Loved

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Recently I received an email from someone who attended our church for the first time. The interesting part is that she has always had a heart for God, but has felt rejected by church because of her personal struggles. And the sad part is that the church is supposed to be a reflection OF Jesus...

Dear Timmy,

I just wanted to say you and the church are awesome and thank you. I finally feel like I can go to church and be accepted. I watched the “Hindrances of Prayer” sermon online and wow!! That’s why I have stayed away from church for so long. It’s taken me a long time to finally accept and love myself for who God called me to be. It was hard being catholic and having feelings for women when I am a woman myself. God bless you and please keep up the good work!
T- - - -


She referred to the sermon, Hindrances to Prayer; in that sermon I talked about feeling we do not qualify to pray because of our personal struggles. We feel that we must be perfect to earn God’s love. When in reality God loves us all, period! No matter what our struggle, no matter what, God loves us!

Be encouraged today, God truly loves you and wants you to have a wonderful life. Invite Him into your life. I promise you will not regret it.

Smell

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It seems like yesterday I was holding my little slimy daughter just after she was birthed into the oxygen-filled world we live in… she had an interesting journey coming from the dark place she had been baking in for 9 months… known as the womb.

Now, she is 10 years old and can walk, and even ask for things. It’s crazy actually. I am learning to enjoy every moment I can her… as well as my son… stopping to smell the flowers, as they say. I think it actually helps to bring further clarification to the purpose of life!

Enjoy each day, each moment of your life!

If Jesus Started a Church...

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Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church”

We often quote this scripture in reference to “marriages”, and the importance of loving our wives… but I read this today and it made me think about how much Jesus loved the church. Yes, the organized religious establishment! Let us not forget, He (Jesus) set it up!

Now, I will be the first to admit that we may not resemble what Jesus intended totally, some more than others, BUT there are those churches who are really trying to be what Jesus intended.

So, the question of the day is; If Jesus started a church what would it look like? Not what color would the walls be, but what would it feel like, what would it be doing, saying… in this culture, in this time in history? Great questions I seek answers to everyday.

Without going into all my thoughts, I think we get glimpses of what that church might have looked like by simply looking at the early church. So here are just a few things I think The Real Church of Jesus Christ, pastored by Jesus Christ, might look like:

1) There would be a prevailing spirit of LOVE for each member
2) There would be a prevailing spirit of LOVE for their city, state, country, world
3) There would be UNITY amongst other religious groups all trying to do the same things
4) The people of that church would be irrepressible in helping hurting people
5) The church would be open-armed to all who would come… all are welcome to come and drink

… and if that church were in Olathe, it would be called Olathe Life Fellowship!

Mastermind

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Sir Isaac Newton [1642-1727]
"This thing [a scale model of our solar system] is but a puny imitation of a much grander system whose laws you know, and I am not able to convince you that this mere toy is without a designer and maker; yet you, as an atheist, profess to believe that the great original from which the design is taken has come into being without either designer or maker! Now tell me by what sort of reasoning do you reach such an incongruous conclusion?"


I am reading a book right now (actually listening to it) entitled, The Case for a Creator by Lee Strobel. What an awesome book. Though I will admit a lot of the scientific, biological and physics lingo is over my head. I am catching much of it.

I would say the bottom line from what I am getting so far is that there is very strong and even compelling evidence for a mastermind behind all this stuff.

As I mention regularly, I was raised in church, so I’ve always believed in “creator” God, the one responsible for all that is. But honestly it was based on just my personal “faith”. I had no proof of any of what I believed, besides “the Bible says, ‘in the beginning God’”.
But the reality is it would take more faith to believe that “all this” just came to be out of nothing, by nothing.

There is a God, and He created you for a purpose!

Choices

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So many choices to make each and everyday; what clothes to wear (for women: what shoes with what outfit), which cereal to eat, where to go for lunch, what project to begin first, what book to read, what show to watch, what movie to see, which car should I buy, who should I date, which one will I marry, what college to go to, which job to take... on and on we go through the life we live called CHOICES!

I think we may underestimate the importance of each and every choice we make.

