to tell them that all children are loved and are special."

Do we understand this truth....that God's love is not just for us? It's for eveyone! This is a common theme throughout this book. We must not skip over this simple truth. It must become essential to our lives, to where it changes every thought, every deed, every word we say to another human being!

The Bible is too full of God's love and compassion for us and for me to reference them all. Here are a few for us to digest just from Jesus' final week before His death and ressurection.

As Jesus made his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, he cried over the people of the city and said, "If you, even you had only known on this day what would bring you peace" Luke 19:42

"O, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chick under her wings." Mt. 37

"Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love." Jesus washes the discples feet. (John 13:1-19)

"Greater love has no one than this, that He lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command." John 15:13-14

At the Last Supper, Jesus tells the disciples, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be afraid." John 14:15-31 Jesus promises us the Holy Spirit. He loved us so much that he didn't want us to be alone, so he pleaded to the Father to send us his spirit.

The night Jesus was betrayed, he pleaded to the Father, not only for himself, but for the disciples, for all future believers! John 17

Jesus is willfully arrested and questioned. "for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth." John18:37

When they placed him on the cross, Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Luke 23:34 Even on the cross, he is asking God to forgive them, forgive us!!!

What love, humility, compassion, grace, we have to learn from our God, our King, our Savior!

I pray that we will all be touched, this week, by his love and grace, as we consider Jesus' life and death on the cross, where he thought of us, above all, his suffering. We pray that Jesus' life and death will not be in vain, but that it will be made real to all of us, like never before...so much that the Holy Spirit changes us, encourages us to love and do for others as Jesus did for us! Let us tell His story this week....We are all his children. As Jesus said to Kate that day, "These are my people. I love them. Will you tell them?"


Here is a music video of "Above All," with clips from "The Passion of the Christ."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eckskOzB1-Y

Have a blessed week! We love you all.

J&J

Prayer Concerns:
Mo and Jenn Shaver
Mike, melanoma
Kambell Kennell, 5 yr old, sick
Candy & her mother, Betty w/ Alzheimer's disease
Jerry and Mac Crosswhite, cancer
Loise Hawkins, ill
Gloryland

Praises:
Jim White's recovery
GloryLand
Candy's sister in law's sobriety




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Location:Above all

Was,Is, and Is to come!

     I started reading this new bbok about the prophet Elijah. It is a historical fiction book. Meaning, it is based on facts but the author adds some extra details to make a good story. Well it is a good book, but I wanted to read the real story to compare the differance. I started in 1 Kings 17 and have read thru 2 Kings 5. What struck me the most is the incredible things that God did through His prophet Elijah. Things such as; a Drought, Fire from heaven ( multiple times), Raising the dead, Parting the waters, and many others. It got me thinking about the God we serve. It is the same God that Elijah served. Not the same but modern, just the exact same God who was, who is, and who is to come. God does not change, only we do. We put our own limitations on God and expect Him to act within our belief system and our comfort zone. We don't always want the fullness of God because we don't understand the fullness of God. What if we stepped out of our comfort zone and started prating for the fullness of God. Let's start praying that God will bring us into His comfort zone and allow us to step out of our own. There are no limits to His power, His Glory, and His Love. I believe God wants to show us He is God through His many works and wonders, if only we will look to Him for everything.

   Lord, hear our prayer. Open our eys, open our ears, open our hearts to your mighty works and signs. You are the one true God and we love you. Prepare us to receive more of you. In Jesus' name. Amen

Prayers/Praises

Mo. Check out his caring bridge website
Kaye Boyd. Her mother's husband died this past week. They are leaving for MS today for services.
Mandy kaiser. Respiratory illness.
Jim & Doris milford. They are trying to get custody of their grandchild.
Brother Jim. Continued recovery.
Carolyn white. Safe travels.


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Faith

Remember our last book????
I read this tonight & thought of
"getting out of the boat."

"Loyalty to Jesus means I have to step out where I do not see anything. (Mt. 14:29) Loyalty to my notions means I must clear the ground first by my intelligence.
Faith is not intelligent understanding. Faith is deliberate commitment to a person where I see no way."
Oswald Chambers


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What are we afraid of?

   Thinking of the door I described in Sunday School. The one busting at the seams with the Holy Spirit trying to get in. Why do we try to hold the door shut? The Holy Spirit keeps seeping in through the cracks and we are amazed by the things we see Him accomplishing in our church, our class, our community, and our own lives. Why do we still keep fighting against that door to keep it from opening all the way? I know that sometimes I am afraid of  what might happen if I let go and allow the door to open all the way. I think that I am afraid of the power of the Holy Spirit and what He might do to my life. I love everything that I am seeing now, but I don't know if I can handle all of Him. I know that everything He has shown me and done around me is amazing and brings complete joy. I don't know what He has in store when I step back from the door and let it open all the way. What will happen if I let Him take over my life? Will I lose control of everything I have fought so hard to control? Will He come in and completely change me? Will I still think and act the same way I do now? Will He let me have the same friends, the same job, the same salary, the same anything? He has done nothing but shown me His goodness, but I still fight against that door because I am afraid that I might lose me.
    Why is it we are so afraid to let go? He is the creator of the universe. He created us. Deep down I know that He knows best. I know He wants nothing but the best for me. I know He offers more joy than I could ever find on my own, but it is still a big step to let go. It is a big leap of faith to open that door. I gladly cracked the door and let Him in, but I still keep for myself the worst parts. The parts of my heart that I put my fears, my hurt, my anger, and my bitterness. He is trying to flood my heart and my life with unfiltered love and joy, but I am holding on to all the things that will hurt me the most.
    I think the biggest fear of all is what He will call me to be. Where will He send me? How will He use me? What will I do? When will I go? Am I ready? Am I good enough?

    I know that this is a lot, and it doesn't make that much sense, but it boils down to this. Are we ready to move out of the way, let God in, and let Him make us into what He created us to be? Only He knows what the end result will be, but we can take heart because He promises us it will be better than anything we could ever imagine.

John

What to do?

"Brothers, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37)

1. Repent and be
2. baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of our sins. And we will
3. receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)
4. Devote ourselves to the apostle's teaching
5. fellowship together
6. break bread togehter
7. pray together (Acts 2:42)

Once the early believers/church started and applied these steps-
"Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possesions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Everyday they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2:43-47)

WOW!

Let us, as a class, truly commit to these steps of the early believers. Starting with v 38, and continuing through v 47.

If you are not a part of a small group already, we urge you this week, to join one- to pray, fellowship, learn with a body of believers!
Check out www.orangebeachumc.org for calendar of events, fellowships, bible studies.

We are holding the Holy Spirit back. We are grieving the Spirit by our actions, attitudes, words, lifestyles.
(Ephesians 4:29-32)
He is longing to change our hearts, lives, priorities. He is longing to change our church, community, our world.

It will takes deliberate pursuit, commitment and obedience to draw close to God and His children. His spirit will guide and lead us.
"The Holy Spirit is the One who changes the church, but we have to remember that the Holy Spirit lives in us. It is individual people living in the Spirit-filled lives that will change the church."
Francis Chan

"Be filled with the Spirit." Ephesians 5:18
Be constantly filled with His spirit, in His presence. Submit daily to His leading and draw constantly on His power.
Let's let the Holy Spirit have His way with us..."Have thine own way, Lord."
We can do this (with His help)!

In His name,
J&J


Prayer Request:
All of us
Our Church
church staff and leaders
Pastor Jim, sick
Mo, treatment
Lillian, leukemia
Debbie, cancer

Praises:
Gary is back!
Everyday!
Anniversaries


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