I have talked with people before and have been surprised that they were surprised that their life went down a particular road… when it was clear that they chose the road themselves. We don’t get to pick the results of our decisions; therein lies the issue.

1) We chose to eat a snicker bar a day, rather than eating the “apple a day” and then we wonder why we don’t feel well. I am simplifying, of course. But the same is true.

2) We steal a car, and then wonder why we are sitting in an 8 X 8 little concrete room in Leavenworth.

3) We have sex, and wonder why or how we got pregnant. (I can draw a diagram of how this works if you need me to) J

4) We give 60% effort at work, and wonder why we got fired (laid off).

5) We ignore God, then wonder why we feel distant from Him.

I could go on, but I assume you get the point… each of us have choices to make, some big, some really important, and some small and not so important. But must I say (clearing my throat) God help us all choice wisely when it comes to the BIG IMPORTANT STUFF.

Answers to above situations:

1) Eat the APPLE
2) Don’t Steal
3) Don’t have SEX unless you want children


Disclaimer: If you are married abstinence is not a good form of “protection” for a healthy marriage. There are other alternatives I would recommend. Abstinence is preferred for the un-married.

4) Give 100% a work
5) Connect with God



Merry Christmas

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Thank you so much for reading my blog, it actually means a lot to me that you would find what I have to say of any interest or benefit to your life!

I would encourage you to remember the true reason for Christmas, found in Christ Jesus, and take this holiday season to reflect with your family on what is most important in life.

Last but not least, give a gift to someone less fortunate than you this year! Even if it's something small, it will be meaningful.

Be safe!

God Loves Everyone

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  • John 13:34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

  • 1 Corinthians 13:4 “Love is kind.”

  • Romans 13:10 “Love does no harm to its neighbor.”

    I really don’t think the people in Topeka would have been any happier had we been giving out $100 Gift certificates to Chic fa la honestly!

    We were received with open-arms for our God Loves Everyone Rally this past weekend. It was 23 degrees, snow was falling, travel conditions were treacherous but we went, and I am so glad we did!

    You can hear more about it on our site www.olathelifefellowship.org/media December 16th message.

    Peace!

True Chiefs Fan

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I must admit that I am a little disappointed in some of the Chiefs fans that I am seeing on TV and hearing on the radio. They are what I would call fair-weather fans!


To me a TRUE CHIEFS FAN LOVES AT ALL TIMES! If you are only a fan when winning, what kind of fan is that? A fickle fan if you ask me. We should stick with them in the good times and the bad times!
You say, "Timmy, what has this got to do with anything spiritual?" I would say, "EVERYTHING".

We all want to be a part of a winning team, a winning company, a winning church, a winning person... but I can tell you from my short life so far of only 38 years... LIFE HAPPENS! And you don't always WIN! There are times you lose, you suffer, you get beat, you struggle, you fight, and you get black and blue... but you keep fighting!

We as a society need to learn about COMMITMENT, DEDICATION and LOYALTY through thick and thin!

So there you go... my spiritual sports moment!

Go Chiefs!

Your Life in 2008

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I heard a recent statistic that I have found to be true in my life... it said that, "... you are a 1,000% more likely to accomplish your goals if you write them down with an action plan to achieve them...".


This last Sunday I just took the entire congregation through the exercise I personal use for myself... and many said they found it helpful. I hope you do as well!


MEMORY VERSE: John 10:10 “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give you a rich and satisfying life.” - NLT


TEXT: Matthew 22: 36-39 “Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the law?” Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”


· How in 2008 can you love the lord more with your heart?

· How in 2008 can you love the lord more with your soul?

· How in 2008 can you love the lord more with your mind & strength?

· How in 2008 can you love your neighbor more?


“Let’s say your walking along the beach in the Bahamas and you stub your toe on a bottle… there’s an interesting label on the bottle covered in sand, so you rub & rub and out pops a genie… this genie offers you 3 wishes…

What would your 3 wishes be?

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What are 5 things you will do in 2008 to insure Gods plan for you will happen?

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What are 3 things you’d like to change about yourself?

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What are 5 things you are going to do to help you change those things?


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